redamancy | jace herondale

49

"Zee, hey-" Jace exhaled in relief when I came down the stairs at the City of Bones, where he had taken me to seek help for the rune influence.

"Hi-" My voice was quiet as I slipped my arms into my jacket he held up for me to wear. "It's okay- I didn't feel a thing."

"Okay, that's good-" Jace nodded slowly and stood directly in front of me. "What'd they do to you?"

"Absolutely nothing." I stared up at him blankly. "Whatever's binding me to Jonathan- they've never seen it before. They didn't know what to do- or what to even tell me- I mean, they couldn't even advise me anything. They had no idea."

"Okay, well, look-" Jace sighed quietly and tried to assure me. "That doesn't mean we're out of options."

I stared. "Doesn't it?"

"Zee, you saw that illustration with me." Jace mentioned. "Michael separated himself from Lucifer- that means there has to be a way."

"One that we clearly aren't aware of." I crossed my arms, going silent for a few moments. "But, we might know someone who is-"

"What does that mean?" asked Jace.

"Jace." I elaborated on what I had just said to him. "Maybe we go straight to the source."

Jace immediately shook his head. "No-"

"Jace, she gave me the rune." I reminded him quickly. "She's gotta know how to remove it-"

"Zee, no- no way." Jace shook his head again. "Look, we just got rid of her- and it almost cost you your life."

"Jace, I don't know what else to do." My voice fell quiet. "When I saw Jonathan last night, I couldn't do anything- it was horrible, I couldn't- get myself to just- call you- I couldn't even walk away from him! And after what happened with Aline, and the fire- I- I think he's winning, I can feel it the darkness and I think he's winning, and I-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jace grabbed my face in his hands and held it when I began to stutter and stammer. "You are a good person."

"But- what if he changes that?" I felt myself tear up slightly. "What if I lose myself? What if he makes me turn on you-"

"That's not possible." Jace reached one of his hands to run his fingers through my hair. "No rune is going to change who you are. You are a good person- and you'll always be a good person. No one- and I mean no one- can turn your heart dark."

-

"Why is everything falling apart?" I whispered to myself, pacing outside of Magnus' room by the Med area after he had collapsed at the Institute. "Why won't it stop? Why won't it- stop-"

"Hey, Young-" Simon stood up, making me stop pacing, my back to him. "He's gonna be okay."

I stayed still for a few moments before I began pacing again, ignoring him.

He then started again, trying to get my attention, "Hey, Young-"

After a few tries of him calling my name, I spun on my feet and unintentionally snapped at him. "Shut up, Simon! I don't think I have the energy right now to pretend to find one of your stupid jokes funny so I'd rather you just not-"

"Zee-" Jace's voice sounded from behind me, my head snapping back towards him to catch the disapproving look on his face.

Then, I slowly looked at Simon, who's expression had dropped and was not quiet.

"Simon, I'm so sorry." My eyes slightly widened when I came to realize what I had said, but then slowly looked down at my rune to see it glowing.

"Jace." My voice got quiet. "The rune."