The Angel-Blooded One (Shadowhunters ff)

1 - The Wedding

Clary

With trembling fingers, she traced the outline of his jaw, memorizing every detail. "Every single cell in my body loves you," she said, her voice a choked sob. "And once those die and new ones are born, those cells love you even more. So Jace, no matter what happens, my love for you will never die."

Jace's brow furrowed in confusion. "Hey... hey, you're alright?"

Clary stared at him, desperately etching his image into her memory. "I love you," she whispered, pulling him into a kiss. Every ounce of her love, her fear, her desperation poured into the kiss. But the wave of sorrow threatened to drown her.

She broke away, gasping for air. A prickling sensation bloomed on her side, a chilling reminder of the ticking clock.

"I'm gonna go get some air," she choked out, tears blurring her vision.

Jace reached for her, his voice filled with panic. "Are you okay?"

But Clary had already turned away, her heart shattering with each step towards the exit. She wouldn't look back. This was goodbye. 

***

Jace

"I love you too," the words tumbled out of him, desperate to hold onto her. But Clary was already walking away.

Jace's heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat mirroring the chaos churning in his gut. Was this a goodbye? Clary had been withdrawn ever since Toronto, haunted by the ghost of Jonathan and the weight of their victory. Maybe she just needed space, time to process the fallout.

Simon materialized beside him, his brow furrowed with concern. "Everything alright?"

Jace forced a smile, the gesture feeling brittle and unconvincing. "Yeah, everything's fine."

"Where'd Clary go?"

"Fresh air," Jace muttered, already turning towards the exit. He needed to find her, needed to chase away the shadows gathering in her eyes.

The crisp spring air, tinged with the bite of twilight, hit him like a slap. The steps leading away from the Institute were deserted. Frustration gnawed at him. Was she in her room? He retraced her steps, the urgency growing with each passing second.

Panic, a cold serpent, coiled tightly around his insides. Had something happened? No, he couldn't let his imagination run wild. But his pace quickened as he reached their room. There, on the stark white of his bed, lay a letter. His fingers trembled as he unfolded it, the crisp edges crinkling under his touch.

Dear Jace,

By the time you read this letter, my memories of you and the Shadow World will be gone. It's the price the angels made me pay for the runes I created. But I have no regrets. Even if I don't remember you, you will always be in my heart.

The words blurred after that. A choked sob escaped his lips, and he slumped against a wall, the paper fluttering to the floor. The pain, raw and agonizing, ripped through him, stealing his breath. It was the absence of everything he held dear, a chilling silence where her laughter and love used to reside. Clary was gone, and with her, a piece of his own soul felt ripped away.