I Am Ruined (TDA Lord of Shadows Sequel)

[ XXXX ] Heavenly Fire

Kit crawled to move in front of her now, "Emma, you're too close to the fire-"

Her eyes were wild, he had never seen her like this. Emma was always in control, always finding some way to make a situation light. But this Emma looked like a feral animal, unable to be tamed. "Julian, Jul – He is in there, we have to get to him."

"Emma, we can't. He's gone. Look at your arm." Kit had his hands braced on either side of her shoulders. He knew his words were cruel, but Emma was a Shadowhunter – one of the best there was – and he needed her to come back. She was trembling as her gaze dipped down to see the faded scar there. He expected her to wail, but she simply shut her eyes tightly, murmuring something. She was pale, too pale. Blood was soaked in her clothes and skin, she was losing too much. He looked desperately to Ash, who was standing shell-shocked above them. Kit pulled the stele from Emma's belt and held it awkwardly in his hand; he had never drawn runes before. He wasn't sure he even knew how. Eyes closed, he remembered watching the runes he had seen Ty, Julian, Emma, Jace, Cristina, even Mark draw. The iratze was one of the most common, he was sure he had seen it plenty of times, but the images kept fading from his mind as he tried to grip them. "Come on, come on!" He was whispering to himself. Ty's grey eyes filled his mind, he drew strength from it. He set the tip of the stele to her skin and started drawing. He saw it burning into her shoulder, the smell of fire so overwhelming in the glade. Black swirls took form, and to his utter surprise and relief, they stayed. It was dimmer than usual, but it didn't sink into her skin like the runes they had drawn before.

Ash kneeled down next to him, "The Black Volume, it must have been destroyed. The blight is fading – I can feel it."

"So will the rune work?" The stele was still gripped tightly in Kit's hand, slick with Emma's blood.

"If it does, it will be at a much slower rate. With as extensive as her wound is, I don't know if it will be fast enough."

Emma snapped, red-rimmed eyes glaring at them, "Don't talk about me like I'm not here!"

Kit took a deep breath, "We need to go. We need to leave, Ash can show us-"

"No." She stated firmly, shifting so that she was on her hands and knees. Her entire body was shaking with the effort, her long blond hair soaked with sweat and blood. One foot planted solidly into the earth, she pulled herself up to a standing position. As soon as she put pressure on her right leg, she collapsed back down to the ground with a cry. She punched the ground in frustration, angry tears welling up. "I am not leaving without Julian."

Ash's voice was soft, "Emma, I am afraid that he may be dead."

"I don't care. I'm not leaving without him. He promised me he was coming back with me, and he's not going to break that promise." She tried to get up again, but Kit sat back on his heels and placed a hand on hers. His sky blue eyes were pleading.

"Please. We need to get back to the others; Ty, Dru, Helen, Mark, Tavvy. You know that is what Julian would have wanted." Kit was afraid to say the words, but he forced himself to. The anger faded from her brown eyes, a painful understanding filling them. She looked back out towards the dying flames, fresh tears falling now.

She opened her mouth to speak, voice breaking at every word, "Ave atque vale, Julian Atticus Bla-" She stopped midsentence when she saw a shadowy figure standing up among the flames. Her eyes widened, Kit and Ash standing up with weapons wielded. She looked down at her arm expectantly, but the rune was still gone. She swallowed her pain and grabbed for Cortana before she remembered it was gone with Julian. Kit reached to help her up, she was leaning against him, an iron dagger in her left hand. The bright flames were smoldering now, their brightness making the figure walking to them a silhouette. As the man drew closer, Emma felt her heart race. It was as if her heart had stopped altogether and restarted in overdrive. Sunlight illuminated the shadowy figure, familiar brown curls and striking blue eyes. A golden sword in his hand.

"Julian–" Despite the pain in her leg, she ran forward, drawing on any strength she could find. She limped forward toward what seemed like an impossible sight. Cortana clattered from his hand as he reached out for her, his arms circling her waist and lifting her off the ground. He was covered in ash and smelt of fire, but he was alive; his heartbeat like a steady metronome beneath her hands. For a moment she thought she was imagining things again – memories torturing her with something she would never have again. But as she looked up, he pressed his lips against hers and the familiarity came rushing with it. He tasted like cloves and flames, and Julian. Pulling away slightly, he pressed his forehead against hers, breathing the same breath.

"I promised." He whispered, his voice barely audible.

"How?" It was all she could get out, every other word lost in her frenzied mind.

His voice was rough as gravel, the air burning his throat, "Heavenly Fire. It was a rune of Heavenly Fire."

A rune? Emma didn't understand, but she didn't care. Here was Julian, in her arms, heart beating in his chest. Her parabatai rune was still gone, yet he was still here? They could learn what happened later, right now she was just happy to be here with him. She buried her head in the crook of his neck, breathing him in as her tears splashed against his shoulder.

Kit came slowly, as if unsure if he should say anything, "Julian?"

Julian pulled back to look at him, brotherly love in his blue-green eyes. He shifted Emma to the side and held her in the circle of one arm as he extended the other. It was odd, Kit thought, the sentiment. Kit wasn't one of Julian's brothers, not his family. He had honestly been mostly afraid of Julian in the time he had known him. But the second he extended his arm, Kit gratefully welcomed it. His arm went around Julian, closing his eyes and almost imagining for a second that he was his family. Because he never had family that cared about him like this.

Ash was standing back stoically, "As for the riders and the King?"

Julian lifted his head from the embrace, "They are gone. Heavenly Fire destroys all that is evil. Including those of evil intention."

He nodded, "Very well, then it must be time to depart. Are you prepared?"

Julian let go of Emma and Kit and inclined his head. As soon as his arm left Emma's waist, she fell. He barely caught her, worry clear in his face. "Em?" Her eyelids were heavy now, adrenaline spent and the severity of her injury wearing on her.

"We need to get her out of faerie, the iratze isn't healing her fast enough." Kit explained quickly, picking up Cortana.

Julian nodded seriously, reaching under Emma's knees and shoulders to pick her up and hold her tight against him. Her head rested in the crook of his neck, arms loosely looped around him. His gaze was determined as he looked to Ash, "Let's go home."

Aw did you guys really think I would kill Julian?! I could never! Sorry for making you wait to find out though ;) You will find out in one of the next chapters how, so just sit tight! Lots of love ❤️