"And now he is . . . "
"Dead. So he hardly represents competition for you. You must let me have my little diversions, Magnus. "
"Otherwise?"
"Otherwise I shall become extremely cross. "
"As you became cross with your human lover, and murdered him?"
Magnus inquired. "What of pity? Compassion? Love? Or do you not feel that emotion?"
"I love," Camil e said indignantly. "You and I, Magnus, who endure forever, love in such a manner as cannot be conceived of by mortals-a dark constant flame to their brief, sputtering light. What do they matter to you? Fidelity is a human concept, based upon the idea that we are here but for a short time. You cannot demand my faithfulness for eternity. "
"How foolish of me. I thought I could. I thought I could at least expect you not to lie to me. "
"You are being ridiculous," she said. "A child. You expect me to have the morals of some mundane when I am not human,
and neither are you.
Regardless, there is precious little you can do about it. I Will not be dictated to, certainly not by some half-breed. " It was the Downworlders own insulting term for warlocks. "You are devoted to me; you have said so yourself. Your devotion Will simply have to suffer my diversions, and then we shall rub along quite pleasantly. If not, I shall drop you. I cannot imagine you want that. "
There was a little sneer in her voice as she spoke, and it snapped something inside Magnus. He recal ed the sick feeling in his throat when the letter had come from Saint Petersburg. And yet he had waited for her return, hoping she had an explanation. That she would apologize. Ask him to love her again. Now that he realized he was not worth that to her-that he never had been-a red mist passed before his eyes; he seemed to go mad momentarily, for it was the only explanation for what he did next.
"It doesnt matter. " He rose to his feet. "I have Will now. "
Her mouth opened. "You cant be serious. A Shadowhunter?"
"You may be immortal, Camil e, but your feelings are vapid and shall ow.
Will s are not. He understands what it is to love. " Magnus, having delivered this insane speech with great dignity, stepped across the room and shook Will s shoulder. "Will. William. Wake up. "
Will s hazy blue eyes opened. He was lying on his back, looking upward, and the first thing he saw was Camil es face as she bent over the back of the sofa, regarding him. He jerked upright. "By the Angel-"
"Oh, shush," said Camil e lazily, smiling just enough to show the tips of baby fangs. "I wont hurt you, Nephilim. "
Magnus hauled Will to his feet. "The lady of the house," he said, "has returned. "
"I see that. " Will was flushed, the col ar of his shirt dark with sweat.
"Delightful," he said to no one in particular, and Magnus wasnt sure whether he meant he was delighted to see Camil e, delighted with the effects of the painkil ing spel Magnus had used on him-certainly a possibility-or simply rambling.
"And therefore," said Magnus, squeezing Will s arm with a meaning pressure, "we must go. "
Will blinked at him. "Go where?"
"Dont worry about that right now, my love. "
Will blinked again. "Pardon?" He glanced around, as if he half-expected people to be watching. "I-wheres my coat?"
"Ruined with blood," said Magnus. "Archer disposed of it. " He nodded toward Camil e. "Wil s been hunting demons all night. So brave. "
Camil es expression was a mixture of amazement and annoyance.
" I am brave," Will said. He looked pleased with himself. The painkil ing tonics had enlarged his pupils, and his eyes looked very dark.
"Yes, you are," Magnus said, and kissed him. It wasnt the most dramatic kiss, but Will flailed his free arm as if a bee had landed on him; Magnus had to hope Camil e would assume this was passion. When they broke apart, Will looked stunned. So did Camil e, for that matter.
"Now," Magnus said, hoping that Will would recol ect that he was indebted to him. "We must go. "
"I-but-" Will swung sideways. "The tooth!" He dashed across the room, retrieved it, and tucked it into Magnuss waistcoat pocket. Then, with a wink at Camil e that, Magnus thought, God alone knew how she would interpret, he sauntered out of the room.
"Camil e," Magnus began.
She had her arms crossed over her chest and was looking at him venomously. "Carrying on with Shadowhunters behind my back," she said icily, and with no apparent regard for the hypocrisy of her position. "And in my own house! Real y, Magnus. " She pointed toward the door. "Please leave my residence and do not return. I trust I shall not have to ask you twice. "
Magnus was only too pleased to oblige. A few moments later he had joined Will on the pavement outside the house, shrugging on his coat-al he now owned in the world besides what was in his pockets-and fastening the buttons against the chil y air. It would not be long, Magnus thought, before the first gray flush of morning lightened the sky.
"Did you just kiss me?" Will inquired.
Magnus made a split-second decision. "No. "
"I thought-"
"On occasion the aftereffects of the painkil ing spel s can result in hal ucinations of the most bizarre sort. "
"Oh," Will said. "How peculiar. " He looked back at Camil es house.
Magnus could see the window of the drawing room, the red velvet curtains drawn tight. "What are we going to do now? About summoning the demon? Have we somewhere to go?"
"Ive got somewhere to go," said Magnus, saying a prayer of silent thanks for Will s single-minded fixation on demon summoning. "I have a friend I can stop with. You go along back to the Institute. Ill get to work on your blasted demon tooth as soon as I possibly can. Ill send a message to you when I know anything. "
Will nodded slowly, then looked up at the black sky. "The stars," he said. "I have never seen them so bright. The wind has blown off the fog, I think. "
Magnus thought of the joy on Will s face as he had stood bleeding in Camil es living room, clutching the demon tooth in his hand. Somehow, I dont think its the stars that have changed.
" A Shadowhunter?" Tessa gasped. "Thats not possible. " She whirled around and looked at Charlotte, whose face mirrored her own shock. "It isnt possible, is it? Will told me that the offspring of Shadowhunters and demons are still born. "
Charlotte was shaking her head. "No. No, it isnt possible. "
"But if Jessamine has to tell the truth-" Tessas voice wavered.
"She has to tell the truth as she believes it," said Charlotte. "If your brother lied to her but she believed him, she Will speak it as if it were the truth. "