Super, super, super incredibly sorry it took so damn long! I don't know what got into me... I promise I won't abandon the story any more! This time I mean it! By the way, you might want to re-read the other chapters, I know I had to.
Tessa flung herself on the bed. She glared at the silky pillows. Angrily, she got up and threw it across the room. How in the hell did Jenkens know so much? With every passing day, he seemed to know more and more. More about Will, Jem, the Institute, everything! How is that possible? She punched down on the comforter. She somehow had to prevent it!
"Throwing a fit won't help anything." said a male voice behind her solfly. Tessa looked behind her. It was Kinsley.
"What now?" she asked sourly. "Does his highness want to see me again?"
Instead of yelling at her, he shook his head and walked slowly to her bedside. "No, I'm here on my own free will."
"So what do you want?"
"To tell you something." He looked directly at her. "Something important."
Tessa gave him a long, distrusting look. As far as she knew, he worked for Jenkens, who was obviously up to no good. So why should she trust him? He could be simply lulling her into a false sense of security. On the other hand, he didn't seem too fond of Jenkens, preferring to stay as far as possible from him as often as he could. After a long moment, she finally said, "What?"
The man breathed in a deep breath and said, "You have noticed how Master Smith-"
"Hold on a second," Tessa interrupted, "Master Smith?I thought his name was Jenkens?"
The man shook his head, "No, it isn't. That is a cover of his. He changes it often. His real name is Simon Smith. He's involved in the drug world. He's a main seller."
"So why does he want me?" Tessa questioned. So what if he sells drugs? She's not into drugs, so why does he want her?
"It's not youhe's interested in, it's what you know. You live in the Institute, so you probably know a lot about it. Where they patrol, and how often, things like that. You're also female, so you're mind is most likely easier to break." He looked at her, and noticed her indignant expression. "Its generally a true fact. I'm not meaning to insult you." She nodded, so he continued. "You see, he wants to expand his reach, but the Shadowhunters are in his way. So he wanted information on them."
"I see. But why does he want to simply avoid them? Wouldn't it make more sense to overtake them?"
"Yes, it would. He could do it right now, too. But only the London Clave."
She almost asked another question, but seeing his expression, she stopped and thought. He looked as if she should be seeing something she didn't. Then, it dawned on her. Only the London Clave.Of course! With a growing sense of fear, she realized Smith's real plans. If he took out the London Institute, the Clave would soon send people to investigate, and he can't fight them all. But if he had information on how they work, he could destroy them all. He wanted complete power! "We have to stop him!"
"I know. But there is no way out of here." he hesitated for a second. "The only way to stop him now is to cut off his access to information."
"But I don't even know how he's getting into my brain!"
He sighed. "When you sleep, your guard is down. He uses magic to search it. But he's only quarter Downworlder, so he only had access to memories of things and people he knows about. That's why he questions you." Tessa's look of fear and horror grew. All the things she said to Smith she thought harmless, really was helping him.
"So how do we stop him?"
"As I said, cut off his access to information."
"But I have to sleep! Even if I try to stop, he's bound to have a drug to make me! I have to eat and drink. The only way to stop him is if I- if I died." She whispered the last part. She looked back up at him. "Is that what I have to do, kill myself?"
"I'm afraid so." He saw the look of fear change to one of self-doubt.
"You wouldn't have to stab yourself, nothing like that. Remember, Master Smith is into drugs, including ones that kill."
Tessa stopped staring off at the wall. "You could bring he one?"
"Yes, but it would be hard to get. He has both poisons and cures. There is only one that he does not have the cure to. In fact, there are only two beings in all the world who know the antidote, and I don't even know if they live anymore."
"So, I would definitely die."
"Yes, it is painful though."
"How painful?"
He sighed. "First, you'd fell nothing but a mild burning when you swallow it. Then, you would start to have mild hallucinations. They would grow stronger. By then, it's too late for the antidote to even work. However, the final stage..." He stopped explaining.
"The final stage?" Tessa prompted. She wanted to know.
"Well, in the final stage, you'd feel pain all over. It would come on slowly. But at the first sign of pain, you would have an hour to live."
"How bad does it get?"
"I'm not entirely sure, but those I've seen it used on, it sounds as if they're on fire." Tessa shuddered. After a moment, he asked her, "Do you want to take it?"
Tessa thought about it. Slowly, she said, "Yes. If it's the only way to save them, I'll do it."
Kinsley nodded. "I won't be able to get it to you tonight, but I will tomorrow night. I'll give it to you when I bring you back to your room after dinner."
"Alright. But how do I prevent him from finding out anything more?"
"There is no guarantee it will work," he replied, "But try thinking about something right before you fall asleep. Like an old memory that doesn't involve the Institute at all. Something that bores you."
She nodded. "Thank you." As he turned to leave, she asked him one last thing. "Hold on a minute. Why do you want to help me?"
He paused. Then he slowly said, "Because, he killed my sister." Then he continued out of the room, leaving Tessa to her thoughts.
As she lay on her bed, a million thoughts raced through her mind. Thoughts about Kinsley. It was weird, she thought him to be closest to Jen- to Smith, but it turns out he wants to see him fall. She also thought about what she just agreed to. She just agreed to suicide.She had always been taught that killing yourself would take you directly to Hell. But it was the only way to save those she loved. Could she really do it? Was she brave enough? She would have to be. For Charlotte, Henry, Jessamine, Jem, and for Will. What would Will think, if he ever found out? Would he care? She knew he would. Would he be angry at her? Or disappointed? She couldn't stand the thought of him disappointed in her, as stupid as it sounds. She hoped he wouldn't be.
So, what do you think? Will Tessa be brave enough to take the poison? Will Jem and Will find her in time to stop her? Will I stop asking questions you can't answer? To answer the last question, yes, I will stop. Again, super sorry it took me like, a month to update. Please bear with me!