Lanate

The hiss of sizzling iron felt achingly loud in his ears, and his muscles tensed in anticipation. Although he'd been prepped for this day, it took all of his willpower to not scream as searing metal touched his skin. The acrid smell of burning flesh filled in his nose, but it was eclipsed by the all-encompassing pain. He desperately dug deeper into his meditative state, withdrawing into his mind and forming a protective shell around himself. His breathing slowly evened as he released control of his body. Inside of his mind, the pain of the outer world didn't exist—all he had was his inside, with the pulses of his heart forming a steady b

Jace set eight candles in a wide circle, one for each of the directions.  The spots for the candles had already been marked off by white chalk; Jace's fingertip stilled from tracing over the carefully drawn lines, knowing that, should the lines break, his circle would never gain power. He took in a deep breath and reached past his athame for the matches.  His eyes landed on the man who lay in the center of the circle, form still save for the slight rise and fall of the chest.  Jace had to force his fingers to remain still as he looked at the man's peaceful expression; his sleep was undisturbed, and his face was younger and more innocent than