The Shadow of an Angel // JACE WAYLAND (ON HOLD)

XII

AZEL

My head was pounding.

That was all I could really register as consciousness slowly drifted back to me. I attempted to open my too-heavy eyelids and was more nervous than surprised to find a figure that looked suspiciously like Jace sitting on a chase lounge on the other side of the...I was in bedroom?

"Jace?"

His head snapped up as his gaze found mine.

I groaned as I pulled my shoulders back to try and sit up in the overly-comfortable bed I was in. "Wha– where are we?" My voice was groggy as if I'd just woken up from a whole day and night of sleep, and my vision was too hazy for my own liking. Everything felt too chaotic at the moment. "And why do you look uglier than usual?"

He fixed me with a flat look. "Glad to see you're awake."

"No, I'm dead." I retorted, leaning on one arm to touch the back of my throbbing head. "That's why I'm ta–"

I stilled as my hand was restrained from moving all the way to the back of my head. Glancing down, my eyes widened, and I was awake as ever as I took in the shackles secured around my wrists. My breaths suddenly came out faster, and I tried to push myself up and back to where I was sitting against the bed frame, but my feet were shackled as well. I wasn't sure how I hadn't registered the sounds of the clanking chains before, but now it was all I could hear.

"J-Jace?" I pulled and pulled at the shackles, but it was in vain. My frantic eyes met his, and he stood, slowly making his way towards me. I cowered away from him, but still kept struggling against the restraints. "What's going on. Why are you–"

"It's okay, Azel. No one's going to hurt you."

"Are you serious?" I seethed, finally ceasing my attempts to free myself. "I'm fucking shackled, you prick."

"Very observative." He rolled his eyes.

"Yes, she always was."

My shoulders fell, and I could feel the blood leave my face as dread coursed through me at the sudden voice. I tried my best to compose myself before glancing at the door way in which the face of my nightmares stood with a smile etched onto his face.

"Val."

He dipped his head to me. "Azel. It's a pleasure to see you again. I hope you find your current state comfortable? I suggested you be thrown back in that cage of yours, but my son thought that was a bit harsh."

I nearly choked on my next words, hoping to God that I hadn't heard him correctly. "Y-your son?"

The man only gestured to Jace with a proud smile, and the whole room seemed to spin as Jace nodded his confirmation. "Valentine is my father, Azel. He didn't die in that fire like I'd thought."

He sounded so...hopeful. Hopeful that he could convince both me and himself that this was a good thing.

"Jace, you can't..." I searched my mind for the right words, but came up blank. I hadn't been able even persuade myself to stay alive; how was I supposed to convince a what...seventeen year old boy who'd devastatingly lost both his parents to turn to his father after finding out he was alive again?

"I can't what, Azel?" Jace challenged, his gaze turning predatory. "He's my father. He proved it."

"He's a horrible person, Jace! He's going to try to eradicate the Down World!"

"I'm going to," Valentine stepped in. "Not just try to."

I gestured towards the man while still glaring at Jace. "He's just proving my point!"