✓ | Hushed Whispers ⋆ Will Herondale [2]

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: FOUND

◤If there is a strand of his hair missing, I'll make sure you regret the day you were born.◢

⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼⎼

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: FOUND

MARIE Wayland mounted off of her horse at an unprepossessing corner.

The ride from Fleet Street to Ludgate Hill hadn't been a short one, seeing that the girl had to adjust her riding to the Institute's carriage's pace. Of course, she had been offered to join Tessa and Jem, but she opted for riding instead, adding that she needed her mind sharp and cleared for what they might encounter upon arriving.

Although thick fog barely allowed her to see the road ahead, the Wayland girl had somehow managed to find the location given by Jem. After performing a location spell, the boy had managed to roughly find a place Will had seemingly been at.

Marie's nose scrunched at the smell of stench and alcohol; she wasn't surprised Will Herondale had chosen one of the worst and most dangerous places in London to heal his broken heart. She wasn't sure whether or not it was absolutely necessary for him to be surrounded by drunkards and women in brightly colored dresses, with flushed cheeks and exposed skins, but she said nothing. She preferred digging her teeth deep into the flesh of her lower lip.

The unpleasant words of "Cruel Lizzie Vickers" rang in Marie's ears as Jem spoke. "I can't glamour you against the glances of mundanes," the boy said to Tessa. "So keep your head down and keep close to me."

"You said that already," Tessa narrowed her eyes at the silver-haired Shadowhunter, smiling gently.

He leaned closer to Tessa. "It's very important."

Marie snorted loudly, rolling her eyes. She didn't mind the pair showing affection to each other, but Marie preferred not to be present when they did so. "I am sure it is, James," she said, pulling a steele from her belt and offering it to Jem. "Care to put some runes on my skin?"

Silently nodding, Jem drew precise lines on Marie's arm. Strength, sure-footedness and several other marks shone brightly in the pale moonlight before Marie pulled down her sleeves.

The brunette made sure to return the favor to Jem, although aware that her runes were nearly nowhere as strong and powerful as the ones Will gave him.

"Shall we then, ladies?" Jem asked before reaching his hand toward a red-painted door and knocking.

A woman dressed in a long red dress made an appearance. The dress hugged her body tightly, accentuating her naturally curvy body. Her skin was almost the color of ash and her hair black like the blackest of nights, pinned in a bun by two gold chopsticks. Her gaze rested on Jem.

"No," she firmly stated. Her eyes quizzically inspected the visitors. "No Nephilim."

The woman was about to slam the door in their faces, had Jem not decided to break her plans and put his cane in between. A blade shot out from its base. "No trouble," he stated.

"We're not here for the Clave, Miss," Marie added, smiling politely. "Our purpose of visiting is entirely of personal nature."

She narrowed her eyes at the girl, taking in Marie's appearance. The tall brunette was dressed in a pair of trousers and a long tunic, dark-purple jacket thrown over.