Hello to the ever so faithful readership of Sculpted Shadows. Here is chapter 24. I will be posting outtakes this week on my tumblr page if anyone decides they wish to read them.

Jetaimejace dot tumblr dot com

Mr. Anderson's is

Lightningthekid dot tumblr dot com

Enjoy the chapter!

-I just wanted to let you guys know that there is a very similar fic out there right now and that neither myself nor Mr. Anderson had anything to do with it. It is eerily similar, so if you see it, it is not ours.-

(Jace Beleren)

I make my way through the streets of the city, wishing that I was at home with Lili. I was worried that she'd be sick again. However my duties as Guildpact were calling and I'd be spending my day at the Nivix. Ral and Gideon were standing at the gate. They led me to the room where I'd be sitting with the supposed Dimir agent.

"We think he's slowly going insane, so be quick, Jace." Ral said.

I understood the weight of the task before me, nodding. I take a deep breath and enter to the room. I pull a chair in front of the shaggy man. I look him dead in the eyes and say,

"There are two ways to do this. You can either tell me what I wish to know, or I can go inside your already fragile mind and take what I need."

The man looked at me as if I was speaking Phrexyian, leaving me no choice but to meddle in his thoughts. I heave a heavy sigh as I prepare myself for the uncomfortable sensation of penetrating someone's mind. I let the blue mana flow, mind magic coursing through me. I'm shaken by what I see. I see the only thing that could possibly break me. Fear grips at my heart, this man had been hired to follow Liliana and I.

"Who are you passing the information on to?"

"I was told to write the information in a journal."

"Who do you leave the journal with?"

Fear and anger caused my voice to quake and crack.

"No one. The journal absorbs it."

"What is your superior's name?"

"I don't know."

I delve into his mind, only caring about protecting Lili. He speaks the truth. He has no idea who his superior is.

"Why were you told to follow us?"

"Because you, Guildpact, hold this plane together. And Miss Vess, well, she holds you together."

In that moment all coherent though left his mind. It was destroyed. The man suffered a fate worse than death. His mind was destroyed. I didn't mindsculpt him, an exterior force had caused his mind to deteriorate. I leave the room, speaking to the guard.

"It would have been more merciful to kill him."

Ral and Gideon are waiting for me, and so is Niv-Mizzet.

"What did you find out?"

"Who or whatever it is seek to rule the city and do so by destroying me. I said this before and I'll say it again. Love makes you vulnerable. He seeks to somehow influence Liliana, so they can influence me. By influencing me, they have control of the guilds."

"You two need to do something to show that you are solid. To show that she can't be influenced, that she's part of us now. You know what we talked about yesterday too, Jace."

"If you're talking about marriage, I've beat you to the punch. Besides, there's more behind my intentions than just public opinion. I've been thinking about it for a while now."

(Liliana Vess)

"Chandra, why are we even here? I told you there was no way this is possible. I'm over two centuries old! How could it be possible?"

"Just humor me, Liliana."

"I told you, if there was a way, I would have been being more careful! This is the last thing that Jace wants!"

"How can you be so sure, Liliana?"

"He always looks so haggard, so stressed. He doesn't need the stress of being a parent on top of that!"

"I think you'd honestly be surprised. Jace is a nurturer. But what about you, Liliana? Have you honestly ever thought about being a mother?"

I snort. Most people have the view that I would never want to be a mother because of my past. And while the pursuit of power has ruled my life thus far, things are changing. If my life could ever calm down enough, I'd love to be a mother. Especially with Jace. We would have beautiful children. I sigh.

"If my life could ever calm down, Chandra. I could never be a mother in the past because it gave my demonic 'friends' too much power. But now, I think I could protect them. I could see myself being a mother. My life is far too chaotic, but I would love to have them, as contradictory as that sounds."

"Trust me, Lili. I understand the want and the desire, but the fact that your brain is telling you no."

"Do you want a child, Chandra?"

"I would love to raise a child with Gideon. But he's always so busy. We're always so targeted."

"Exactly! That's why I'm so scared to even entertain the idea of raising a child. But like I said, it isn't possible. There is no possible way that I can be pregnant."

Chandra snorts.

"If you and Jace have been having unprotected sex, then it's possible."

"What? No. I told you, I'm too old for that."

"But your body is still twenty-three, Liliana. It's not impossible. You and I have both seen stranger things."

This is the truth. All of us have seen stranger things happen. However, I don't think there is a way. The fact that I'm ancient is enough birth control for me. It was probably irresponsible of Jace and I to not talk about it, though. I wonder what he's up to at the moment. Probably getting harassed by Niv-Mizzet. I laugh when I think about the things that the dragon said last time.

Chandra taps her foot, waiting. She thinks she's right, and I'm just humoring her. I know my body. I'm sure it's just a stomach bug that didn't want to pass. I drum my fingers on the side table while we're waiting on the healer to finish with the person before me, just as another wave of nausea overtakes my body. My head goes between my knees, wating for it to pass.

The healer pokes her head out of the other room and motions for me to come in. I grab Chandra by the arm and pull her along with me. She's the whole reason that I am here.

I sit on the couch in the room, Chandra beside me.

"Hello, Miss Vess. Is there any particular reason that you came to see me today?"

"I've had a stomach bug for the past few days. I was just wondering if you had anything to settle my stomach. I've been abnormally tired for the past few weeks as well."

She inspects my mouth and lymph nodes on my neck, saying that they swell when the body is being attacked by a virus or bacteria. She pricks my finger, taking a vial of blood.

"This process takes a couple days, Liliana. It'll show anything that's going on, whether it is bacterial or viral, or if there is something else going on. In the mean time, take this for the nausea that you're experiencing. It should help, regardless of what the cause is."

"Thank you, so much."

"You're welcome, and I'll see you in few days."

Chandra and I walk out into the busy city square. She heads back toward the Sunhome and I head back toward the house. I tell her that she's coming back with me and she snorts and says that she knows.

When I get home, I immediately take the elixer that she gave me to combat the nausea, and start something for dinner. Jace said he was in the mood for pasta, so I put some water on to boil and start a simple cream sauce.

The elixer she gave me starts to work almost immediately. I take a deep breath, deciding to mix up chocolate chip cookies for Jace. I know he's had a rough day. I finish the pasta, keeping the burner on just keep it warm.

Just as I'm taking said cookies out of the oven, I hear the key go into the lock of the house and the knob turn.

"Liliana?"

"I'm in here, Jace."

He smells the food, and I hear an audible sigh of longing. It makes me chuckle.

He pushes my hair over to one shoulder and kisses the back of my neck.

"I'm so glad you're back in my arms."

"How was the audience with Niv-Mizzet, Jace?"

Jace stops and starts, and I turn to face him fully.

"Nothing important."

Jace is lying. I can tell it in the way his voice cracks. I don't need to be a mindreader, I know him. What could possibly be so important that he'd hide something from me?

Part of me doesn't want to know.