"Okay, you're scary." A girl's voice sounded from the alley as a Clary, Isabelle, Jace and I ran towards it, "Let us by, please?-"
The demon snarled loudly, the kids dropping their candy and running off, Isabelle grabbing it by the arm with her whip, "Where do you think you're going?"
Jace rushes up and pierced his seraph blade into the demon, Clary doing the same in it's side, making it shriek in pain.
"Guys, hold him up!-" I pulled out my stele and drew my sun rune when they did just that, aiming it at the demon, and killing it.
Jace took a few steps back, almost tripping over a toy sword, picking it up off the ground, looking from his blade and the toy blade, up to me.
I walked over to him and grabbed the toy blade, putting it to his neck, pursing my lips to hold back laughter.
Jace looked from the toy sword, up to me, his eyes filled with slight amusement, "I hate Halloween."
-
"Hey-" Jace knocked on the door of Alec's office when we stepped in, "Is now a bad time?"
Alec began, "Actually-"
"Not at all." Magnus cut him off and looked at us, "What is it?-"
"On the hunt, we came across a Drevak demon-" I slipped my hands into my pockets, looking between Alec and Magnus.
"Yeah, which is weird, right?" Jace asked, "They usually keep to the sewers-"
Alec suggests, "Maybe the holiday noise is drawing them out."
"Yeah, it could be." Jace nodded lightly, "The streets are packed with idiots in costumes."
"What? Hey-" I lightly hit his arm, "I used to be one of those idiots."
Jace chuckles at me, "Shocker-"
"What? I love Halloween." I noticed him and Alec laughing at me, "Trick or treating was the best!"
"So do I." Magnus smiled at me, "Every year, I would use my magic to decorate an entire city block in Brooklyn-"
Magnus sighs, looking saddened, "Fond memories-"
"Brief ops on the demon-" Alec points are Jace and I, as we nodded and obeyed him, leaving the room.
-
"I ran some tests on Jonathan's blood." Isabelle said as we stood in the armory, "The heavenly fire serum caused a reaction that purged all of its demonic essence."
Alec questioned, "So, injecting Jonathan will burn away all his demon blood?"
"And his demonic connection with Zee." Isabelle softly smiled at me, "We've finally found a way to separate you from your brother-"
Clary was smiling as well, placing a hand on my arm, "You're gonna be back to yourself in no time-"
"Once we remove the Twinning rune, he won't have any influence over you-" Jace gently grabbed my face, then pulled me into his chest, holding me tight, "He won't be able to hurt you."
"What will the injection do to him?-" I questioned, feeling slightly guilty after hearing Jonathan's screams in the back of my head constantly.
"It will hurt- a lot, you'll feel it, too." Isabelle exhales, "But- only until the connection breaks, after that, both of you will be fine."
Clary looks at me, "Let's go now?-"
"Kiddo?" Luke's voice sounded, making my head snap to see him before I could reply.
"Oh my god- hey!" I rushed over to him and threw my arms around him tightly, "You're here-"
"Luke-" Clary hugged him right after me, smiling just as much as I was, "How did you get out of prison?"
"The Praetor Lupus pulled some serious strings- I'll tell you the whole story later." Luke said, then placed a hand on my shoulder, "Right now, I'm just here to support my daughter."
Isabelle greets, "I'm glad to have you back, Luke."
"We'll meet you downstairs." Alec pats Jace's back, before he, Isabelle and Clary headed downstairs.
I smiled at Luke, "I'm so happy you're here-"
"I'm sorry I was ever gone." Luke then looked at Jace, "And thank you for looking after her while I was away."
"Always." Jace placed a hand on my lower back, "Let's get this rune off you-"
-
"They're trying to tear us apart, little sister." Jonathan stares at me, fright in his eyes, making my heart slightly heavy.
I try not look at him, sitting across from him as we'd were in his cell, "I know."
"Well, you can still stop it." Jonathan kept his eyes on me no matter how desperately I tried to not make eye contact.
"I don't want to, Jonathan." I looked up at him since I couldn't shake off the burning feeling of his stare.
"Zee, you're making a terrible mistake." Jonathan stares at me, "None of these people care about you the way that I care about-"
"Enough!" Luke snaps, "Alec, gag him-"
"Zee-" Jonathan began to cry out, but Alec gags him quickly, "Zee- please! No, no!-"
My eyes were glued to him now, feeling even more guilty with every second that went by.
Jace grabbed my hand, catching my attention as I looked up at him, "Hey, it's okay- I'm not gonna leave your side."
Isabelle exhales, holding the syringe ready, "Here we go-"
Alec looks at me, "Zee, are you ready?-"
I looked at Jonathan, before barely nodding my head, as he began shaking his repeatedly as Isabelle injected the serum into the rune, "Zee!-"
My eyes widen, my hand gripping the arm of the chair I was seated in at the suddenly burning in the rune, trying to hold back my screams.
But once it got worse, I couldn't help but stiffen up and let a shriek leaving my lips, my breathing heavy.
Clary's eyes were wide, "What's happening to her?-"
"She's burning up-" Alec looked between Jonathan and I, his eyes frantic.
Jace was worried, "Izzy, please, you gotta stop this-"
"I can't." Isabelle replies, looking just as worried.
"Just a little bit longer, kiddo-" Luke assures me.
I whimpered, my breathing uneven, my eyes falling onto Jonathan, his eyes turning completely black when our eyes met, the burning slowly stopping.
Luke exhales slow, "It didn't work-"
Jace's expression dropped, leaning his forehead against the top of my head, squeezing my hand as I leaned into his embrace, both our eyes shut.
Alec huffs, "The formula must be too weak-"
"I have another idea." Isabelle thought out loud, "Each vial of serum contains nanoparticles of Glorious- I can separate the particles out and use them to create a new, more potent formula."
Clary questions, "How long will that take?-"
"At least a few hours." Isabelle left the room.
-
[ jace's pov ]
"What happened the other night?" I asked Alec while we were all out on duty, "I noticed Magnus wasn't wearing the Lightwood family ring."
Alec shrugs lightly, "Yeah, the timing just wasn't right-"
"Hey, listen. I got faith in you." I assure him, "You'll find the right moment."
Alec looks at me, "How are things with Zee?"
"She's going through hell." I sigh lightly and came to a stop, "I just- I wish I could rip that Twinning rune off her, you know?"
Alec stopped as well, "You would do anything to break Zee's connection with Jonathan, right?"
"Yeah-" I nodded lightly, "Yeah, of course."
"So, hypothetically, what if you could?" Alec stared at me, "But, as a consequence, you could never see her again?"
I blink, "That's a little dark-"
"Just humor me." Alec replies, "Would you do it?"
"Now that I've lost her once, I don't think I could ever go through that again." I looked down at my hands, "We've continuously been separated- I can't- be apart from her anymore- It's selfish, I know-"
"No- I get it." Alec lightly nodded, then looks around, "Where'd they go?"
-
[ zee's pov ]
"It kills me that you have to be connected to Jonathan for another second." Isabelle exhales lightly, shaking her head as we went further into the alley.
"I know- god," Clary huffed lightly, "I hate seeing you suffer like this."
I trailed behind them, "Honestly, I've reached a point where I don't mind."
"Really?" Isabelle stopped and looked at me, "After everything that monster has done to you?"
"What're you talking about?" I stopped as well, looking at her, "Jonathan is not a monster-"
Clary looked back at me, "What?"
"Do you guys hear yourselves? Have a little empathy-" I stared at them, anger burning into my chest, "I mean- he was rejected by our parents- tortured and mutilated by Lilith- imagine all the things he's gone through to try and find someone to love him- I mean- if anything, he's a victim."
Clary repeats, "A victim?-"
"Zee-" Isabelle trails off, then realized, shaking her head, "This isn't you talking- it's the rune."
Clary reaches out for me, "Hey-"
"Don't touch me!" I pulled away from her, taking a few steps back, my voice raising.
"Hey, hey, I'm here-" Jace's voice filled my ears as he rushed over to me, grabbing my arms, "Look at me-"
"You guys are heartless!-" I shouted, trying to pull back from Jace, "Jonathan doesn't deserve this!"
"Zee- look at me!" Jace raised his voice and grabbed my face, forcing me to make eye contact with him, "Focus on me- my voice- don't let him overpower you."
I breathed out, feeling myself slowly calm down, guilt burning in my chest immediately when I realized what I had just said, "Oh my god- I'm sorry-"
"It's okay-" Clary assured me, "We know it's not you."
Isabelle nods, "Just stay close to her, Jace."
-
"Well, don't say I never take you anywhere nice." Jace remarked when we went further down the lower level, it being dark, ichor anywhere we looked.
"Noted-" I exhaled, looking around.
"Wait- those are Drevak eggs." Jace pointed out, "The queen must be nearby-"
Jace and I pulled out our blades, looking around.
We saw nothing, until a demon unexpectedly landed between us, throwing me against the wall, as landed in the other room, groaning in pain against a few pieces of the broken wall.
I tried to get myself up after hearing Jace's calls for me, but I fell onto the ground, my eyes rolling to the back of my head.
I saw black for a moment.
But, then a bright white light surrounded me, my eyes opening to see myself in a completely blank space.
I forced myself to my feet, blinking to get used to the white, noticing the snow falling.
I looked up, noticing someone's back to me, their features becoming more and more clearer to me as I moved closer.
The someone was Jonathan, as he turned around, "Hello, sister."
He held his hand out, dark wings spreading from behind him, his stare persuasive.
I took a step closer to him, beginning to reach my hand out when I heard Jace's about, "Zee!"
My head snapped back, noticing Jace a few feet away from me, wings sprouted for him as well, but his were angelic.
The Dark and the Light.
My head slowly turned to Jonathan, "Join me."
"No, Zee, don't!" shouted Jace, trying to convince me not to, "Don't do it!-"
I grabbed Jonathan's hand.
-
"We have to get to Zee-" I heard Jace's voice as I dusted myself off and walked into the room from before after walking up.
They both jerked to a stop when they saw me walk out, Alec staring at me, "Are you okay?"
"Never better." I shrug, "Just a little bruised."
Jace stares at me, before grabbing my hand, looking guilty, "I'm so sorry-"
I blink, "Why are you apologizing?"
"I promised I would never leave your side." Jace took a step closer to me, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Jace, relax-" I grabbed his face and pecked his lips, "It was just a few minutes- alright? I'm fine."
Alec breathes out, "You guys go ahead to the Institute."
Jace looks at him, "What about you?"
"There's something I have to do." Alec said, before walking away from us, leaving us both alone.
Without another word, I started walking down the way we came from, running a hand through my hair.
"Hey- are you okay?" Jace rushes after me, keeping up with my steps, "What did you see on the other side of that wall?-"
I kept it short, "Nothing but darkness-"
Jace nods and pulled out his ringing cell, answering the call, stepping to the side, "Izzy, what's up?-"
"The demon attacks were a diversion." Isabelle's voice filled the line, "I think some Seelie nymph is trying to break into the sub cells to get to Jonathan. "
"Did you speak to Alec?" Jace asked her, as I slowly picked up a pole from the ground that I had spotted, looking at him.
Isabelle told him, "He's not picking up- you have to get back here."
"Hang on." Jace went to turn, "We're coming-"
I caught him off guard, slamming the pole against his head, knocking him to the ground.
Jace grunts when he hit the ground, touching his bleeding head, looking at me, "Zee?-"
I tossed the pole to the side and crouched, staring at him, "I love you, Jace- but, I won't let you stop me."
"No- Zee!" Jace groaned as I pulled out my stele and drew my portal rune, "Don't!-"
I activated the rune and went through the portal, my kindjal ready in my hand when I came through, decapitating the Seelie that held a spear, ready to kill Jonathan before she could even make a move towards him.
"I'm here." I looked up at Jonathan, a small smile forming on my lips, "I won't let anyone hurt you- big brother."
Jonathan stares at me in shock, his eyes filling with happiness, "You came for me."
authors note:
BIG BROTHER AND LITTLE SISTER MAKES ME CRINGE SO HARD BUT YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO IG
this is kinda a good chapter tbh
but thank you for 53k !
go read redamancy !!
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