The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 14 - The Silent City

Chapter 14

The Silent City

"Jessamine," Henry said again. "I still can't believe it. Our Jessamine?"

Charlotte's lips pursed more tightly. "Yes," She said again. "Jessamine. She has been spying on us and reporting our every move to Nate, who has been passing the information to Mortmain. Must I say it again?"

Henry blinked at her. "I'm sorry, darling. I have been listening. It is only that -" Henry sighed. "I knew she was unhappy here. But I did not think Jessamine hated us."

"I don't think she did - or does." Jem said, standing at the mantel. "I don't think she hates us. She has always been someone so full of wanting. She has always been so desperate."

"It is my fault." Charlotte said softly. "I should not have tried to force being a Shadowhunter upon her when it was something she so clearly despised."

"No. No!" Henry hurried to reassure his wife. "You were never anything but kind to her. You did everything you could. There are some mechanisms that are so - so broken that they cannot be repaired."

"Jessamine is not a watch, Henry." Charlotte said, sounding remote. "Perhaps I should just parcel up the Institute with a bow and give it to Benedict Lightwood. This is the second time that we have had a spy under our roof and not known about it until significant damage was done. Clearly I am incompetent."

"In a way it was really just one spy." Henry started before Charlotte's eyes rested on Evan in the corner, and saddened.

"If Benedict Lightwood is working for Mortmain, he cannot be allowed to have custody of the Institute." Tessa said. "In fact, that ball he threw last night ought to be enough to disqualify him."

"The problem will be proving it." Jem said. "Benedict will deny everything, and it will be his word against yours - and you are a Downworlder -"

"There's Will," Charlotte frowned, only half-paying attention. "Speaking of, where is Will?"

"Having a lie-in, no doubt." Jem said dismissively. "And as for him being a witness, well, everyone thinks Will is a lunatic as it is -"

"Ah," A voice in the doorway made everyone look that way. "Having your annual everyone-thinks-Will-is-a-lunatic meeting, are you?"

"It's biannual," Jem's tired voice still was able to make everyone's lips twitch upward from a brief second. "And no, this is not that meeting."

Will looked at Tessa as tired as Jem sounded, "They know about Jessamine?"

A while later, the room was in a slight uproar. Charlotte had just reminded them that they had two spies in the Institute and - looking at Evan regrettably- said that they could not afford a third. Only Evan was silent, seeming shocked up otherwise unmoved.

Charlotte put her hand up sharply but it was Jem who had to silence Will. Charlotte looked to Evan again. "I will not send you anywhere without proof, Evan." She started, "I will ask Brother Enoch to sift through your memories. With your consent, of course."

Evan nodded, almost in disbelief. "I - sure. If that's.... what will help...." She seemed just as shocked as everyone else that Charlotte would even suggest it, but nodded numbly. "Yeah."

"Charlotte," Will almost seemed to plead. "You can't think that Evan is a -"

"None of us thought that Jessamine or Nate were spies, either." Charlotte looked away from Evan and wouldn't look at her again. "And it is just a precaution. It won't be a deep search - just enough to prove that she is not a spy for the Magister."