"I wont," said Tessa, indicating the map. "Its a simple walk. I could turn left at Gracechurch Street, go along Eastcheap, and cut through to Mincing Lane. "
An argument ensued, with Jem, to Tessas surprise, siding with Will against the idea of her walking the streets alone. Eventual y it was decided that Henry would drive the carriage to Mincing Lane, while Tessa would walk, with Cyril following her at a discreet distance, lest she lose herself in the crowded, dirty, noisy city. With a shrug she agreed; it seemed less trouble than arguing, and she didnt mind Cyril.
"I dont suppose anyones going to point out," said Will, "that once again we are leaving the Institute without a Shadow-hunter to protect it?"
Charlotte rol ed up the map with a flick of her wrist. "And which of us would you suggest stay home, then, instead of helping Tessa?"
"I didnt say anything about anyone staying home. " Will s voice dropped.
"But Cyril Will be with Tessa, Sophies only half-trained, and Bridget . . . "
Tessa glanced over at Sophie, who was sitting quietly in the corner of the library, but the other girl gave no sign of having heard Will. Meanwhile, Bridgets voice was wafting faintly from the kitchen, another miserable bal ad: "So John took out of his pocket A knife both long and sharp, And stuck it through his brothers heart, And the blood came pouring down.
Says John to William, Take off thy shirt, And tear it from gore to gore, And wrap it round your bleeding heart, And the blood will pour no more. "
"By the Angel," said Charlotte, "we really are going to have to do something about her before she drives us all to madness, arent we?"
Before anyone could reply, two things happened at once: Something tapped at the window, startling Tessa so much that she took a step back, and a great, echoing noise sounded through the Institute-the sound of the summoning bell. Charlotte said som
ething to Will -lost in the noise of the bel -and he left the room, while Charlotte crossed it, slid the window up and open, and captured something hovering outside.
She turned away from the window, a fluttering piece of paper in her hand; it looked a bit like a white bird, edges flapping in the breeze. Her hair blew about her face too, and Tessa was reminded how young Charlotte was.
"From Nate, I suppose," said Charlotte. "His message for Jessamine. " She brought it to Tessa, who tore the creamy parchment lengthwise in her eagerness to get it open.
Tessa glanced up. "It is from Nate," she confirmed. "He has agreed to meet Jessie in the usual place at sundown-" She gave a little gasp as, recognizing itself somehow as having been read, the note burst into quick, heatless flames, consuming itself until it was only a film of black ash on her fingers.
"That gives us only a little time," said Henry. "I Will go and tell Cyril to ready the carriage. " He looked to Charlotte, as if for approval, but she only nodded without meeting his eyes. With a sigh Henry left the room-nearly bumping into Will, who was on his way back in, fol owed by a figure in a traveling cloak. For a moment Tessa wondered in confusion if it was a Silent Brother -until the visitor drew his hood back and she saw the familiar sandy-blond curling hair and green eyes.
"Gideon Lightwood?" she said in surprise.
"There. " Charlotte slipped the map she was holding into her pocket. "The Institute Will not be Shadowhunterless. "
Sophie got hastily to her feet-then froze, as if, outside the atmosphere of the training room, she was not sure what to do or say in front of the eldest Lightwood brother.
Gideon glanced around the room. As always his green eyes were calm, unruffled. Will, behind him, seemed to burn with bright energy by contrast, even when he was simply standing still. "You called on me?" Gideon said, and she realized that of course, looking at her, he was seeing Jessamine.
"And I am here, though I know not why, or what for. "
"To train Sophie, ostensibly," said Charlotte. "And also to look after the Institute while were gone. We need a Shadow-hunter of age to be present, and you qualify. In fact, it was Sophie who suggested you. "
"And how long Will you be gone?"
"Two hours, three. Not all night. "
"All right. " Gideon began to unbutton his cloak. There was dust on his boots, and his hair looked as if he had been out in the cold wind, hatless. "My father would say it was good practice for when I run the place. "
Will muttered something under his breath that sounded like "bloody cheek. " He looked at Charlotte, who shook her head at him minutely.
"It may be that the Institute Will be yours one day," she said to Gideon quite mildly. "In any case, were grateful for your assistance. The Institute is the responsibility of all Shadowhunters, after all. These are our dwel ing places- our Idris away from home. "
Gideon turned to Sophie. "Are you ready to train?"
She nodded. They left the room together in a group, Gideon and Sophie turning right to make their way to the training room, the rest of them heading for the stairs. Bridgets mournful yowl was even louder out here, and Tessa heard Gideon say something to Sophie about it, and Sophies soft voice in response, before they were too far away for her to hear them anymore.
It seemed natural to fal into step beside Jem as they went downstairs and through the nave of the cathedral. She was walking close enough to him that though they did not speak, she could feel the warmth of him against her side, the brush of his bare hand against hers as they stepped outside. Sunset was coming. The sky had begun to take on the bronze sheen that came just before twilight. Cyril was waiting on the front stairs, looking so much like Thomas that it hurt ones heart to look at him. He was carrying a long, thin dagger, which he handed off to Will without a word; Will took it and put it through his belt.
Charlotte turned and put her hand against Tessas cheek. "We shall see you at the warehouse," she said. "You Will be perfectly safe, Tessa. And thank you, for doing this for us. " Charlotte dropped her hand and went down the steps, Henry following her, and Will just after. Jem hesitated, just for a moment, and Tessa-remembering a night like this one, when he had run up the steps to bid her good-bye-pressed her fingers lightly against his wrist.
"Mizpah," she said.
She heard him suck in his breath. The Shadowhunters were getting into the carriage; he turned and kissed her quickly on the cheek, before spinning and running down the steps after the others; none of them seemed to have noticed, but Tessa put her hand to her face as Jem climbed, last, into the carriage and Henry made his way up to the drivers seat. The gates of the Institute swung open, and the carriage clattered out into the darkening afternoon.
"Shal we go, then, miss?" Cyril inquired. Despite how much he looked like Thomas, Tessa thought, he had a less diffident demeanor. He looked her directly in the eye when he spoke, and the corners of his mouth always seemed to be about to crinkle into a smile. She wondered if there was always one calmer and one more high-strung brother, like Gabriel and Gideon.
"Yes, I think we-" Tessa stopped suddenly, one foot about to descend the steps. It was ridiculous, she knew, and yet-she had taken off the clockwork angel to dress herself in Jessamines clothes. She had not put it back on.
She couldnt wear it-Nate would recognize it immediately-but she had meant to put it into her pocket for luck, and she had forgotten. She hesitated now. It was more than sil y superstition; twice now the angel had literal y saved her life.
She turned. "I have forgotten something. Wait here for me, Cyril. Ill be only a moment. "
The door to the Institute was still open; she charged back through it and up the stairs, through the hal s and into the corridor that led to Jessamines room -where she froze.