The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 6 - Let Darkness

Chapter 6

Let Darkness

The next day, a day later than in Clockwork Princess, the Consul paid the London Institute a visit. Evan never liked Consul Wayland, from his big blond beard, to his broad shoulders and his permanent scowl, Evan thought he needed a drink - or five - of her father's strongest whiskey. He came in with only a small announcement from Sophie, who seemed unusually timid, and immediately started insulting everyone except for Evan - whom he ignored.

"Charlotte, I am here to talk to you about Benedict Lightwood." Gabriel made a faint noise which made the Consul look over to him. "Gabriel, I had rather thought you might go to the Blackthorns' with you sister."

"They are quite overset in their grief for Rubert," He said, his grip tightening on his teacup handle. "I did not think now was the time to intrude."

"Well, you are grieving your father, are you not." The Consul said, making Evan want to slap him. Cecily must have seen the look in her eyes because under the table, she hooked a finger through one of Evan's belt loops - just in case. "Grief shared is grief lessened, they say."

"Consul -" Gideon started, looking cautiously to his brother.

"Though, perhaps it might be rather awkward to lodge with your sister, considering that she has brought a complaint against you for murder."

Gabriel made a noise similar to what Evan often made when she read a very good book, and Gideon threw his napkin on his unfinished plate and stood up. "Tatiana did what?"

"You heard me," The Consul said indifferently.

"It was not murder." Jem said in a hard voice.

"As you say. I was informed it was." The Consul didn't look at anyone but the Lightwoods.

"Were you also informed that Benedict had turned into a gigantic worm?" Will inquired in a harder voice than Jem's. Gabriel looked taken aback by Will's move to defend him, but - none the less - grateful.

"Will, please," Charlotte sighed. "Consul, I notified you two days ago that Benedict Lightwood has been discovered in the last stages of astriola -"

"You told me there was a battle, and that he was killed. But what I am hearing reported is that he was ill with the pox, and that as a result he was hunted down and killed despite offering no resistance." The Consul said.

Evan's eye twitched with anger; she really didn't like him.

Will opened his mouth to say something, but Jem clamped his hand over Will's mouth, speaking over the muffled noises. "I cannot understand, how you could know that Benedict Lightwood is dead but not the manner of his death. If there was no body to find, it was because he had become more demon than human, and had vanished when slain, as demons do. But the missing servants - the death of Tatiana's own husband -"

"Tatiana Blackthorn says that a group of Shadowhunter from the Institute murdered her father and that Rupert was killed in the brawl."

Finally looking up from his newspaper, Evan knew that the morning was going to become more interesting as Henry said, "Did she mention that her father had eaten her husband? Oh, yes. Ate him. Left his bloody boot in the garden for us to find. There were teeth marks. Love to know how that could have been an accident."

"I would think that counted as offering resistance." Will said, glancing to Evan before back to the Consul. "Eating one's son-in-law, that is. Though I suppose everyone has their family altercations." The corner of Evan's mouth quirked upward.