Chapter 45 - Jace’s Last Choice
The Judge ended the trial with a sentence.
"Correction begins at sunset."
Heaven would erase Iron Lotus, Blackwater, and everyone carrying broken-halo marks.
Jace received a separate offer.
As recognized sect master, he could save Iron Lotus by denouncing me.
He did not tell me.
I found out when he locked me in the old bell chamber.
"Jace."
"Sorry."
"You are terrible at betrayal."
He smiled weakly.
"I know."
He planned to denounce me publicly, save the sect, then release me after Heaven left.
A noble plan.
Also stupid.
The system—my increasingly strange system—displayed no fate prediction.
So I had to think.
"Heaven will not leave," I said.
Jace looked away.
"Maybe."
"And they will make you enforce every rule afterward."
"Maybe."
"You will become Veyr with better hair."
That hurt him.
Good.
At sunset, he stood before Heaven's Judge.
She asked, "Do you denounce Kai Renn?"
Jace looked at the sect.
At me.
At the seal on his palm.
Then he removed the sect-master ring.
"I denounce the position."
He crushed it.
The Nine Bells rang.
Iron Lotus lost Heaven recognition.
Every protective formation shut down.
We were defenseless.
Jace grinned at me.
May you like
"Your turn for a terrible idea."
