Lost || Jace Herondale

FOURTEEN

"You're lying. Ithuriel wouldn't. . . he doesn't care-" I stuttered out. All this time, it couldn't be possible. I couldn't have been blocking out my own father all these years. 

"Let the voices in and see for yourself. I hear your father has been rather aggravated recently." Iris coaxed, causing Jace to loosen his grip to her throat slightly. 

A wave of confusion washed over us, "stop talking in riddles. It won't work in your favour." Alec scolded, "how would you know what Ithuriel has been doing? Unless. . . "

Iris beamed, her smirk reaching her eyes, "and there it is. I believe the mundanes call it a lightbulb moment."

"What is it Alec?" Magnus pressed, placing a hand to the shadowhunter's shoulder. 

"Valentine has Ithuriel. It's the only explanation. He knows that no amount of torture would force Ithuriel to do his bidding and betray the angels."

"But Ithuriel would burn the world down before he allowed Freya to be harmed." Magnus finished. 

I gasped, my breath leaving my lungs once more. "That's why he didn't stop him." I muttered quietly, visions of my head being pushed underwater. Elijah's hands holding me down. The voices waking me up. A voice. My father's. Water dripped down my forehead and down my back; it coated my palms until they were slick with it. 

Jace's voice pulled me back to the present and I wiped my sweat ridden hands on my shirt. "What did you say Freya?"

"Nothing." I said, I took a breath just to be sure the oxygen was there before continuing. "We need to find my father." 

"Where is Valentine?" Jace turned back to Iris. 

"I don't know. He always found me, I never went to him." I hoped Iris was lying but we all knew she wasn't. She wouldn't - not when it risked the lives of the warlock children she was harbouring. 

Jace released his hold on Iris. "Mutter a word about this meeting and you will never see your creations again." 

Iris nodded, and I didn't fail to notice the slight tremble in her hands as she stood from the booth and made an exit from the pandemonium. 

I quickly grabbed Jace's arm, disbelief coating my face. "We can't just let her go, let her keep . . . raping mundanes." 

"She won't get far." Jace assured me, "Valentine's men will take care of her before the Clave would even have a chance to detain her." 

"She will be killed?" I spoke, my voice weak. Iris deserved to die, yes. But I had played a hand in her death and I had no right to do so. Death would be kinder than the silent city . .  . although, was Iris worthy of that kindness? What she had been doing to mundanes was unspeakable. 

"Your angel self is showing." Magnus looked sorrowfully to me, "Iris was dead the moment she set eyes upon you and betrayed Valentine." 

Izzy interrupted us with urgency, "we need to leave. It won't be long before this place is swarming with demons and circle members." 

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My hand unconsciously clutched around my ribs as we jogged back to the institute. Magnus had offered to portal us but the presence of magic would have drawn too much unwanted attention. 

I struggled to catch my breath once we were safely inside the institute's four walls. A stabbing pain hindered me from taking too deep of a breath. Jace looked me up and down in concern, grasping my shoulders to steady me. "Hey, you okay?"