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She looked past the man to the coach behind him--and froze Instead of a coat of arms, the name of a business enterprise was painted across one of the doors: MORTMAIN AND COMPANY

Mortmain The man her father had worked for, whom Nathaniel had blackmailed, who had introduced her brother to the Shadow World What was he doing here?

She looked at Nate again, her feeling of annoyance washed away by a wave of protectiveness If he knew Mortmain was here, he would doubtless be upset It would be better if she found out as going on before he did She slid off the sill and made her way quietly to the door; deep in conversation with Jessamine, Nate hardly seemed to notice as she left the rooly easy for Tessa to find her way to the huge stone-bound spiral stairway that speared through the center of the Institute Sheher way around the place at last, she decided as she round floor, and found Tho a massive sword, point down, his face very serious Behind him the le of blue-black London twilight, lit by the blaze of the courtyard’s witchlight torches He looked taken aback at the sight of Tessa "Miss Gray?"

She pitched her voice low "What’s going on out there, Thoed "Mr Mortmain," he said "He wanted to speak with Mr and Mrs Branwell, but since they’re not here--"

Tessa started toward the door

Thomas, startled, moved to prevent her "Miss Gray, I don’t think--"

"You’ll have to use that sword on me to stop me, Thomas," Tessa said in a cold voice, and Thomas, after a e, hoped she hadn’t hurt his feelings, but he lookedelse

She moved past him, onto the steps outside the Institute, where Will and Je her hair andher shiver At the foot of the stairs stood the man she had seen froined: s, with a tanned, friendly face beneath the briance of his clothes, he had the bluff, natural bearing of a sailor or trades, "Mr and Mrs Branere kind enough to call onourof a secret"

"They didn’t tell the Enclave about your occult experimentations, if that is what you mean," Will said a bit shortly

Mortht to return the favor in kind--" He broke off, looking past Will at Tessa "And who is this? Another Shadowhunter?"

Will and Jem both turned at the same time and saw Tessa Jem looked pleased to see her; Will, of course, looked exasperated, and perhaps a touch amused "Tessa," he said "Couldn’t keep your nose out, could you?" He turned back to Mortmain "This is Miss Gray, of course Nathaniel Gray’s sister"

Mortood God I should have realized You look like him Miss Gray--"

"I don’t think she does, actually," Will said, but rather quietly, so Tessa doubted Mortmain could hear him

"You can’t see Nate," Tessa said "I don’t know if that’s why you’ve coh He needs to recover from his ordeal, not be reminded of it"

The lines deepened at the corners of Mortnize that I failed him, failed him abominably Mrs Branwell made that clear--"

"You should have looked for him," Tessa said "My brother You let him sink into the Shadow World without a trace" So so bold, but she went on, regardless "When he told you he’d gone to work for de Quincey, you should have done so You knehat kind of man de Quincey was--if you can even call hiray beneath his hat "That is why I am here To try to make up for what I’ve done"

"And how do you propose to do that?" asked Je voice "And why now?"

Mortood, kind people I have always regretted introducing thehtful game and a bit of a joke I have learned otherwise since To assuage that guilt, I will tell you what I know Even if it land to escape de Quincey’s wrath" He sighed "Soo, de Quincey ordered froears, and the like I never asked what he needed theister Only when you Nephiliht be connected to a nefarious purpose I investigated, and an informant within the club told me that de Quincey intended to build an army of mechanical monsters meant to destroy the ranks of Shadowhunters" He shook his head "De Quincey and his ilk may despise Shadowhunters, but I do not I am only a human man I know they are all that stand between s of de"

"That is all very well," Will said, a hint of i we do not already know"

"Did you also know," Mortmain said, "that he paid a pair of warlocks called the Dark Sisters to create a binding spell that would aniies?"

"We did," said Je Will destroyed the other one"

"But her sister brought her back via a necromantic charm," said Mortmain, a hint of triumph in his tone, as if he were relieved to at last have a piece of information that they did not "Even now the two of the to a warlock, until de Quincey had hi spell If my sources are correct, the Dark Sisters will atteht"

Will’s blue eyes were dark and thoughtful "Thank you for the information," he said, "but de Quincey will soon be no more of a threat to us, or his mechanical monsters, either"