Cold air rushes over my skin as I pray we're not too late.
As we turn the corner, we see the open room with cells lining either side.
Gideon is standing there in a cream outfit that looks more fitting for a vacation rather than business. He's holding something out in front of him. His voice carries down to us.
“How do your friends know where you are?” he snaps at Jace.
I can't hear Jace's reply.
“Well, I wonder how they'll feel when they find you dead.” He raises his arm to slash down.
“Stop!” Luca calls out, all of us with our guns trained on him.
“Lower the knife and step away.” Kellan's voice booms across the small space.
Gideon moves fast, reaching into the cell and hauling Jace in front of him, holding the knife to his neck.
Jace.
He isn't standing so much as hanging—held upright only because of Gideon's fist twisted in the front of his shirt. He looksnothinglike the controlled, calculating version of himself I know.
His face is a wreck.
One eye is completely swollen shut, the lid puffed so badly it's almost purple-black. The other is half-open and bloodshot. His cheekbone is split, a long cut tracking down to the corner of his mouth. Dried blood has streaked down both sides of his face from a head wound somewhere. As well as his chin, disappearing into the ripped collar of his shirt.
His lip is busted open, split in two places. His nose is crooked, smeared with blood.His hands are zip-tied in front of him, knuckles torn open, dried blood running down his arms.
His shirt is shredded and I can see bruises and cuts through the holes.
This is not a Jace that I know, but I know Gideon would not have let Jace have a fair fight. He's been in restraints from the moment he arrived.
“Isobel…” he croaks out.
I have to swallow past the lump in my throat. Ghosts haunting the sides of my vision. I fight to stay present.
“It's over, Gideon, let him go,” I call out, tearing my eyes away from Jace's beaten state.
“Isobel,” Gideon says my name and it makes me want to throw up. I hope he never says it again. “How nice to see you. You're looking… healthier.” He smiles.
“Leave Jace and step out, don't make us kill you.” I grit out between my teeth.
Hetsksat my words, “You're not the one in the position to make demands, little girl. Though there is a question I would like for you to answer.”
“Not likely,” Luca growls out.
Gideon smiles sardonically, “Tell me why a girl like you would come and save the man who betrayed you?” He tilts his head as he studies my face, looking for an answer.
“I'm not going to tell you again, drop Jace or get a bullet through the skull.” I move my finger to the trigger.
Gideon throws Jace to the floor beside him and I have to fight every instinct to check on him. He holds his hands out by his thighs, though the knife still gleams in his right hand.
“I did something for you, maybe you can do something for me and answer my question.” Gideon's eyes gleam. “Look at you,” he drawls, “charging in here like some little warrior princess. All this—” he gestures to the wreckage of Jace's body, “—for him?”
He chuckles, “Tell me, sweetheart...why save a man who betrayed you? A boy who didn’t lift a finger to stop your months of suffering?”
I clench my jaw.
I debate on just ignoring him, just having Kellan go and try to restrain him so we can take him back to headquarters, where he'll be taken to the Guild's own personal prison of sorts. But Gideon has speed, and Jace is not within our grasp.
