Lost || Jace Herondale

SEVEN

The scattered glass was never ending. Every time I thought it had all been swept up, another shard twinkled in my peripheral. Elijah was relieved when I came home and he saw the necklace resting around my neck. But in the past two weeks, he had been more and more on edge.  

I couldn't explain it, it was as though my presence was a hinderance, but he didn't want me to leave the house. Perhaps it was work pressures which were stressing him out and I was the perfect outlet - turns out he doesn't have the best aim with a glass bottle. But I just couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than that. Something wasn't right. 

It was all paranoia on my part of course. Since discovering the shadow world and my heritage, it felt as though constant eyes were on me. In the institute, walking down the street and even in my own home. The feeling just wouldn't shake off.  

The past two weeks have been spent tirelessly studying for finals, learning about the shadow world, working at the pandemonium and physical training with seraph blades and daggers. I hadn't quite found my weapon yet, Izzy told me that I would feel it when I saw it. And so far, none appealed to me. 

I was surprised at how patient Alec was being when he taught me the laws of the shadow world. No matter how much it hurt my brain to learn the laws and customs of the shadowhunters, I tried desperately to keep the information retained. I was a part of this world after all. 

Alec had explained bonds of shadowhunters, and that himself and Jace were parabatai. He spoke about how a shadowhunter has only 18 years to choose a parabatai. Having to decide if you're going to swear your life to someone at such a young age must have been difficult, but Alec revealed that they both knew they were meant to be joined before they asked one another. The thought of being tied to another person for the rest of your life, and being buried with them sounded daunting but also  . . . beautiful. It tore at my chest that I would not be given an option like that - given that I was an angel and not even supposed to be on earth. 

Izzy's lessons were the most enjoyable. She taught me the basics of different species - vampires, werewolves, faeries and demons. Her stories about a particular seelie - Meliorn, were rather interesting. It was basically a girl gossip, which - having grown up with primarily only a father figure - I was in desperate need of. 

Self defence lessons with Hodge on the other hand . . . were not my favourite part of the day. We had been sparring for a week straight and I just wasn't picking it up. Jace insisted that it would take time and I couldn't expect to be a perfect fighter in a week.   

"You're being too soft on her Jace." Hodge scolded as he pushed me further back with his advances. The man was in his early thirties and had mentored Jace throughout his life. Jace assured me that he was the best man for the job of teaching a 17 year old with no physical strength to take down a rogue, violent shadowhunter. Although since taking off the necklace while at the institute, it did feel as though my angelic blood was beginning to thaw and crackle after laying dormant for so many years. 

We collectively made the wise decision to keep the knowledge of my angel heritage between Jace, Izzy, Alec and Magnus. Anyone else who raised the question of what a mundane was doing in the institute was led to believe that I had the sight and wished to transition into a shadowhunter by drinking from the mortal cup. 

"Maybe I just don't want her put into the infirmary again." Jace remarked, wincing as I landed with a thud on the training mat once again. "You're not going to teach her anything by belittling her like this."

"She's weak Jace! She has no muscle and she will die when she drinks from the mortal cup. I'm wasting my time." Hodge argued, waving his dagger around.