The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 10 - Like Water Upon Sand

Chapter 10

Like Water Upon Sand

Will recalled how last night, Evan said that Jem was supposed to have the killing attack after the fight. Now, they were in the drawing room, they're faces all grave after the fight. The Silent Brothers came to take Jessamine's body to prepare it for a funeral. They had all washed up - Jem had taken the dye out of his hair, too. The only ones missing were Gideon and Sophie - who was taking care of Gideon who was in his room, resting.

"Cadair Idris." Will said at last, all eye on him. His eyes fluttered shut and his head tipped back as if he were to look to heaven. "I figured it out just now. Something Jessamine said just before she -" Will's voice broke. "They're in Wales."

"You are sure?" Charlotte said, her voice uncharacteristically small.

"Mortmain knows the mountains," Cecily said surely, though her voice was timid. "He was the one who Dad had lost all his money to in Wales. It is a mockery. It would make sense."

Jem's gaze was on Will now, studying him; the way his fists were clenched and his jaw was locked, the way, despite his cool demeanor, Will was too stiff to be anything other than petrified. "Then why are we waiting?" Jem's eyes moved to Charlotte's.

The Consul stood in the drawing room with Charlotte, Henry, Cecily, Jem and Will. Outside, Enclave members and Silent Brothers were sifting through the battle remains. Charlotte had explained where he was hiding. Now, the loudest noise was the ticking grandfather clock.

"This is madness, Charlotte," The Consul finally rumbled. "Utter madness, and based on the fancy of a child."

"I am not a child." Cecily snapped from her place near the fire. "And my parents knew Mortmain, as you well know. He befriended my family, my father. He gave us Ravenscar Manor when my father had - when we lost our house near Dolgellau."

"It is true," Charlotte insisted. From there, an argument ensued, as it naturally did. In the end, the Consul refused to give them the necessary reinforcements to save Evan and Tessa.

"Two girls, neither of whom are Nephilim, are not, cannot, be our priority!" The Consul roared with finality.

"She is my priority!" Will and Jem shouted with such ferocity, that the Consul made no move to speak again; only leave with a final glare to Charlotte and the rest of the Londoners.

Magnus Bane was summoned soon thereafter the Enclave, the Silent brothers and Consul Wayland took their leave. He did not ask for an explanation, he only set off with Henry to the crypt after direction from Cecily. Jem was stony, as was Will - but that was expected. It is strange and terrifying, Cecily thought, to see Jem as such. She, Will and Jem were in the entry hall now, waiting for Magnus and Henry to finish... whatever it was they were finishing. Jem was pacing from one end of the hall to the other.

"James?" Will said once more, making Jem stop abruptly. "We will find them. They are there."

"How are you so sure?" Jem's voice was hushed, his eyes rimmed with red. "Will. You are keeping another secret."

Will didn't look to Cecily as he stood and nodded for Jem to follow him. Although, Cecily scurried after them. The three of them padded down the hallways until Will stopped at Evan's door. Will opened Evan's bedroom door, nodding once more for them to follow him inside. Cecily then knew what he was going to do. Will knelt to the floorboards where the books lay and pried to lose one up.

"In the future," Will began, pulling out three thick novels, "There are books that Evan's aunt wrote - The Infernal Devices." Will handed them to Jem. Cecily watched as Jem looked to each one; first, Clockwork Angel, Will was kneeling, staring to his unsheathed sword; his face hidden by dark hair. Second, Clockwork Prince, Jem, with his features sharp and his hair silver, his violin positioned to play with his fingers in third position and his bow on the E string. Lastly, Clockwork Princess, Tessa's pink skirts fanned out around her, blood splattered on the scene as she stared at her clockwork angel which was on the ground in front of her.

"They aren't our reality, Jem." Will said. "Evan changed it." Will gestured to Clockwork Princess. "It these books, you and I were both in love with Tessa, Evan did not exist, you were never cured and Henry became paralyzed - that is the least of it. There were other books - ones that took place in the year two thousand and seven, where the Heavenly Fire cured you of the illness and changed you from a Silent Brother to a Shadowhunter again. We used the knowledge of everything for the books to change everything we could -"

"And change it you did." Jem said, looking up. "Evan didn't want anyone knowing?"

"Will and I knew." Cecily said softly. "Evan didn't want anyone else to know unless it was a last resort."

Jem took a deep breath. "What now?"

Will took back the books, placing them in their hiding spot once more. "Magnus and Henry are creating a portal now. We will take that to Cadair Idris as soon as we can. Mortmain will have nothing to use against Tessa to force her to do what he wants - now that you're cured."

"And Evan?" Jem asked quietly. "What of her?"

Will slid the boards in place with a satisfying thud. "Evan knows what to do. She knows the books better than I - better than anyone here. She will be alright."

Jem swore not to tell anyone of the books as they went back to the entrance hall to wait for Henry and Magnus once more. Though Jem had questions about the book. For example, "If you were to ride to Wales yourself," Jem said lowly, "Would you find them before us?"

"I contacted Magnus yesterday of what would happen today," Will said. "If I were to go now - I'd miss you all going through the Portal."

Jem fired another question, "Does it say of their conditions?"

It was Cecily who answered. "In the third book, it said that Tessa was brought to a room with boundary spell - she could not get out and Mortmain could not get to her. Tessa and Evan should be all right."

"You said Evan was not moving." Will said, his voice hardly audible.

"Evan is all right, just as Tessa is," Jem said forcefully. "There would have been no reason to take her if she was dead."

Will nodded mutely. Then, "They should be unharmed. Hungry, I think, seeing as all he gives them is radishes, but unharmed."