Fool For You [2]

Chapter Twelve

With the conclusion of dinner, Charlotte had asked that everyone gather in the drawing room. She thought it prudent to go over everything they had learned thus far, as well as come up with how they should proceed. Three days hardly seemed like enough time to do much of anything. But they would find a way to save their home from the likes of Benedict Lightwood.
Everyone except Jem and Tessa had already gathered in the drawing room. Charlotte sat at her desk, with Henry at her side. He had his hand placed gently atop her own, the pad of his thumb creating calming circles on her skin. Will lay sprawled in an armchair, his long legs dangling over the edge. Rosalie stood near the fireplace that Sophie was diligently tending to. She kept her open palms toward the fire, soaking in its warmth. Even with her back to him, it was impossible not to feel Will's lingering stare. Feeling uneasy, Rosalie shifted on her feet; turning just enough to catch a glimpse of him. Those striking blue eyes of his met with hers for a fleeting moment before he looked down, studying his calloused hands. With his attention fully locked on his hands, Rosalie found herself studying him- how tired he looked. She knew he had spent the majority of the night wandering the city, undoubtedly the most deplorable parts of it. The planes of his face, which had once looked sharp, seemed softer now. Perhaps being tired made him look more boyish, not like the Shadowhunter he truly was.

The doors of the drawing room opened on near silent hinges and the figures of Jem and Tessa appeared in the doorway. Rosalie couldn't help but notice the pure joy on Jem's face, despite how hard he tried masking it. She noted a similar look on her sister's face as well. It seemed they were due for a talk soon.
With everyone gathered together, Charlotte cleared her throat and her eyes drifted toward the Gray sisters. "I have received word from Brother Enoch," she began, sympathy swimming in her eyes. "The study of Nathaniel's body has revealed no further information... and as he is dead, we can ask him no further questions."
The words jolted through Rosalie like lightning, leaving her feeling unsteady. Reaching out with her hand, she gripped tightly onto the mantle of the fireplace to steady himself. Sometimes she forgot her brother had died. She could picture him so clearly: living a life far from the likes of London, far from the clutches of Mortmain. But that would only ever be a dream because Nate was dead.
"Truthfully, the only information we have is Benedict Lightwood's alliance with Mortmain." Charlotte went on briskly, her fingers drumming delicately along her wooden desk. "And that we can certainly report on."
Tessa looked up from her lap upon hearing Charlotte's words. "But what about what Jessamine said?" she questioned. "We would be playing directly into Mortmain's hands if we did that."
"Well, we have to give the Consul something." Will said from his armchair. "If we say nothing, we may as well hand the Institute over to the Lightwood's now- which would mean handing it over to Mortmain."
"The little information we have should be enough to warrant a trial by the Sword." Jem chimed in, his silver eyes seeming to glow in the firelight.
Will shot his parabatai a grin. "I was thinking precisely the same thing."
With a shake of her head, Charlotte said "When the Sword was used on Jessamine, there were blocks placed on her mind that were undoubtedly placed by Mortmain."
A wave of silence spread across the room. Mortmain wouldn't be foolish enough to not place blocks within Benedict Lightwood's mind. He knew too much and with the Sword in play, he would have had no choice but to speak of what he knows.
"We would look like fools if the Sword revealed nothing." Charlotte said, pinching the bridge of her nose. Loosing a long sigh, she surveyed the room. The faces staring back at her looked so full of defeat, so hopeless. And it was all her fault. If she were truly fit to be Head of the Institute, they never would have found themselves in a mess like this to begin with. Will and the Gray sister's would not be able to sneak out under her nose, and there certainly wouldn't have been not one- but two- spies under her roof. "I will take what we have learned to the Consul, but only as a Shadowhunter."
"Lottie you can't!" Henry exclaimed, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
Sophie echoed the sentiment. "You can't resign, miss!" she paused, setting aside the poker she had used to stoke the fire. "Miss Jessamine was right, you'll be playing right into Mortmain's hands if you go to the Clave."
"And you know this how?" Charlotte asked. The look on her face was clear enough; she was wondering if she had yet another spy on her hands. Will seemed to be thinking the same thing based on the way he leaned forward in his seat, his stormy eyes narrowing.
"I-I don't know exactly." Sophie admitted, nervously wringing her hands.
Standing up from her seat, Tessa moved to stand at her friend's side. "She's not lying." she said firmly. "We overhead Gabriel and Gideon talking in the training room."
Sophie gave Tessa a grateful smile and nodded once. "I know what Mortmain has on Mr. Lightwood." she said, voice wavering slightly. "Gideon only just found out, his father has no idea that he knows-"
"Well out with it, girl!" Henry said, motioning with his hands as he spoke. He hadn't meant it to be harsh, but they had very little time left. They didn't have time to waste.
Sophie looked directly at Charlotte. "He has demon pox."
The room erupted into chaos, namely due to the fact that Will had leapt from his chair and was singing and dancing about demon pox. For a moment, everyone watched him in pure astonishment. This was so unlike him.
Rising from her seat, Charlotte shot Will a hard look that went entirely unnoticed. "WILL!" she yelled, "WOULD YOU CEASE THAT INFERNAL RACKET?!" she then motioned to Jem, silently asking him to control his parabatai as she sat back down, muttering about how Will had clearly lost his mind.
Clamping a hand over Will's mouth, Jem hauled his best friend back to his seat. "Are you going to be quiet now?"
Rosalie watched the pair from her spot near the fire, her gray eyes glittering with amusement.
Will nodded just as his eyes met with her own, and she could have sworn he smiled at her. "A demon pox on all your houses." he said, throwing his arms up.
Jem grumbled in annoyance, knowing the coming weeks would be filled with demon pox jokes. "I am sorry to say it Sophie, but how do we know Gideon didn't lie to you?"
"He didn't." Will said with a decisive shake of his head. "I've seen the way he looks at her, and then I remembered Tessa telling me she thought he fancied our young Miss Collins. And a man in love will tell anything, betray anyone for the woman he loves." as he spoke, his eyes landed directly on Rosalie. His gaze seemed to pin her in place, and she had no choice but to meet his eye. "And not to mention, Benedict Lightwood was an affinity for demon women, he had a demon woman with snakes for eyes on his lap during his party."
Henry, being the curious man he was, asked "How are demon pox contracted?"
Will grinned, still relishing in the fact that he had been right about the existence of demon pox. "Through improper relations with demons. It's a rather nasty thing, it starts with a shield shaped rash on the back-"
Jem's head whipped to look at Will before he announced he would be right back. Everyone watched him in silent confusion as he bolted from the room.
"You don't think he has it, do you?" Henry asked his wife.
Tessa's eyes widened at the question, it was nearly imperceptible but Rosalie saw it.
"Oh, shut up Henry." Will scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Jem reappeared, clutching a piece of parchment. He was panting slightly and his hair was disheveled from running. "The Silent Brothers gave me this when we went to visit Jessamine," he began, still panting as he eased into an armchair near Will's. "It's the report on Barbara Lightwood's death." he scanned over the report before reading aloud the section on her shield shaped rash on her shoulder.
Rosalie swallowed loudly, her eyes glued to Jem as he continued reading. The report had listed the rash as something called astriola, which Will said meant demon pox.
"No wonder she killed herself," Charlotte said, blowing out a long breath. "Her husband gave her demon pox." she shuddered faintly, a look of disgust spreading over her fair features. Spinning to face Sophie, she asked "Does Gideon know of this?"
"No." she answered, promptly shaking her head.
"Wouldn't the Silent Brothers have told them?" Henry asked, "It seems rather irresponsible to keep such a thing quiet."
Charlotte laughed, but the sound was utterly void of any sense of humor. "They would tell someone." she said, "They would tell her husband."
Rosalie couldn't help but think about Gabriel in that moment. What did he know of any of this? Did Gideon tell him about their father? Or had he kept it a secret from even his own brother? The thought of Gabriel being potentially clueless to all of this made her stomach churn.
Tessa frowned, troubled once more by her own thoughts. "How is he still alive? Shouldn't he have died already?"
"Mortmain has been giving him drugs to slow the disease... but from what I understand, the drugs are losing their effect." Sophie said.
Will turned his attention to Charlotte. "We must contact Benedict Lightwood as soon as possible."
"And say what exactly?" Rosalie asked, scoffing. "I assume you want to rub it in his face that he's dying of a horrible disease?"
Angling a hard look at Rosalie, Will shook his head. "No, my dear Rose." he began slowly, "We need to play to his vanity; tell him that we know Charlotte doesn't stand a chance of maintaining her position. Tell him we wish to try to make amends before it's too late."
Jem nodded approvingly, "Benedict is proud and he has always sought control of the Institute... but more than that, he wants to humiliate Charlotte- prove to her that a woman isn't fit for such a position. As far as he's concerned, the Institute is already his but I doubt he would pass up the chance to see her grovel."
"And this would accomplish what exactly?" Henry asked, inching closer to his wife- as if protecting her.
"Blackmail, of course." Will said, grinning from ear to ear. "With what we know, Benedict will have no choice but to throw his full support behind Charlotte."
"Forgive me, but did we not just establish how stubborn and proud he is?" Tessa asked, frowning deeply.
"We did," Jem nodded once. "But if we were to take this information to the Clave- the knowing murder of a fellow Shadowhunter through demonic means- he would face a fate far worse than death."
Rosalie's eyes widened as curiosity coursed through her. She knew she would regret asking, but she had to. "What could possibly be worse than death?"
"Benedict would be stripped of the very thing that makes him Nephilim, and he would become Foresaken." Will explained, "His children would be stripped of their Marks and live as mundanes. It would be the end of the Lightwood line, which would be the greatest punishment of all."
"It is something even the likes of Benedict Lightwood would fear." Charlotte added. Leaning back in her chair, she wore a considering look on her face. She nodded once, seemingly thinking things over, before speaking once more. "So, we call on Benedict Lightwood."