"Jessamine would never agree to do it," said Charlotte. "Not now-"
Will gave her a dark look. "You are all in a lather, arent you?" he said. "Of course she wouldnt. We Will be asking Tessa to reprise her starring role as Jessamine, A Traitorous Young Lady of Fashion. "
"That sounds dangerous," Jem said in a subdued voice. "For Tessa. "
Tessa looked at him quickly, and caught a flash of his silvery eyes. It was the first time he had looked at her since she had left his room that night. Was she imagining the concern in his voice when he spoke of danger to her, or was it simply the concern Jem had for everyone? Not wishing for her horrible demise was mere kindness, not-not what it was she hoped he felt.
Whatever that might be. Let him at least not despise her. . . .
"Tessa is fearless," said Will. "And there Will be little danger to her. We Will send him a note arranging a meeting in a place where we might fal upon him easily and immediately. The Silent Brothers can torture him until he gives up the information that we need. "
"Torture?" said Jem. "This is Tessas brother-"
"Torture him," said Tessa. "If that is what is necessary. I give you my permission. "
Charlotte looked up at her, shocked. "You cant mean that. "
"You said there was a way to dig through his mind for secrets," Tessa said.
"I asked you not to do that, and you didnt. I thank you for that, but I Will not hold you to that promise. Dig through his mind if you must. There is more to all of this for me than there is for you, you know. For you this is about the Institute and the safety of Shadowhunters. I care about those things too, Charlotte. But Nate-he is working with Mortmain. Mortmain, who wants to trap me and use me, and for what we still do not know. Mortmain, who may know what I am. Nate told Jessamine my father was a demon and my mother was a Shadowhunter-"
Will sat up straight. "Thats impossible," he said. "Shadow-hunters and demons-they cannot procreate. They cannot produce living offspring. "
"Then maybe it was a lie, like the lie about Mortmain being in Idris," said Tessa. "That doesnt mean Mortmain doesnt know the truth. I must know what I am. If nothing else, I believe it is the key to why he wants me. "
There was sadness in Jems eyes as he looked at her, and then away.
"Very well," he said. "Will, how do you propose we lure him to a meeting? Dont you think he knows Jessamines handwriting? Isnt it likely they have some secret signal between them?"
"Jessamine must be convinced," said Will. "To help us. "
"Please dont suggest we torture her," said Jem irritably. "The Mortal Sword has already been used. She has told us all she can-"
"The Mortal Sword did not give us their meeting places or any codes or pet names they might have used," said Will. "Dont you understand? This is Jessamines last chance. Her last chance to cooperate. To get leniency from the Clave. To be forgiven. Even if Charlotte keeps the Institute, do you think they Will leave Jessamines fate in our hands? No, it Will be left to the Consul and the Inquisitor. And they Will not be kind. If she does this for us, it could mean her life. "
"I am not sure she cares about her life," said Tessa softly.
"Everyone cares," said Will. "Everyone wants to live. "
Jem turned away from him abruptly, and stared into the fire.
"The question is, who can we send to persuade her?" said Charlotte. "I cannot go. She hates and blames me most of all. "
"I could go," Henry said, his gentle face troubled. "I could perhaps reason with the poor girl, speak with her of the fol y of young love, how swiftly it fades in the face of lifes harsh reality-"
"No. " Charlottes tone was final.
"Well, I highly doubt she wishes to see me," said Will. "It Will have to be Jem. Hes impossible to hate. Even that devil cat likes him. "
Jem exhaled, still staring into the fire. "I Will go to the Silent City," he said.
"But Tessa should come with me. "
Tessa looked up, startled. "Oh, no," she said. "I do not think Jessamine likes me much. She feels I have betrayed her terribly by disguising myself as her, and I cannot say I blame her. "
"Yes," said Jem. "But you are Nates sister. If she loves him as you say she does . . . " His eyes met hers across the room. "You know Nate. You can speak of him with authority. You may be able to make her believe what I cannot. "
"Very well," Tessa said. "I Will try. "
This seemed to signal the end of breakfast; Charlotte darted off to call for a carriage to come for them from the Silent City; it was how the Brothers liked to do things, she explained. Henry returned to his crypt and his inventions, and Jem, after a murmured word to Tessa, went to gather his hat and coat. Only Will remained, staring into the fire, and Tessa, seeing that he was not moving, waited until the door shut behind Jem and came around to stand between Will and the flames.
He raised his eyes to her slowly. He was still wearing the clothes he had been wearing the night before, though his white shirtfront was stained with blood and there was a long, jagged rent in his frock coat. There was a cut along his cheek, too, under his left eye. "Will," she said.
"Arent you meant to be leaving with Jem?"
"And I shall," she replied. "But I need a promise from you first. "
His eyes moved to the fire; she could see the dancing flames reflected in his pupils. "Then tell me what it is quickly. I have important business to get to.
I plan to sulk all afternoon, fol owed, perhaps, by an evening of Byronic brooding and a nighttime of dissipation. "
"Dissipate all you like. I only want your assurance that you Will tell no one what transpired between us last night on the balcony. "
"Oh, that was you," said Will, with the air of someone who has just recol ected a surprising detail.
"Spare me," she snapped, stung despite herself. "We were under the influence of warlock powders. It meant nothing. Even I do not blame you for what happened, however tedious you are being about it now. But there is no need for anyone else to know, and if you were a gentleman-"