CHAPTER SEVEN
A WALK IN THE PARK

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     Once they were done shopping, Evangeline found herself following Jessamine and Tessa into Hyde Park. Jessamine had claimed it was too nice of a day to not take a stroll, and Tessa had hesitantly agreed, wanting to be kind to Jessamine in the moment. It was clear to everyone that Jessamine didn't want to go back to the Institute. Evangeline, for her part, didn't particularly mind walking through the park. It wasn't raining, at least, and though she would've rather been with Jem and Will, it was nice to be out of the Institute and not on a mission. Humming to herself, she caught up to Jessamine and Tessa and pulled her fan out of her sleeve, flicking it open so she could fan her face and neck. It was towards the end of June—she blinked when she realized her birthday was only a month away—but with all the rain, the heat wasn't that horrible. Still, she enjoyed the feeling of fanning her face, so she continued to do so. Jessamine was rattling off details of the park, though less about the nature and more about the inhabitants. Who was part of a wealthy family in the mundane world and who wasn't, who was wearing out-of-date fashion, who was wearing an ugly dress. Evangeline, used to her behavior by now, let her words flow through one ear and out the other. She just took in the sights, smiled when she saw a few ducks swimming across the surface of the pond, then brightened when she noticed a man selling chilled peppermint water up ahead.

"Hello," she said warmly once they reached the man. Beside her, Tessa came to an abrupt stop when she realized Evangeline had stopped as well. Jessamine was forced to stop when Tessa did, not wanting to be seen as a young lady walking in the park alone. The man behind the cart smiled at her, but she noticed they were no warmth in it. Just wariness. Evangeline eyed him curiously, and then noticed a golden reflection in his eyes. A werewolf. Evangeline immediately brightened her smile, not wanting the poor man to think he was doing anything wrong. "May I have three peppermint waters, please?" The man blinked like he was surprised—it made Evangeline wonder just how many Shadowhunters had harassed the werewolf just for selling water to mundanes—but she busied herself with drawing her coin purse into her hands. She usually kept it hanging from her wrist. Charlotte had given it to her on her last birthday; it was made of silk, and had roses woven into the side. She pulled out enough to pay for their drinks and dropped it into the tray in the corner of his cart.

"Right away, miss," the man said. Evangeline smiled and waited patiently. Jessamine was grumbling about stopping behind her, but when Evangeline passed her the first cup of peppermint water, she grew quiet quickly. Evangeline eyed her as Jessamine sipped delicately at the cup, wondering why she was willingly drinking something that came from a werewolf. Jessamine was prone to pitching an absolute fit when Downworlders were involved, much to Charlotte's shame and Evangeline's embarrassment. It took a moment to realize it was because Jessamine didn't even recognize the man as a werewolf, and then she rolled her eyes and turned back to get Tessa a cup. Once Evangeline had her own, Evangeline wished the man a wonderful day and started back down the park's path, putting her fan back into her sleeve to tuck her free arm through Tessa's.

"I know you have not had the greatest introduction to London," Evangeline said to her as they walked. Jessamine had mercifully gone quiet to enjoy her peppermint water, so Evangeline could finally talk to Tessa. She hoped Jessamine's utter need to be ladylike all the time meant it would be quite a while before she was done taking tiny sips of her water. Evangeline was nearly done with hers. "But I hope today, you had at least a little bit of fun." She lowered her voice and leaned into Tessa, a teasing smile appearing on her face. "I know Jessamine can be a handful, but she does know the best shops. And the best gossip." Tessa let out a small laugh. She seemed relieved that Evangeline was speaking to her, though she took a drink of her water to keep from answering. Evangeline giggled low and leaned back, sighing as she gazed around her. "Though I can't imagine what good mundane gossip does for me. I assure you, Shadowhunter and Downworlder gossip is much more scandalous." She raised her eyebrows and grinned wickedly when she noticed Tessa try to hide her sudden interest.

"Oh?" Tessa asked, her gray eyes going brighter. "Like what kind of gossip?" As soon as the words left her mouth, a blush rose to her cheeks, and she ducked her head. "That wasn't a very ladylike question to ask, is it?"

"No," Evangeline said lightly, "but being ladylike is so very boring." Tessa couldn't quite bite back her laugh, and Evangeline brightened. She found herself wanting to hear Tessa laugh even more. The other girl deserved to laugh as much as she possibly could. "Well, let me think of recent Shadowhunter gossip..." She chucked her cup into a trash bin nearby, then pulled out her fan again. She was pressed so close to Tessa's side that when she started fanning herself, it even pushed stray strands of Tessa's hair away from her face. Evangeline hummed until she could think of something. "Oh! The oldest Pounceby boy took a mundane woman as a lover, and now the entire family is being investigated by the Enclave, because he spent his entire inheritance on her. It has all been incredibly satisfying for me."

"For you?" Tessa asked, curious. Evangeline ignored that entirely and continued.

"Oh! Benedict Lightwood has been rumored to be interested in very...vile...things," Evangeline said, unable to truly hide her glee. When she had first heard the rumor—admittedly, from Will, so who really knew if it had any truth to it—she had laughed herself hoarse. "Intimate things, with demonic beings. Rather disgusting, is it not?" Evangeline asked happily. Jessamine was finished with her water now, and she cast Evangeline an appalled look as she tossed her cup away carelessly. It tumbled down the small incline they were walking past and plopped into the pond. Evangeline frowned, but neither girl stopped, so she was forced to continue with them.

"If you must share Shadowhunter gossip," Jessamine said, sniffing daintily, "then why do you not share your stories, Evangeline?" Her voice was sickly sweet by the end, but Evangeline came to an abrupt halt, a glare forming. Her stop was so abrupt that Tessa's arm fell away from hers. Jessamine smiled back at her, twisting the closed parasol she was carrying playfully. Tessa glanced between the two of them, and a look of unease swept across her face.

"Jessamine," Tessa said calmly, once it was clear Evangeline planned to do nothing but glare. "That is not a very kind thing to say."

"You do not even know—"

"I do not have to know," Tessa cut in with a frown. "Please, let's continue our walk. You said yourself it was a nice day." Evangeline clenched her jaw, then started fanning herself harder than she meant to, and she glared off to the side. She would've liked to stay on the main path, beside the pond, but Jessamine had turned right, into a more overgrown path that led into the woods. Surprising, considering Jessamine detested woods like this, but Evangeline had the feeling she wasn't even paying attention. Evangeline didn't mention it. She hoped twigs and leaves got stuck in Jessamine's hair. Jessamine, for her part, moved on from her jab towards Evangeline, and chose to link with Tessa's other arm instead.

"Anyway, Miss Gray," Jessamine said conversationally, as if she hadn't tried to instigate a fight with Evangeline mere seconds ago. Evangeline scowled and fanned harder. Tessa muttered her own name in response, to remind Jessamine that she preferred Tessa, but Jessamine hardly noticed. "You don't know what a relief it is to finally have another girl around." Evangeline turned her head to glare at Jessamine. Jessamine just smiled. "I mean, Charlotte's all right, but she's boring and married."

"She is not boring," Evangeline said through clenched teeth.

"And there is Evangeline, of course," Jessamine continued, pretending like she hadn't heard. Between them, Tessa had grown rather tense, her shoulders stiff and her arms drawn tight against her body. Evangeline unlinked their arms just to give Tessa some breathing room. "But Evie prefers the company of William and James, as I'm sure you've noticed, and that is simply unfit for a proper lady." Evangeline let out a small hiss, but Tessa quickly jumped into the conversation, eager not to witness another fight between them.

"There's Sophie," Tessa reminded. Jessamine snorted in derision. Evangeline was very tempted to reach under her skirts and get her dagger out of the holster wrapped around her thigh. She would never throw it at Jessamine, of course—if only to keep from disappointing Charlotte—but threatening her with it seemed like a good option. Jessamine never knew when to keep her mouth, and her resentment, to herself.

"Sophie's a servant," Jessamine dismissed.

"Something you will likely be if you leave the Shadowhunter world," Evangeline put in sweetly, just to rile Jessamine up. Just to put in her own little jab. Jessamine had her own money, but she had no idea how to handle it, no idea how to save money, how to run a household, how to budget that money and invest so it didn't run out. She would likely run out of all her money before she ever found a rich husband in the mundane world, and then she'd be without a house, without work. Likely right back on the London Institute's doorstep, begging for help—only, after she inevitably turned her back on the Shadowhunter world, Charlotte legally would not be allowed to help her. It was a reality that Jessamine refused to see, though everyone had tried to explain it to her more than once.

"I've known girls," Tessa jumped in quickly again, "who were quite companionable with their ladies' maids."

"You've seen what her face looks like," Jessamine said nastily. "Being hideous has made her bitter. A ladies' maid is meant to be pretty, and speak French, and Sophie can't manage either. I told Charlotte as much when she brought the girl home. Charlotte didn't listen to me. She never does."

"For good reason," Evangeline snapped, exasperated.

"Charlotte never listens to anyone," Jessamine continued. "She's always henpecking poor Henry. I don't know why he married her at all."

"I assume because he loved her?" Tessa asked. Her tone of voice was dry now, less worried about a fight and more bored. She seemed to have realized that Jessamine was using this opportunity to rant about supposed misgivings inside of the Institute. Most of which didn't even involved her. She was just gossiping about things she didn't know anything about.

"No one thinks that," Jessamine snorted, as if to prove Evangeline's point. Anyone with eyes could see that Henry was head over heels in love with Charlotte. Evangeline often envied how he looked at her, and wished someone would look at her like that. Like she was everything and more, the very air they breathed, the sun they woke up to in the morning. "Henry wanted access to the Institute so he could work on his little experiments in the cellar and not have to fight. And I don't think he minded marrying Charlotte—I don't think there was anyone else he wanted to marry—but if someone else had been running the Institute, he would have married them instead."

"That is simply untrue," Evangeline sighed.

"And then there's the boys," Jessamine sniffed. Evangeline went rigid, and Tessa glanced over at her with a startled expression, her gray eyes wide. Evangeline shared a glance with her, then stared stonily forward, her jaw clenched. "Will and Jem. Jem's pleasant enough, but you know how foreigners are. Not really trustworthy and basically selfish and lazy. He's always in his room, pretending to be ill, refusing to do anything to help out." Evangeline came to an abrupt stop, red swarming her vision. She was so angry that she couldn't unclench her jaw, couldn't even begin to say the furious words that had gotten stuck in her throat. "And Will. Handsome enough, but behaves like a lunatic half the time; it's as if he were brought up by savages. He has no respect for anyone or anything, no concept of the way a gentleman is supposed to behave. I suppose it's because he's Welsh."

"You are the most horrid," Evangeline hissed, making Jessamine round on her with a flushed face, "most insufferable, selfish, lazy, and pathetic girl I have ever known." Tessa's eyes popped wide, but Evangeline stepped around her and snapped her fan shut, just to point it at Jessamine's red face. "We have done everything for you. Everything. Henry and Charlotte treat you like you're one of their own. Jem saves you your favorite treats before Will can get them. Will covers for you when you break things during your tantrums. I cover every single hunting shift you refuse to go on. And yet here you are, spitting on all of us as if we aren't the only family you have. Shame on you. Shame on you." Before Jessamine could even open her mouth to respond, Evangeline was whirling on her heel and storming away, so angry and hurt that tears were brimming at her eyes. Jessamine had said plenty of nasty things over the years, but never that much at one time, never with so much obvious glee. Like she was telling Tessa a fun little story.

She wasn't even hurt for herself. Jessamine hadn't said much about her—she hadn't dared, when Evangeline was right there—but she had said plenty about Evangeline's loved ones. Henry and Charlotte, the only parental figures she had. Sophie, her only female friend, beautiful and kind. Jem and Will, her boys, her family, her everything. She angrily wiped her tears from her cheeks and cleared out of the forest trail, blinking the fresh sun out of her eyes. It had finally peaked out from behind gray clouds. She dug her handkerchief out of her sleeve as she walked toward the pond, drying her eyes as quickly as possible. She found herself walking back toward where the werewolf man was selling peppermint water. On the way, she remembered the cup Jessamine had thrown onto the ground, and she found herself drifting off the trail and toward the pond, her shoes sinking into damp grass.

She crouched by the edge of the pond and used her fan to bring the cup toward her. Plucking it up from the water, she stood and made her way back to the trail, dropping the cup into the trash. Ducks and ducklings could always be found in that pond. Evangeline didn't want to see them choking on a paper cup. She stuffed her handkerchief away, then plastered a smile on her face when she was nearing the peppermint water cart.

"Hello again, miss," the man greeted, tipping his hat at her. Evangeline nodded, eyes dropping to his stall. She should bring a cup to Thomas. She dug into her coin purse for more money, digging into the bottom for the smaller coins, but she stopped when the man cleared his throat. She glanced up. "Pardon me, miss, if I'm oversteppin', but...were you crying?" Evangeline blinked a few times, startled. A faint blush rose to her cheeks. The man cleared his throat again. "My apologies, I just...No one hurt you, did they? A man?"

"No, sir, not at all," Evangeline said out of habit, and then she laughed. "Well, not in the way I'm sure you think. I can handle a man just fine, thank you." The man smiled hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure if he should laugh. "No, no, it was just...a cruel girl with crueler words. I thought I was used to them by now, but I suppose I'm not. Thank you, though. For asking. You are very kind." She hesitated, then dug out more money than two peppermint waters were worth and put them on his cart. His eyes widened.

"That is too much, miss, too much—"

"Two peppermint waters, please, in the biggest cups you have," Evangeline said smoothly, tilting her head back so the sun could warm her face. "It was very refreshing, and I'm sure our driver is very thirsty by now." The man stuttered over a few words, then bent to dig around on the lower shelves of his cart. Evangeline folded her hands in front of her, letting her coin purse hang from her wrist. She usually kept it tight around her wrist, but she found herself not caring. "What is your name, kind sir?"

"Theodore, miss," he said as he poured chilled water into one large cup. "Theodore Knott."

"Mr. Knott," Evangeline repeated with a smile, and then she held out her hand, the coin purse still hanging from the strap. "My name is Evangeline Rosewell. It is very nice to meet you." He paused to take her hand. He didn't seem to know whether to shake it or kiss her knuckles, so ultimately, he did neither, and simply held her hand for a few seconds before pulling his hand back. She did, too. "May I ask you something?"

"Of course, Miss Rosewell," he said as he prepared the other drink.

"Earlier, when my companions and I approached, you seemed nervous," Evangeline said, wording her question carefully. "May I ask why?" Theodore hesitated, that same wariness as before creeping across his expression. Evangeline softened her smile. "Please, sir. I only ask out of concern for you and your business." Theodore cleared his throat.

"Shadowhunters tend to think I'm selling things other than water," was what he said. Evangeline thought over his response, then nodded to herself.

"I live in the London Institute," she revealed eventually, "and I am very close with the woman who runs it, Charlotte Branwell. If you are ever unfairly questioned again, please, go there and ask for me. I will do everything in my power to help you." She cracked a smile. "Even if I must bully fellow Shadowhunters myself." Theodore laughed softly at that.

"Here are your waters, miss," he said kindly. He didn't say he would take her up on her offer, and pushing the waters toward her was a dismissal if it was anything. Evangeline accepted it gracefully. She knew she hadn't earned his trust, not yet, but she hoped he would come to her for help one day, regardless. "I do hope the cruel girl stops being cruel one day."

"Oh, me too, Mr. Knott," Evangeline said with a small laugh, taking each cup in both hands. "Me, too."

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She reached the carriage a handful of minutes later, and found Thomas right where they had left him, slouched on the driver's seat with his hat pulled down over his eyes. She cleared her throat loudly and watched in amusement as he jerked up, his hat falling from his head. Evangeline grinned up at him, at his dazed expression and messy hair, then offered him one of the cups.

"Peppermint water for the lovely carriage driver," she said with a laugh. He blinked down at her, then grinned bright and wide, reaching down to take the water from her.

"Thank you, angel," he said, right before gulping down half of the cup. She shook her head, then used her free hand to haul herself up onto the bench beside him. She flopped down with a sigh of relief. Thomas glanced around them, then frowned and lowered his cup. "Where are Miss Gray and Miss Lovelace?"

"Jessamine made me furious," Evangeline said slowly, "so I removed myself from her presence to avoid slapping her across the face. I didn't want to disappoint Charlotte." She took a long drink from her water. "Tessa stayed with her." Thomas gave her another frown, and Evangeline sighed. "They were on a public trail. They can't get lost on a trail. And Jessamine knows how to defend herself, even if she claims she doesn't. They will be fine." Thomas glanced toward the park again, and then his face morphed into a darker expression.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked. Evangeline blinked and turned to see what he was seeing. Her eyes widened in shock. Tessa and Jessamine were coming toward them, but Tessa had her arms wrapped around Jessamine, her brown hair was in disarray, and there were dirt stains on her face, hands, and dress. Evangeline would have thought they had simply fallen to the ground, but one look at Jessamine proved that theory false. Her blonde hair was loose, her cheeks tearstained, and her parasol was covered in blood, dripping a trail behind her. Evangeline took in a sharp breath and jumped from the driver's bench, hurrying toward them.

"What happened?" she demanded, taking them both in quickly, looking for any sign of injury. Aside from looking drained and horrified, neither of them had a physical injury. Not even a cut was on Tessa after she had clearly fallen.

"An awful creature," Jessamine breathed, her chest rising fast as she gasped. "We went off the path. We—" Her eyes sharpened, and she turned a lethal glare Evangeline's way. "This is your fault. You shouldn't have left us. If you had stayed, I wouldn't have had to—we wouldn't have gone off the—" Straightening, Jessamine locked her jaw and made for the carriage, hauling herself inside. Evangeline watched her go, a ball of guilt forming in her stomach. Evangeline had thought they would've known better than to go off the path, would've known that the Fair Folk had territory there—but, of course, they wouldn't have known that. Tessa was brand new to this world, and Jessamine never paid attention.

Jessamine was right. This was all Evangeline's fault.

"It wasn't your fault," Tessa whispered. Evangeline blinked and looked at her. For the second time that day, tears were brimming at Evangeline's eyes. Tessa looked sad at the sight, and she reached forward to take Evangeline's hand. "Neither of us were paying attention. We walked right off the path without even noticing." Evangeline swallowed the ball in her throat.

"I should've known Jessamine wouldn't pay attention," Evangeline whispered hoarsely. "I was supposed to be protecting you. Both of you. I'm so sorry."

"But who is protecting you?" Tessa whispered. Evangeline shook her head and wordlessly turned away. Instead of climbing into the carriage, Evangeline climbed back up onto the driver's bench. She didn't want to sit in there with Jessamine, didn't want to see the blood on her parasol. Tessa hesitated, then let out a small sigh and climbed into the carriage. The door shut firmly behind her.

"Evangeline—" Thomas started.

"Drive," Evangeline ordered, and that was that.

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Evangeline didn't come out of her room until supper, not even when Jem and Will came knocking, loudly proclaiming something about an automaton girl from the Dark Sister's house. Normally, Evangeline would've flown out of her room at the news of a mechanical thing that looked like a human girl, but she was too upset to even respond. She just sat on the floor, her back against her door, as Jem and Will continued knocking and yelling until they eventually realized something was amiss. She had heard them whispering to each other—heard Will say he was going to barge in, and Jem telling him not to—and then they had left her be, with Jem promising to save her a seat at supper. Eventually, Evangeline wiped her cheeks free of fresh tears and go ready for supper. She combed her hair, made sure there was no trace that she had been crying on her face, and she even changed out of her dress and into a new one.

She walked into the dining room with the intention of staying primarily quiet, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw Will standing precariously on one of the sideboards, fiddling with a gasolier hanging from the ceiling. Jem was watching him with glittering eyes, looking far too fond considering Will could break an arm, but Evangeline had seen Jem show fondness for Will for much less things.

"William," Evangeline greeted, "why are you standing on a sideboard? And why must you mess with the chandelier?" She squinted. He was twisting one of the gasoliers on the chandelier this way and that. She glanced at Jem. "Is he trying to make it fall?" Jem grinned at her.

"He is trying to fix it, supposedly," he revealed.

"Ah," Evangeline said, nodding like she understood. She took a seat beside Jem and smoothed out her gray and white striped skirt, hoping he wouldn't ask her about her seclusion in her room. He didn't, thankfully, but he did reach for her hand beneath the table, folding her fingers into his own and squeezing. When she felt his thumb rubbing circles on the back of her hand, his fingers warm even through her gloves, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them and turned her head, he was looking at her with an open expression. He was curious, but he was also concerned. She could see the question in his eyes. Are you alright?

Evangeline gave him a single nod. He squeezed her hand once before turning his gaze back to Will. She followed it. Will was still trying to fix the gasolier, reaching high over his head, so much that his shirt was riding up his abdomen. Evangeline's eyes dropped to the skin revealed beneath the shirt hem, blushed, then forcefully pulled her gaze away. Just in time to see Tessa arrive in the dining room and pause at the sight of Will.

"It serves you right if you break it," Jem said suddenly, a grin clear in his voice. He turned his eyes to Tessa a moment later, his grin brightening. "Good evening, Tessa. I was hanging the gasolier crookedly, and Will is endeavoring to straighten it."

"Nonsense," Evangeline said immediately, straightening her spine, bringing back her shoulders. She didn't want to continue feeling disappointed in herself, not any longer, so she decided to join in on Jem's fun. "You would never hang anything crookedly. Will is trying to break his neck, that's what he's doing. Trying to get out of your next patrol, Will?"

"You know me so well, Flora," Will said, grinning down at her, his hair falling into his eyes. Evangeline met his gaze, and like before, she saw the question in them. The same as Jem's. Evangeline offered him a smile, and Will returned it with a wink.

"Really!" Jessamine said from the door, arriving just to scowl at Will. "Can't you get Thomas to do that? A gentleman needn't—"

"I thought he has no concept of what a gentleman is?" Evangeline shot at her. Jessamine turned a glare her way.

"Oh, what would you know about the propriety of anything—"

"Is that blood on your sleeve, Jessie?" Will cut in smoothly, glancing down at them. Evangeline, her cheeks flushed, glared at the table. Jem squeezed her hand again, harder this time. Jessamine flushed as well at Will's question, but it did the trick. Jessamine fell silent and stomped to the end of the table, where she took a seat. Jem opened his mouth, a look of fresh concern appearing. Thankfully, Henry appeared before he could ask any questions.

"I've done it!" he exclaimed, brandishing something in his left hand triumphantly. It was a copper tube, with a black button stuck on the side. Evangeline tilted her head, trying to study it despite Henry waving it about. "I'll wager you didn't think I could, did you?"

"Well, that depends entirely," Evangeline told him. "What is it?"

"My Phosphor!" Henry said, beaming. There was a beat of silence. Evangeline shared a glance with Jem, wondering what a Phosphor was, but he only shrugged. She turned to look at Will, but saw he was glaring at Henry, the gasolier abandoned.

"None of us have the slightest idea what you're on about," he revealed. "You do know that?"

"I've gotten my Phosphor to work at last!" Henry repeated, showing the gadget to them, still proud. Evangeline leaned forward, truly intrigued. "It functions on the principle of witchlight but is five times more powerful. Merely press a button, and you will see a blaze of light the like of which you have never imagined." There was more silence.

"So," Will said first, "it's a very, very bright witchlight, then?"

"Exactly," Henry revealed, smiling.

"Is that useful, precisely?" Jem asked, ever polite as he said it. He sounded genuinely curious. "After all, witchlight is just for illumination. It's not as if it's dangerous..."

"Actually," Evangeline cut in, if only for Henry's benefit, "witchlight is angelic in nature. We know that a single stone, even two, won't keep a demon at bay—but a bright flash like Henry is describing could, theoretically, keep a hoard of demons back long enough to escape, if need be. Perhaps even vampires." Henry nodded along to her words, looking delighted, and Evangeline beamed at him.

"Wait till you see it!" he exclaimed. "Watch!" He pressed the button on his gadget. For a brief moment, there was a blinding flare of white light, just like Henry had said. Only it didn't last very long, and there was a whooshing sound, like wind had swept through the room. A moment later, the room was plunged into complete darkness. Tessa yelped, Jem laughed, and Evangeline sighed in slight disappointment. She had been so hoping it would work.

"Am I blind?" Will asked into the darkness, sounding annoyed. "I'm not going to be at all pleased if you've blinded me, Henry."

"You're not blind, Will," Evangeline and Jem said at the same time.

"No," Henry answered, sounding worried. "No, the Phosphor seems to—Well, it seems to have turned all the lights in the room off."

"It's not supposed to do that?" Jem asked innocently. Evangeline threw her elbow into his ribs. He let out a small huff, then laughed again.

"Er," Henry said, "no."

"Curse Henry and his fatheaded ideas," Will muttered under his breath, so low that Evangeline was sure only she and Jem heard him. She turned in his direction, opening her mouth to warn him to be careful. He was still standing on the sideboard, after all. Before she could, there was a huge crashing sound. She winced.

"Will!" It was Charlotte, having appeared in the doorway of the dining room right in time to see Will fall. She was holding a witchlight lamp in her hand. Will was on the floor, and around his feet was about a dozen of plates, broken into sharp shards. Jem wasn't moving to help him, though, so Evangeline could only assume he was unhurt. "What on earth..."

"I was trying to straighten the gasolier," Will explained as he sat up, brushing pieces of crockery off his shirt.

"Thomas could have done that," Charlotte said. "And now you've gone and wrecked half the plates."

"And much obliged to your idiot husband for that," Will said, scowling. He glanced down at himself. "I think I've broken something. The pain is quite agonizing."

"You seem quite intact to me. Get up." She glanced around the room and sighed. "I suppose we'll be eating by witchlight tonight." Everyone got to work then, aside from Jessamine and Tessa, to set up witchlight lamps around the room. All they had to do was touch one to activate it, and it would stay lit despite no Shadowhunter holding it. Henry had explained once that it was only possible inside of Institutes; witchlight lamps wouldn't work anywhere else. Once the lamps were up, they started enjoying dinner, and while they ate, Henry and Charlotte shared how their visit with Axel Mortmain had gone. They had learned that Mortmain knew about the Shadowhunter world because he was part of the Pandemonium Club, and had ample businesses around the globe, and souvenirs from each place he'd gone. Jem leaned forward when that was revealed.

"I told you," Jem said, frowning. "Taipan. They all think of themselves as very important men. Above the law."

"Yes," Charlotte agreed. "He had that manner about him, as if he were used to being listened to. Men like that are often easy marks for those who want to draw them into the Shadow World. They are used to having power and expect to be able to get more power easily and with little cost to themselves. They have no idea how high the price for power in Downworld is." Evangeline droned out of the conversation as Charlotte abruptly turned toward Will and Jessamine, who had been arguing in hushed tones for the past five minutes. On her other side, Jem and Tessa started speaking quietly. Evangeline just pushed her peas around her plate. She didn't come back to the present until she looked up and saw Charlotte leaving the room. Everyone else was watching her leave with wide eyes as well. Charlotte didn't often leave in the middle of supper.

"Where's she going?" Jessamine demanded.

"Indeed, Sophie, my dear. Where did she go?" Will asked.

"If Mrs. Branwell had wanted you to know, I'm sure she would have told you," Sophie said coldly, then turned to follow Charlotte out the door. Evangeline watched her leave, then reached over to push at Will's shoulder half-heartedly. He always riled up Sophie on purpose.

"Well, then," Henry said, smiling at them all. "What was it we were discussing?"

"None of that!" Will said immediately. "We want to know where Charlotte's gone. Did something happen?"

"No," Henry said immediately. "I mean, I don't think so—" If Henry thought that would satisfy anyone at the table, he was mistaken. He glanced around, saw every single one of them looking at him with wide eyes, and sighed. "Charlotte doesn't always tell me what she's doing. You know that. Can't blame her, really. Can't count on me to be sensible." Evangeline frowned at him. She opened her mouth to tell him he was plenty sensible, if a bit distracted sometimes, but stopped when Henry looked at Tessa. "That clockwork object you wear around your neck—might I see it for a moment?" Tessa handed it to him after only brief hesitation. "This is a clever little object. Where did you get it?"

"It was my mother's," Tessa said.

"Like a sort of talisman," Henry muttered. "Would you mind if I examined it in the laboratory?"

"Oh," Tessa stuttered. "If you're very careful with it. It's all I have of my mother's. If it were broken..."

"Henry won't break or damage it," Jem said comfortingly. "He's really very good with this sort of thing."

"He is," Evangeline confirmed, leaning over to look at Tessa. "I let him clean my mother's stele, and they are very fragile little things. He brought it back sparkling."

"It's true," Henry said, though he remained modest. "I'll return it to you in pristine condition."

"Well..."

"I don't see what the fuss is," Jessamine muttered. "It's not like it has diamonds in it." Evangeline rolled her eyes. She could've easily pointed out that Jessamine's beloved dollhouse didn't have diamonds in it, either, but she didn't want to talk to her anymore. Instead, she took a sip of her water.

"Some people value sentiment over diamonds, Jessamine," Charlotte said, appearing in the doorway once again. She looked troubled. "There is someone who wants to speak with you, Tessa." Evangeline straightened in alarm. Who could possibly want to speak with Tessa?

"With me?" Tessa asked, astonished.

"Well, who is it?" Will demanded. "Must you keep us all in suspense?" Evangeline threw her elbow into his ribs, and he huffed much like Jem had earlier.

"It's Lady Belcourt," Charlotte revealed with a sigh. Evangeline's head snapped back toward her, her eyes going wide. "She's downstairs. In the Sanctuary Room."

"The Lady Belcourt?" Evangeline asked, breathless. She was on her feet before she even realized it, excitement making her rock back on her heels. "Oh, please, may I meet her? Please, Charlotte?" She had heard plenty of Lady Camille Belcourt. She was an ancient vampire, courting the famous warlock Magnus Bane, and rumor had it she was magnificently beautiful. Evangeline wanted to meet her so badly she was trembling. She had never been allowed to meet Lady Belcourt, despite her coming to visit Charlotte often. Evangeline suspected Charlotte knew how taken Evangeline was with the idea of a beautiful female vampire and wanted to keep her far, far away from one.

"She's here now?" Will asked, frowning. The complete opposite of Evangeline's excitement. "Did something happen?"

"I contacted her," Charlotte revealed. "About de Quincey. Just before supper. I hoped she would have some information, and she does, but she insists on seeing Tessa first. It seems that despite all our precautions, rumors about Tessa have leaked into Downworld, and Lady Belcourt is...interested." Evangeline's excitement dimmed once the situation actually registered. She wanted to meet Lady Belcourt out of her own curiosity, but the news that Camille was interested in Tessa was unnerving.

"Interested in what?" Tessa asked. She glanced around the table. "Who is Lady Belcourt? Is she a Shadowhunter?"

"She's a vampire," Jem responded. "A vampire informant, actually. She gives information to Charlotte and keeps us apprised of what's going on in the Night community."

"You needn't speak to her if you don't want to, Tessa," Charlotte said quickly. "I can send her away."

"No," Tessa said immediately, pushing her plate away and getting to her feet. "If she's well informed about de Quincey, perhaps she knows something about Nate as well. I can't risk her being sent off if she might have information. I'll go."

"Don't you even want to know what she wants from you?" Will asked.

"I imagine Lady Belcourt will inform her of that when they meet," Evangeline reminded. Tessa nodded, then frowned to herself.

"Aside from the Dark Sisters, I've never really met another Downworlder," she said slowly. "I think...that I would like to."

"Tessa—" Jem started, but Tessa was already gone, whirling around to head toward the Sanctuary.

Evangeline shared glances with both Will and Jem, and then the three of them were moving together, right on Tessa's heels.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

AUTHOR'S NOTE: If y'all don't start bullying me to update, I swear...

Anyway. There's something to be said about how Evangeline can't even make one mild mistake without feeling worthless. It starts with T and ends with RAUMA. All the families who sent her away as a kid will never know peace xoxo And yes, the Pouncebys were one of those families. Hence her being satisfied at them being in financial ruin right now lmao

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