Lightwood had died. To see if Benedict had also lied that she had died of grief. "
"And had he?" Tessa leaned forward, fascinated.
"Yes. In fact, she cut her own wrists. But there was more. " He looked down at the paper in his hand. "A shield-shaped rash, indicative of the heraldic marks of astriola, upon the left shoulder. " He held it out to Will, who took it and scanned it, his blue eyes widening.
"A striola," he said. "That is demon pox. You had evidence that demon pox existed and you didnt mention it to me! Et tu, Brute!" He rol ed up the paper and hit Jem over the head with it.
"Ouch!" Jem rubbed his head rueful y. "The words meant nothing to me! I assumed it a minor sort of ailment. It hardly seemed as if it were what kil ed her. She slit her wrists, but if Benedict wanted to protect his children from the fact that their mother had taken her own life-"
"By the Angel," said Charlotte softly. "No wonder she kil ed herself.
Because her husband gave her demon pox. A nd she knew it. " She whirled on Sophie, who made a little gasping noise. "Does Gideon know of this?"
Sophie shook her head, saucer-eyed. "No. "
"But wouldnt the Silent Brothers be obligated to tell someone if they discovered this?" Henry demanded. "It seems-well, dash it, irresponsible to say the least-"
"Of course they would tell someone. They would tell her husband. And no doubt they did, but what of it? Benedict probably already knew," said Will.
"There would have been no need to tell the children; the rash appears when one has first contracted the disease, so they were too old for her to have passed it on to them. The Silent Brothers doubtless told Benedict, and he said Horrors! and promptly concealed the whole thing. One cannot prosecute the dead for improper relations with demons, so they burned her body, and that was that. "
"So how is it that Benedict is still alive?" Tessa demanded. "Should the disease not have kil ed him by now?"
"Mortmain," said Sophie. "Hes been giving him drugs to slow the progress of the disease all this time. "
"Slow it, not stop it?" asked Will.
"No, hes still dying, and faster now," said Sophie. "Thats why hes so desperate, and hel do anything Mortmain wants. "
"Demon pox!" Will whispered, and looked at Charlotte. Despite his clear excitement, there was a steady light flickering behind his blue eyes, a light of sharp intel igence, as if he were a chess player examining his next move for potential advantages or drawbacks. "We must contact Benedict immediately," said Will. "Charlotte must play on his vanity. He is too sure of getting the Institute. She must tell him that though the Consuls official decision is not scheduled until Sunday, she has realized that it is he who Will come out ahead, and she wishes to meet with him and make peace before it happens. "
"Benedict is stubborn-," Charlotte began.
"Not as much as is he is proud," said Jem. "Benedict has always wanted control of the Institute, but he also wants to humiliate you, Charlotte. To prove that a woman cannot run an Institute. He believes that Sunday the Consul Will rule to take the Institute away from you, but that does not mean he Will be able to pass up a chance to see you grovel in private. "
"To what end?" Henry demanded. "Sending Charlotte to confront Benedict accomplishes what, exactly?"
"Blackmail," said Will. His eyes were burning with excitement. "Mortmain may not be in our grasp, but Benedict is, and for now that may be enough. "
"You think he Will walk away from trying to get the Institute? Wont that simply leave the business for one of his fol owers to take up?" Jem asked.
"Were not trying to get rid of him. We want him to throw his full support behind Charlotte. To withdraw his chal enge and to declare her fit to run the Institute. His fol owers Will be at a loss; the Consul Will be satisfied. We hold the Institute. And more than that, we can force Benedict to tell us what he knows of Mortmain-his location, his secrets, everything. "
Tessa said dubiously, "But I am almost certain he is more afraid of Mortmain than he is of us, and he certainly needs what Mortmain provides.
Otherwise he Will die. "
"Yes, he will. But what he did-having improper relations with a demon, then infecting his wife, causing her death-is the knowing murder of another Shadowhunter. It would not be considered only murder, either, but murder accomplished through demonic means. That would call down the worst of all punishments. "
"What is worse than death?" asked Tessa, and immediately regretted saying it as she saw Jems mouth tighten almost imperceptibly.
"The Silent Brothers Will remove that which makes him Nephilim. He Will become Forsaken," said Will. "His sons Will become mundane, their Marks stripped. The name of Lightwood Will be stricken from the rol s of Shadowhunters. It Will be the end of the Lightwood name among Nephilim.
There is no greater shame. It is a punishment even Benedict Will fear. "
"And if he does not?" said Jem in a low voice.
"Then, we are no worse off, I suppose. " It was Charlotte, whose expression had hardened as Will had spoken; Sophie was leaning against the mantel, a dejected figure, and Henry, his hand on his wifes shoulder, looked unusual y subdued. "We Will call on Benedict. There is no time to send a proper message ahead; it Will have to be something of a surprise. Now, where are the call ing cards?"
Will sat upright. "Youve decided on my plan, then?"
"Its my plan now," said Charlotte firmly. "You may accompany me, Will, but you Will fol ow my lead, and there Will be no talk of demon pox until I say so. "
"But-but . . . " Will sputtered.
"Oh, leave it," said Jem, kicking Will, not without affection, lightly on the ankle.
"Shes annexed my plan!"
"Will," Tessa said firmly. "Do you care more about the plan being enacted or about getting credit for it?"
Will pointed a finger at her. "That," he said. "The second one. "
Charlotte rol ed her eyes skyward. "Wil iam, this Will be either on my terms or not at all. "
Will took a deep breath, and looked at Jem, who grinned at him; Will let the air out of his lungs with a defeated sigh and said, "Al right, then, Charlotte. Do you intend for all of us to go?"
"You and Tessa, certainly. We need you as witnesses regarding the party.
Jem, Henry, there is no need for you to go, and we require at least one of you to remain and guard the Institute. "