Charles departed. Matthew raised a glass. “That is what in Paris they call sang-froid, Monsieur Herondale.”

Cordelia privately agreed. The Mask frightened her sometimes, when she could not tell what James was thinking, but it certainly had its uses. Wearing it, James seemed invulnerable.

“Is that a compliment?” Christopher asked curiously. “Doesn’t it mean ‘cold blood’?”

“Coming from Matthew, it is definitely a compliment,” Anna said with a laugh; she’d appeared at the table quite suddenly, Magnus Bane in tow. He was wearing a light blue tailcoat with gold buttons, a gold waistcoat, taupe knee breeches, and buckled boots. He looked like pictures Cordelia had seen of men at the court of the Sun King.

“You all know Magnus Bane, of course?” Anna gestured to the tall figure standing next to her.

“It’s my understanding,” Cordelia said, “that the question is never whether you know Magnus Bane. The question is always whether Magnus Bane knows you.”

“Oh, I like that,” Anna said, clearly pleased. “Very clever, Daisy.”

Magnus, to his credit, looked a bit abashed. It was a strange effect alongside his general level of glamorousness; he and Anna—in a polished black suit and sky-blue waistcoat, her family’s ruby necklace at her throat—made quite a sartorial pair. “Congratulations. I wish you and James all the happiness in the world.”

“Thank you, Magnus,” Cordelia said. “It’s good to see you. Do you think there’s any chance you’ll be staying in London permanently?”

“Perhaps,” said Magnus. He had been in and out of London for the past few months, sometimes present, often away. “First I must depart for the Cornwall Institute, to undertake a project there. Tomorrow, in fact.”

“And what project is that?” Matthew asked. “Something glamorous, secret, and admirable?”

“Something dull,” Magnus said firmly, “but well paying. I’ve been assigned the task of conducting a survey of the spell books at the Cornwall Institute. Some may be dangerous, but others could be indispensable in the hands of the Spiral Labyrinth. Jem—Brother Zachariah, I should say—will be accompanying me; it seems he is the only Shadowhunter trusted by both the Clave and the Spiral Labyrinth.”

“You’ll be in good company, then,” Cordelia said. “But I’m sorry that you’ll be leaving London. James and I were hoping to invite you to dinner at our new house.”

“Not to worry,” Magnus said, “you will not be without my radiance for long. I should be back in a fortnight. And then we celebrate.”

Matthew held up a hand. “I demand to also be invited to dinner with Magnus. I will not be scorned.”

“Speaking of scorning,” murmured Lucie. Out of nowhere had appeared Ariadne Bridgestock, looking quite lovely in a rose-colored dress with gold passementerie braiding.

“There you are,” Ariadne said. “James, Cordelia. Congratulations.” Then, without pause, she turned to Anna. “Would you take a turn about the room with me, Miss Lightwood?”