"Zee, hey-" Jace exhaled in relief when I came down the stairs at the City of Bones, where he had taken me to seek help for the rune influence.

"Hi-" My voice was quiet as I slipped my arms into my jacket he held up for me to wear. "It's okay- I didn't feel a thing."

"Okay, that's good-" Jace nodded slowly and stood directly in front of me. "What'd they do to you?"

"Absolutely nothing." I stared up at him blankly. "Whatever's binding me to Jonathan- they've never seen it before. They didn't know what to do- or what to even tell me- I mean, they couldn't even advise me anything. They had no idea."

"Okay, well, look-" Jace sighed quietly and tried to assure me. "That doesn't mean we're out of options."

I stared. "Doesn't it?"

"Zee, you saw that illustration with me." Jace mentioned. "Michael separated himself from Lucifer- that means there has to be a way."

"One that we clearly aren't aware of." I crossed my arms, going silent for a few moments. "But, we might know someone who is-"

"What does that mean?" asked Jace.

"Jace." I elaborated on what I had just said to him. "Maybe we go straight to the source."

Jace immediately shook his head. "No-"

"Jace, she gave me the rune." I reminded him quickly. "She's gotta know how to remove it-"

"Zee, no- no way." Jace shook his head again. "Look, we just got rid of her- and it almost cost you your life."

"Jace, I don't know what else to do." My voice fell quiet. "When I saw Jonathan last night, I couldn't do anything- it was horrible, I couldn't- get myself to just- call you- I couldn't even walk away from him! And after what happened with Aline, and the fire- I- I think he's winning, I can feel it the darkness and I think he's winning, and I-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jace grabbed my face in his hands and held it when I began to stutter and stammer. "You are a good person."

"But- what if he changes that?" I felt myself tear up slightly. "What if I lose myself? What if he makes me turn on you-"

"That's not possible." Jace reached one of his hands to run his fingers through my hair. "No rune is going to change who you are. You are a good person- and you'll always be a good person. No one- and I mean no one- can turn your heart dark."

-

"Why is everything falling apart?" I whispered to myself, pacing outside of Magnus' room by the Med area after he had collapsed at the Institute. "Why won't it stop? Why won't it- stop-"

"Hey, Young-" Simon stood up, making me stop pacing, my back to him. "He's gonna be okay."

I stayed still for a few moments before I began pacing again, ignoring him.

He then started again, trying to get my attention, "Hey, Young-"

After a few tries of him calling my name, I spun on my feet and unintentionally snapped at him. "Shut up, Simon! I don't think I have the energy right now to pretend to find one of your stupid jokes funny so I'd rather you just not-"

"Zee-" Jace's voice sounded from behind me, my head snapping back towards him to catch the disapproving look on his face.

Then, I slowly looked at Simon, who's expression had dropped and was not quiet.

"Simon, I'm so sorry." My eyes slightly widened when I came to realize what I had said, but then slowly looked down at my rune to see it glowing.

"Jace." My voice got quiet. "The rune."

Jace slowly came behind me and put his hands on my shoulders, sighing quietly.

"I can't live like this." I turned my head slowly to look at him. "Jace, we have to do it- please."

Isabelle got up. "Do what?"

"Zee, what's going on?" Simon questioned.

-

"I spoke to Catarina." Jace walked over to us in the Ops Center. "She won't summon Lilith- too dangerous."

Clary questioned. "Well, can we find another warlock?"

"There's no one else we can trust." Isabelle shook her head at her question.

"What about me?" I suggested. "What if there was a possibility I use my rune ability to summon Lilith?"

Jace looked at me. "The runes were designed to give us the power to fight demons, not summon them."

"I've made a rune that can bring back the dead." I looked at him. "I can do this."

"Okay, let's say we manage to summon Lilith." Jace sighed. "What's to stop her from escaping? Or attacking us?"

"The Malachi Configuration." Isabelle suggested. "It was built to contain greater demons."

Jace points out instantly. "Right, but- not the Queen of Hell."

"We need a contingency plan." I sighed. "A way to send her back to Edom if she gets loose."

Simon blurts out. "The Mark of Cain."

"Yeah, the Mark of Cain would be perfect." Jace shot him a look. "If you still had it."

"Yeah, I don't, but- Izzy and I both know someone that does." Simon looked at Isabelle.

Isabelle looked at him. "Do you think you can convince Cain to cooperate?"

"Well, I mean, it seemed like he liked me." Simon shrugged. "It's worth a shot."

"Okay- let's say we summon Lilith, and we manage to trap her, and Cain is willing to help." Jace pieced it together. "The only problem is- how do we get her to talk to us?"

"Don't worry about it." Isabelle waved him off. "With the upgrades I made to the Malachi configuration, that shouldn't be an issue."

Simon nodded and backed away. "Okay- I'll go talk to him right now."

"I'll go with you." Isabelle followed him out.

-

"Hey." Jace caught me as I walked toward everyone when we had gathered at the warehouse to execute the plan. "Wait a minute-"

I looked at him. "What is it?"

"Talk to me." Jace grabbed my face with one hand. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." I tried to walk away but he caught me quickly with his free hand, the hand falling onto my waist and keep me in place. "Jace-"

"Zee, we're literally about to try and summon the worst demon of all demons so we can discuss the rune that ties your life force to your demonic brother- whom, might I add- is supposed to be dead." Jace scanned my face. "So, I'm going to ask you again- how are you doing?"

I stared at him for a few moments, my voice falling quiet. "I don't know- look, what if it doesn't work? What if I'm stuck like this for the rest of my life and there isn't a way? What if there comes a time where I can't endure the rune's influence anymore?"

"Listen, I don't care what happens here today." Jace ran his fingers through my hair. "I don't care if she says there isn't a way. I'll make a way- I'll find a way and I will free you from this. I promise you- okay?"

I swallowed hard but nodded lightly as he leaned down and pressed his lips into mine for a brief moment.

Then, when we pulled away, I took a few steps back and addressed everyone in the room. "All right- so, I'm going to open a summoning portal inside the Malachi Configuration- once Lilith surfaces, she'll be trapped inside."

Isabelle looked at Cain. "If she breaks free, use your vamp speed and act as our shield."

"I will do my best." Cain nodded once.

"Everyone keep their eyes open." Jace took out his seraph blade. "Don't take any chances."

He then looked at me and took a softer tone. "Whenever you're ready."

I nodded slowly and took out my stele, exhaling slowly. It took a moment, but before me glowed a rune that I immediately lifted my stele to begin to draw. As I drew the rune, the pentagram slowly drew itself on the ground in the middle of the Malachi Configuration.

Once I had done it, I held my palm out and pushed the rune forward towards the Malachi Configuration, Lilith appearing right in it, panting heavily.

I dropped my arm and stood up straight, exhaling. "Welcome back."

-

"So many familiar faces-" Lilith looked around the room slowly. "Son of Adam- my precious Owl. How lovely to see you both."

Then her gaze fell upon me. "And you- the girl who stole my boy's heart."

"Unintentionally." I folded my hands together. "You put that rune on Jonathan and I, now, you're gonna tell me how to remove it."

"Why would I do that?" Lilith gritted her teeth. "Jonathan- that ungrateful bastard, tried to kill me. As far as I'm concerned, you two deserve each other."

"Enough!" Jace interjected. "If you're not gonna cooperate willingly, we're gonna have to make you."

He then nodded toward Isabelle, who walked over and crouched by the Malachi Configuration and turned the sword, exerting torture right to Lilith, whose screams echoed in the space.

I blankly watched. "Ready to talk now?"

"There's only one way to break the bond between you two!-" Lilith screamed when she couldn't take it any longer, causing Isabelle to stop. "You've heard of Michael and Lucifer?"

"Lucifer possessed the Morning Star blade, but Michael had a sword of his own called Glorious." Lilith panted. "It was imbued with heavenly fire which gave it the power to purge demonic energy."

Isabelle murmured. "Heavenly fire?"

"By stabbing Lucifer with Glorious, Michael was able to nullify the rune's power, and break the connection." Lilith told us.

"Where is Glorious now?" Clary asked.

"Nowhere." Lilith couldn't help but smile. "Glorious was destroyed the moment Michael pierced Lucifer. Its blade was shattered into a thousand pieces and lost to time."

She then looked at me, her smile remaining. "There is no hope for you, Zee Young."

"No!" Jace wasn't happy with this answer. "You put that rune on her, you're gonna take it off!"

He then crouched down by the Malachi Configuration and turned one of the swords, resuming the torture that Lilith was exposed to moments ago.

"I told you, there's nothing I can do!" Lilith was shouting at the top of her lungs after the king moments Jace held her there.

"Jace, stop-" I called out finally. "Enough- I think she's telling the truth-"

With a huff, Jace stopped right as Isabelle's shout filled everyone's ears. "Watch out!"

A sword swung for Jace's head, but he was too quick, turning quickly and blocking the blow, onto to fall onto his back to be met with a familiar face.

My heart dropped. "Jonathan-"

"Hello, sister." Jonathan looked at me instantly.

"You stay away from her!-" Jace shouted and pushed him back, getting up to his feet and swinging his sword at him.

I quickly reached for my kindjals and pulled them out so I could join him, only for Simon to grab my arms in a tight hold and stop me. "Zee, wait! Remember what happens when you get close to him-"

"Simon, let go!" I protested, trying to get out of his hold. "I can't just watch this-"

Simon's grip didn't loosen and nor did he budge. "You don't have a choice."

Jonathan's swings were with much force and too much for Jace to handle, as Simon and I watched every blow against their swords send Jace further and further back until Jonathan slammed his sword against the ground, sending a vibrational wave so strong that it knocked Jace off his feet.

Jonathan held his sword tight. "As happy as I am to see Zee, I'm here for Lilith."

"I don't care why you're here." Jace groaned from the ground. "You're not getting away."

"And how do you plan on stopping me?" Jonathan scoffed, whipping around to catch Isabelle's whip, my palm erupting with the same kind of burning that he felt. "You don't learn, do you?-"

By then Clary had joined, but it wasn't long before he had the both of them on the ground and groaning in pain.

Then, Jonathan turned and raised his sword at full force over Jace, my eyes widening. I quickly broke free from Simon's hold and rushed over, stopping his sword from nearing Jace with my kindjals.

A grunt left my lips at the force but I quickly pushed him back, flipping my kindjals in my hands.

Jonathan smiled at me. "I was wondering when you'd join the fun-"

I didn't reply, swinging my kindjals at him, as he blocked my every move and even Jace's when he had gotten up and joined me.

Had he always been so skilled?

Then, he knocked my kindjals out of my hands and threw me against one of the pillars, my head slamming against it. My hands immediately flew to my head at the striking pain when I kneeled on the ground.

I slowly looked up, watching Jace and Jonathan continue swing and dodge, noticing the stream of blood now trailing down the side of Jonathan's head.

I reached and touched the side of my head, looking at my finger tips damp with my blood.

Then, when I looked up, Jace had gotten the upper hand on Jonathan, his sword to his neck.

But, Jonathan smirked lightly, gesturing to the blood that was streaming down the side of his head. "You hurt me, you hurt Zee."

Jace froze in his spot, his eyes locking with mine, scanning my appearance a few times. Hesitating.

Jonathan took his hesitation to his advantage and pushed him back, piercing his blade into his shoulder and then dropping him to the ground.

"Jace!" I immediately rushed over to him, stumbling over my own feet when I fell onto my knees besides him. "Let me see your shoulder-"

I hadn't realized Jonathan had neared Isabelle until I felt a pain strike in my neck, dampness appearing on my skin and flooding down my jacket and shirt, my eyes widening and my hand flying to where I felt pain, a small shriek leaving my lips.

My head snapped toward Jonathan, seeing that he was on the ground and Simon was throwing up the demon blood he had just tried deprived Jonathan of.

Jace only grunted in pain and had reached to grab my face and tilt my head sideways to look at my neck, pushing some of my hair out of the way while trying to fish out his stele at the same time.

"Cain, don't listen to her!" Simon shouted behind us. "She's just trying to manipulate you like before!"

"Forgive me." Cain quietly said before both he and Lilith had disappeared from the room after he freed her and sent Simon flying back with his mark.

"Sister!" My head snapped back towards Jonathan's cry for help. "Help me!"

I froze.

Staring at him, I slowly pulled out my stele and forced myself onto my feet, taking a few steps away from Jace.

"Zee, don't!" Clary shouted in a panic but I ignored her, drawing my portal rune in the air to Jonathan's satisfaction.

"Zee, no!" Jace's voice pulled me out of the trance the moment he had the voice to shout at me too. "Stop!"

I looked back at him for a moment, and then at Jonathan. I reached my palm out and pushed the rune right as Jace reached up and grabbed my arm, tugging me back to the ground by him in hopes of preventing me from activating the rune.

But, it was too late, the portal rune had been sent and had enveloped Jonathan, leaving us with his absence.

"Zee." Jace sighed when he realized what had happened, using his stele to activate my Iratze first before he healed himself. "Where did you send him?"

I looked and him and spoke when I finally found the voice to. "Where he belongs."

-

"Those restraints will stop him from hurting himself." Jace had his arms crossed as we stood outside the cell Jonathan was locked in. "As long as he's here, you'll be safe."

I nodded slowly, my eyes glued to Jonathan, who was chained up and gagged. His stare was fixed forward and was blank.

He was where he belonged.

"Hey-" Jace took my hand and lead me into another hall away from Jonathan's cell, then grabbed my face in his hands, the tip of his fingertips grazing my hair. "How's your head?"

"I'm okay." I reached and placed my hands over his. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." Jace caressed with cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "I just wanna know about you."

"Jace." I stared at him directly. "When we were out there, there was a moment where I felt compelled to help Jonathan."

Jace pursed his lips. "I know."

"But then, I heard your voice." I leaned my cheek into his palm. "And it snapped me out of it. It was the same thing happened with Aline, and with the fire, and with Simon. Every time I get close to the edge- you pull me back."

Jace scanned my face. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that- you're like- my anchor, in a way." I slightly shrugged. "I don't think I'm strong enough to fight the rune's influence alone. But, as long as I have you- I think I'll manage."

"And you'll always have me." Jace dropped his forehead down to lean against mine. "Still- I hate the idea of you being connected to that monster forever- you shouldn't have to endure that."

"Hopefully, she won't have to." Isabelle suddenly rounded the corner, making Jace and I lift our heads to look at her. "Do you remember when Lilith mentioned Heavenly Fire?"

Jace dropped his hands. "Yeah, it's what gave Michael's sword the power to purge demon energy."

"What about it?" I questioned.

"The sentry who was killed, he said the words "heavenly fire" in Latin before he died." Isabelle explained. "Alec and I asked mom about it and apparently, it's the name of an off-the-books Clave program."

"You think someone at the Clave knows about Glorious?" I stared at her in slight surprise.

Isabelle nodded slowly. "It's possible."

authors note:

please read this !!!

i've decided to put this book temporarily on hold. don't worry, it won't be for too long ! I might miss an update or two but that most likely will be the max. i just need figure out how i want to wrap this story up and go through the book, edit out and in what i can, etc.

and again, it won't be too long !! i just want to make this book the best version it can be. (literally, if you follow me, i hate on this book so much on my message board, it's ABSURD.)

but, thank you for 61k !!

vote and comment loadsss