Chapter 2- The Grief

JACE'S POV


As I opened my eyes, all that awaited me was the ceiling of the infirmary. I attempted to sit upright, as I had no idea what got me there and I was far more than ready to find out, yet a sharp pain in my abdomen put an end to that train of thought. Frustrated, I blinked, trying to clear my vision as everything was blurry after such a sudden shift in position. It took a while for a nurse to make her way to my bedside and realise I was awake.

"Oh! I didn't realise you weren't still asleep! How foolish of me; I was supposed to be watching you. Here, would you like a glass of water?" Her voice was high pitched, but not to an annoying extent. It was at that point that I realised just how thirsty I was. I raised my hand to my neck, suddenly feeling as if the walls of my throat were plastered together. I nodded and she left before I could ask about Alec, who suddenly entered my thoughts as my memory was coming back to me. However, all I knew was how he was on the mission with me. The mission where the cause for this tedious hospitalization occurred, I was sure. I decided that I would question her once she was back with my water.

The brunette nurse came back after only a few minutes, grasping a paper cup filled with water. After taking a generous sip of the liquid, I began my interrogation.

"Where's Alec? Is he okay?" I tried to hide the concern from my voice, but it was hopeless.

"Of course, you asked about him. You're his parabatai.", she mumbled with a furrowed brow.

"Wait… is Alec… NOT okay?!" I practically screamed, my pulse quickening and my breathing unsteady. I felt like I was on the verge of a panic attack. "If anything were to happen to him…", I started, but she cut me off with a sigh, a newly manicured hand resting on my arm, and a single tear making its way down her cheek.

IZZY'S POV


My hands were trembling in my lap. After hearing the terrible news, I had fallen to my knees, for this was a worse fate than death, knowing my brother. Magnus knelt down, hand resting on my back. I looked up at him and realised how selfish I was being. This must be killing him. Trying to comfort him, I managed to croak, "I- I'm so sorry.", before wrapping my arms around his neck, bringing him in for a hug. Then he just… fell apart. I'd never seen him like this. His eyes showed so much grief and tears formed a waterfall down his face. "At least he's not gone." he breathed, but he knew more than anyone, that he might as well be.