The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 9 - Graven in Metal

Will, caught off-guard by Jessamine's scream, watched as she carried herself over the broken glass to him. It wasn't long before Will was brought back to the fight and lunged for her, scooping her out of harm's way. Jessamine gave a short gasp and fell limp in his arms, her head rolling against his chest. Will glanced around him again; Jem was still gone, Charlotte was in the midst of carving her automaton, as was everyone else.

"Will," Jessamine said, her voice hardly audible. "Will, please set me down." She coughed and Will watched, in absolute horror, as blood trickled from the corners of her mouth.

"I need to get you inside, Jessamine."

"No. I won't survive that long. Will - if you ever cared about me at all, even a bit, put me down." She coughed again.

Will obeyed without hesitation, making her comfortable, cradling her with her head on his shoulder. Her appearance was too un-Jessamine-like; too thin to be healthy, her hair was near-gone, her eyes sunken and her cheekbone prominent.

"Jess," He said softly, "Jessie. Where are you hurt?"

Jessamine laughed humorlessly. "One of the creature's talons went through my back." Will looked down; she was right - blood had pooled under them, seeping through her dress. "It pierced my heart. I can feel it."

Fumbling with his belt for a tool, "An iratze -"

"No iratze will help me now." Will didn't think he's ever heard Jessamine so sure before.

"Then the Silent Brothers -" Will tried again.

"Even their power cannot save me. Besides, I cannot bear to have them touch me again. I would rather die. I am dying, and I am glad of it."

Will tried not to look so stunned. Evan had read him this part, late last night, in a soft voice like the wind through a crack in a window. He knew how Jessamine would end - and how she would live on; how she would save a great many people one day in the future. "Jessie."

"You needn't." Jessamine coughed again. "Be kind to me, that is. I know you hate me."

Will knew what he was to say; "I don't hate you." But he couldn't help but add, "I should have gone to see you in the Silent City, Jessie, I am sorry."

Jessamine's lips quirked. "I liked you better than Jem, you know. The way you hated yourself... I understood that."

"You never wanted gifts of generous hearts," Will said, hoping he was saying what was right - hoping he could let her know she did mean very much to him, even if he never showed it; he knew her. "You wanted to be seen as you are.

Jessamine smiled weakly. "Do me a favor, Will?"

Will nodded, "I'll take care of Baby Jessie and the others, Jess, don't fret. I will not let them destroy anything of yours."

"I thought they might - not want anything to remember me by."

Will couldn't tear his eyes off of her. "You did help us. I know where Mortmain is, Jessie, you were right; he is in Idris. Just not our Idris." Will's lips quirked in what he hoped was a smile and not a grimace.

Jessamine sent him a smile back, "You are not that terrible of a Welshman, Will."

"Jessie," Will said, more urgently than he'd meant to, "This is not the end. You need to know that. You will do good by us yet."

Jessamine smiled more widely, her teeth rimmed with red. "I'd like that, Will." He breath hitched and did not move again. She was dead.

Will closed her eyes, letting his eyes well with tears, "Ave atque vale, Jessamine Lovelace."

"No!" Charlotte stood over Will and Jessamine's body, slumped in Henry's arms. Cecily was wide eyed, blood smeared on her cheek, Bridget stood next to her, her face unreadable. Behind them on the steps were Gideon, leaning on Sophie, looking very pale as Gabriel applied a run to his bleeding leg.

"Jem," Will said, his voice cracked.

"He went off after Tessa and Evan." Cecily said softly.

"Went off after Tessa and Evan? What do you mean?" Will's hands shook - thought with fear or rage, he did not know.

"One -" Cecily's voice hitched. "One of the automatons seized Tessa and threw her into a carriage. Another was dragging Evan - she wasn't moving. None of us could follow. The creatures were blocking us. Then Jem ran through the gates. I assumed -"

Will's hands still shook as he said, his voice ragged, "Someone take Jessamine from me, I must go after them."

"Will," Charlotte began, her eyes and cheeks wet with salty tears, "No -"

"Charlotte," Wills voice was strained. "I must go -"

There was a clang as Jem walked through the gate, his sword-cane limp at his side. He was slow, his mouth set in a firm line. He had a cut in his shoulder - not deep but still bleeding. The blood was smeared all the way to his hair. The rest of him was covered in grease and oil.

"James?" Will said, his voice not strained anymore - just dull.

"They're gone." Jem's voice was unusually flat and he didn't look to Will. "I ran after the carriage - but it was gaining speed and I could not run fast enough." Jem looked as if he was going to hit himself. But instead he kicked the Silent Brother's carriage hard enough for it to jerk back a few feet. "I lost them near Temple Bar." He looked to Will then, his eyes tortured - not only had he lost his own love, he lost Will's, too. "If I could have run faster...." Jem's eyes rested on Jessamine then. He dropped to his knees, leaning against the carriage, his face twisted in agony. "No."