Chapter 21
Coals of Fire
Miss DeLuca,
I will arrive in three days' time. I will tell no one that you wrote to me. I will hold you to your promise of seeing my parents again. Mr. Ragnor Fell did not give me your letters but another warlock by the name of Magnus Bane spoke to me personally. He was the one to convince me to trust you. He told me that my brother held you to the highest esteem; that he trusts you as much as he trusts his own parabatai. That he is deeply in love with you.
Thank you for contacting me,
Cecily Herondale
Three days later, Evan woke up much like the day two weeks ago. Sophie helped her in the lavender dress with the same style and silver accents the navy one had. Her hair was half up and half down, held up with a lavender ribbon. She wore her earrings in the correct piercings, deciding that the small act of 1878 rebellion was necessary. With her cheeks lightly blushed, her lips lightly colored and her boots laced, she made her way down to the carriage. Will met her halfway down, offering her his arm.
"I went to Whitechapel last night." Will told her. "Two years' worth."
Evan nodded. "You do realize that I have no idea exactly what I'm looking for until I find it, right?"
"Of course. And we're on limited time. You'll have training, research and -"
"Finding evidence." Evan concluded. "And did you just say 'we'?"
Will grinned at her. "You didn't think I'd let you do all that by yourself, did you?"
Evan could only smile back. "You're pretty good at trusting me when I can't give you very much to go on."
"Can you at least give me a time limit?" Will amended.
"Two and a half months at the most." Evan said confidently.
"And that will be enough time...?" Will asked.
"Yes." Evan said just as confidently. "Actually, it should be more than enough time."
"Really? Why all the extra time?" Will smiled knowingly.
"I don't work well under pressure!" Evan exclaimed as they met Tessa and Jem at the front of the Institute. They exchanged pleasantries before climbing into the carriage with Gideon Lightwood, Charlotte and Henry.
The Council chambers was decorated with banners carrying runes of judgement. The Londoners sat in the front row, where they could clearly see the dais and the entire Council. Benedict Lightwood sat with Gabriel in the center of the chambers on a raised platform. Gabriel looked slightly unkempt and glanced towards his brother when they entered but looked away quickly, not saying anything.
Evan recognized no one in the crowd besides the Lightwoods, the Consul and the Inquisitor. She sat in between Will and Gideon. Oh the other side of Will sat Jem, then Tessa. On the other side of Gideon sat Charlotte and Henry. Evan had a prickling feeling at the back of her neck and she turned to see Aloysius Starkweather. She didn't have time to tell Will, because the Consul was behind the lectern.
"We are here to determine to what extent Charlotte and Henry Branwell have been of assistance to the Clave during the past fortnight in the matter of Axel Mortmain, and whether, as Benedict Lightwood has put in a claim, the London Institute would be better off in other hands." The Consul's voice rang through the room as clear as crystal.
The Inquisitor rose to his feet, carrying the Mortal Sword. "Charlotte Branwell, please come up to the lectern."
Charlotte obeyed, climbing the stairs to the stage where the Mortal Sword was laid across her palms. Her hands wrapped around the blade. Quietly, she recounted everything that had happened in the past two weeks. She was able to skirt around certain things that wouldn't have made a significant difference but Evan had a feeling that each skipped detail protected each of them; Will's adventure to the ifrit's den, for example.
There were details, such as Jessamine's betrayal, that made the Council members react and made the discussion veer slightly before returning on task. Finally, Benedict made a statement.
"I wholeheartedly support Charlotte Branwell in her leadership of the Institute, and renounce my claim on a position there." He stood, speaking easily. From there, the Inquisitor interrogated him, waiting for him to break - but Benedict was a perfect actor, professing his support for Charlotte and even (to a tiny extent) complementing Henry.
As the vial went around the room and Will and Gideon whispered Charlotte's name into it on either side of her, she relaxed; from here, for the next few months, there would be little to worry about for the inhabitants of the London Institute. Well, almost.
Evan almost cursed herself as Henry's whoop made her remember something. The insect like things. She tapped Will's leg, breathing "Something's wrong."
"What?" Gideon asked, sitting up, having heard her.
Then a scream pierced the air and the Shadowhunters jumped up, Will pushing Evan behind him. There were hundreds of black metal creatures swarming the chambers. One dipped to hover in front of Tessa, another dipped to examine Evan. Evan spit at it, covering the thing with sylvia. Unlike in the book, Will had worn a hat, so Evan stanched it off the top of his head and, just as Tessa did with her own hat, trapped it.
"Henry!" Tessa called. "Henry, I've got one of those things -"
Will whirled on Evan, crushing the bug-like thing in the hat. She opened it, just as Henry smashed the one Tessa caught. "It's a camera." Evan started, moving to show Will before Henry. "Clever, really." She looked up as the rest of the bugs converged, swirling until they were suddenly gone - gone the way they came.
In the carriage, Evan and Henry were able to examine the creatures more closely. "It's a sort of camera," Henry repeated for the rest of the Londoners. "Without Jessamine, Nate, or Benedict, Mortmain must be out of reliable human spies who can report to him. So he sent there things."
"Benedict didn't look any too pleased to see those things," Will noted. "He must realize Mortmain already knows about his defection."
"It was a matter of time." Charlotte said. "Henry, can those things record sound, like a phonautograph, or simply pictures? They were flying around so quickly -"
"I'm not sure." Henry frowned. "Evan?"
"No, I don't think so." Evan matched his frown. "It's not like anything I've seen, at least. If we were to examine it more thoroughly and if it wasn't destroyed it'd be easier to tell but..."
"With the automaton in Yorkshire," Jem said to Evan. "You said you could 'reprogram' it to spy on Mortmain...."
"It's clockwork," Evan said, biting her lip. "It'd take a lot more time than I originally thought and I'm not all too familiar with clockwork... if Mr. Branwell were to help me, I could.... Or I could try making something else entirely but that would require knowing where Mortmain is. It's a lot of if's but sure - it's possible."
"In any case," Henry added, "Perhaps it is not the worst thing for the Council to get a look at Mortmain' inventions. It is one thing to hear about them, another to see what he is doing. Don't you think, Lottie?"
Charlotte murmured an answer, but Evan didn't hear it.
When they'd finally gotten to the Institute and they were finally climbing out, Will held Evan's hand, which they hid under her skirts even as they walked. Sun spilled through the clouds like an escaping prisoner - it was the first sun Evan's seen in her three weeks of being there.
Charlotte and Henry started to the steps until Henry pulled her back with the hand that wasn't holding Tessa's hat. "What we should remember is that everything went as well as we could have hoped." Henry held his wife tightly. "I'm so proud of you, darling."
Evan fought back a wide smile as she watched the exchange. Gideon looked away, embarrassed, Jem and Tessa both looked pleased. Evan didn't look up at Will to see how he seemed.
Charlotte pulled away, flustered, and straightening her hat but nonetheless pleased. "Are you really, Henry?"
"Absolutely! Not only is my wife beautiful, she is brilliant, and that brilliance should be recognized!"
Will opened his mouth to retort, but Evan looked up at him, her eyes pleading with him to let them have their moment.
"Tonight is for celebration." Henry declared. "The Institute is still ours."
Evan wore the same dress she did the night she and Will went to meet Magnus at Mr. Scott's house. This time, she didn't wear the sweater; just the dress. The top wasn't tight and the black hid a bit of her figure, but after three weeks of living there, they promised Evan that her strange fashion didn't bother them. The dress folded over itself at the neckline, covering her shoulders. It was fitted until her waist, wear it would spin out perfectly if she twirled. It one of her mother's dresses when she was younger. She left her hair the way it was at the Council meeting. Of course, she wore her black converse, too.
"You look very nice, miss," Sophie said, appearing at the door after she helped Tessa.
"Thank you," Evan smiled shyly. "You're sure that no one will mind me wearing this, though?" It was the fourth time she'd asked it.
"Not at all," Sophie waved it away just as she had. "I rather like it. There are some dresses like that now.... Girls your age in eighteen seventy-eight don't usually wear the heavy gowns, anyway."
Evan gave Sophie a side smile, "It's not too tight?"
"A smidge," Sophie said. "But not too tight, Miss Evan."
"Thanks, Sophie," Evan smiled.
Sophie nodded, giving Evan a small smile in return. She went to leave her again before pausing half-out of her room, "Besides, I do not think Master Will would mind it being tight at all."
Evan whirled on her, the dress fanning out slightly. "Sophie!" Evan said flustered, her cheeks bright red.
But Sophie just smiled and left.
Bridget had out done herself. As Evan walked in, she left like she had accidentally walked onset of a Johnny Depp movie. There were candles in silver holders, cut flowers in silver bowls with a white linen tablecloth. Evan slid into a seat next to Will, whose eyes followed her to her seat. Bridget was singing, of course, a mournful ballad of forbidden love.
"Is your cook always singing?" Gideon asked, sounding awed as Tessa and Jem came in. The flowers in Tessa's hair weren't blue like in the book, but a strange silvery-gray that made Evan wonder how Sophie found them. They matched Jem's eyes perfectly - it was kind of strange, but perfect for the occasion.
Henry looked up at Jem and Tessa, smiling "We were beginning to wonder if you two were -" Henry began.
"Tessa and I have news," Jem burst out. Evan and Will shared a brief look of excitement. But Jem had paused, almost as if he couldn't believe he'd said it. Bridget had broke out into a mournful song again.
"Well, you have to tell us now," Charlotte smiled. "Don't leave us dangling in suspense, Jem!"
He held up his and Tessa's joined hands, she was smiling, her smiling growing as he said "Tessa and I are engaged to be married. I asked her, and - she accepted me."
Unlike in the book, everyone only froze for a half second before Henry, Will and Evan all stood to congratulate them. Only Gideon was slightly behind, scrambling to stand and congratulate them, too.
Only Charlotte didn't move, her hand on her chest. Tessa bent over her, saying "Charlotte, is everything alright?" Evan turned to her, fighting another happy smile for Charlotte and Henry.
"Yes," Then more loudly; "Yes. It is just - I have news of my own. Good news."
"Yes, darling," Henry said, his hand on Jem's shoulder. "We won the Institute back! But everyone does already know -"
"No, not that, Henry. You -" Charlotte hiccuped, making a sound that was half a laugh and half a cry. "Henry and I are going to have a child. A boy. Brother Enoch told me. I didn't want to say anything before, but -"
The rest of what she was going to say was drowned out by Henry's cry of celebration. He lifted Charlotte completely out of her chair, engulfing her in an embrace. "Darling, that's wonderful, wonderful -"
Sophie gave a happy shriek and clapped her hands. Gideon looked so embarrassed that he looked about ready to die. Jem and Will exchanged happily amused smiles. Tessa couldn't help but smile widely, too. Evan was brought back to when her mother announced that she was pregnant again. Evan clasped her hands in front of her and watched as Henry and Charlotte danced across the dining room.
"I feel as though you and Evan should announce something now." Jem said lowly to Will and Evan.
Evan and Will shared a look but Will shrugged, smirking. "I've begun courting Evan but that's hardly news." Evan hit him on the arm, rolling her eyes. Jem politely congratulated them before slipping over to Tessa, whispering something in her ear. Tessa smiled widely at Evan and Will.
A day for smiles.
Then Cyril knocked on the door, poking his head in. He looked hesitant, but said "Mr. Branwell, there's someone here to see you all."
Henry blinked. "Someone to see us? But this is a private dinner, Cyril. And I did not hear the bell ring -"
"No, she is Nephilim." Cyril said and Evan relaxed slightly. This was good. "And she says it's very important. She will not wait."
"Well, all right, then." Henry said after exchanging a look with Charlotte. "Let her up, but tell her it will have to be quick."
Cyril nodded and disappeared. "Aunt Callida, perhaps? I can't fathom who else..."
Evan slipped her hand into Will's. "Uh, relax." Evan breathed.
"Who is it?" Will asked. Then he drew in a sharp breath.
Cecily walked in, her eyes falling on Evan and Will first. She wore a velvet traveling cloak over a green dress.
"Hello," Her accent was a heavy Welsh. "I apologize for interrupting your dinner hour, but I had nowhere else to go. I am Cecily Herondale, you see. I have come to be trained as a Shadowhunter."