predestined | jace herondale

28

Jace calls out after me, "Well- why don't I feel like we are?"

I don't reply, walking into my room and shutting the door.

-

There was a knock at my door as I was fixing up some things on my dresser, "Come in!"

"Where were you all night?" Isabelle walked into my room, closing the door behind her, "I went to your room after the cabinet meeting because I needed to talk to you and you weren't here."

"I just- busy- yeah, I was doing stuff." I clear my throat and face her, "What did you need to talk about?"

"Wait." Isabelle observes, "Is that Jace's shirt?"

I stare at her a moment, "No-"

"That's why your hair isn't straightened today, you didn't do your hair this morning-" Isabelle was easily piecing the clues together, "And you're avoiding him-"

I exhale deeply, "Izzy-"

"You and Jace had sex?" Isabelle blurts out, "Forget my problems, can we talk about those later-"

"How do you just- piece that together so quickly?" I stared at her in astonishment, setting down the things in my hands.

"Not your type, huh?" Isabelle nudged me playfully, making me recall when I said that, as she grabbed my hands and pulled me to my bed, "Tell me everything."

"Well- on this episode of Zee has no self control-" I admit, speaking of myself in third person, "I slept with Jace."

"We already knew that!" Isabelle almost squealed, "How did it happen?"

"We were talking and- he kissed me." I looked down at her hands, "One thing lead to another and I'm in his bed the next morning."

"And you've been avoiding him ever since?" Isabelle squeezes my hands in comfort when I don't reply, "I know it's none of my business- but, maybe you should talk to him about it?"

"I-" I looked down, "Seelie magic- it tricks you-"

"Zee, Seelie magic might trick you, but it's always true." Isabelle caught my eye once more, "I know it's confusing- but, you can have feelings for someone without realizing it."

"I'll talk to him- eventually." I inhale sharply, "Just- not at this moment, okay?"

"We're transferring Valentine to Idris tonight." Isabelle changes the subject when she notices how I no longer wanted to speak of this, "I assume you want to be part of the mission."

"Yeah-" I nod lightly, "I'm all in."

-

I knocked on the door frame of Alec's office, "Valentine's Circle rune has been removed and Isabelle's assembled her team."

"Good." Alec inhales, looking up at me from his tablet, getting up, "I'll feel a lot better when he's out of the Institute."

I slip my hands into the pockets of my jean jacket, "Have you secured Magnus for the transfer?"

"I think we should consider using a different warlock." Alec walks with me down the hall, "Catarina Loss lives in-"

"Alec." I turned my head to look at him, "You do realize we're talking about portalling the Clave's Most Wanted into Idris?"

"There's not many Warlocks with that clearance." I continued, "Besides, Isabelle wants- and needs the best- and that's Magnus."

"Look, Magnus isn't exactly in a great place right now." Alec exhales deeply, opening up to me, "He hasn't been sleeping."