The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 8 - That Fire of Fire

Chapter 8

That Fire of Fire

Like so many things that have gone astray from the written path Evan had loved, the next morning, Tessa and Jem did not announce that their wedding was moved from December to the following day. Therefore Will did not accuse Gabriel of being a hypocrite. Which, in turn, meant that they were not late for Jessamine's arrival and Cyril was not needed to be fetched by Will. It also meant that with such a tight schedule, Will was not able to ask Jem to train with him that morning. In turn, Cecily and Evan could not join them for sparing. Which meant that there would be no 'happy mistake' -as they'd hoped - for them to be more prepared with weapons for when the automatons and Mrs. Black would attack.

As a result, Will strapped on two swords that morning and refused to let Evan more than a few inches away from him. Cecily, however, was more prepared than all of them, wearing her gear as if she was was getting ready to train after breakfast - which wasn't unusual at all.

As the Londoners went to greet the Silent Brothers and Jessamine, Will put his arm around Evan's small shoulder but there was nothing casual about the gesture. Cecily was with Gabriel, who was also wearing gear (thankfully), though neither of them spoke. Tessa and Jem were ahead of them, arm-in-arm, both seldom. Charlotte and Henry were talking together, Henry's head ducked and Charlotte looked up at him. Evan took a deep breath as they stepped out into the dull London light.

"Stay behind me," Will murmured, though that was not the plan.

"Will," Evan almost begged, looking up at him. Please don't her eyes screamed. She knew her role just as he knew his and Cecily knew hers. "I'll be fine." Evan pulled back the sweater she wore to reveal the bow and quiver full of arrows that Cecily helped her conceal - along with a small, round-topped mace.

There was no time for a good luck kiss - but Evan always knew that when there was good luck kiss, it always turned into a goodbye kiss.

"Another carriage?" Charlotte said as everyone lined up at the top of the steps, her voice filled with unease.

"An escort," Gabriel suggested indifferently. "Perhaps the Silent Brothers are worried she will try to escape."

"No. She wouldn't -"

Evan watched as the Silent Brother dismounted and went to open the carriage door - only to turn and face the second, unmarked carriage. Evan saw how his body tensed but there was nothing anyone would have been able to do as the driver of the second carriage leapt down, tearing the parchment robes off its copper shell and raise its right ligament which had a crossbow mounted instead of an arm. Evan made a choking noise as the creature shot the Silent Brother.

The Brother flew back several feet, the steel arrow producing grotesquely from his chest and out his back. Red blood stained the stone and grass, spreading across his robes as his hood fell away to reveal a blank, mutilated face with hollow eyes and stitched lips.