--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I told you before, Jem, that you would…" description: "\"“I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me,\" Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger. \" And you are still with me. When I breath..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg" --- # I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me," Will… ![“I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me," Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger. " And you are still with me. When I breath, I will think of you, for without you I would have been dead years ago. When I wake up and when I sleep, when I lift up my hands to defend myself…” quote by Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg) > ““I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me," Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger. " And you are still with me. When I breath, I will think of you, for without you I would have been dead years ago. When I wake up and when I sleep, when I lift up my hands to defend myself or when I lie down to die, you will be with me. You say we are born again. I say there is a river that divides the dead and the living. What I do know is that if we are born again, I will meet you in another life, if there is a river, you will wait on the shores for me to come to you, so we can cross together." Will took a deep breath and let go of the knife. He drew his hand back. The cut on his palm was already healing- the result of the half dozen iratzes on his skin. " You hear that, James Carstairs? We are bound, you and I, over the divide of death, down through whatever generations may come. Forever." He rose to his feet and looked down at the knife. The knife was Jem's, the blood was his. This spot of ground, whether he could ever find it again, whether he lived to try, would be theirs. He turned around to walk to Balios, towards Wales and Tessa. He did not look back.”” [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A promise of eternal connection transcends death, suggesting love endures across lifetimes and beyond mortal bounds. **In simple terms:** Love endures beyond death. Key Takeaway Seek lasting bonds. Themes love eternity spirituality Mood melancholic hopeful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - grief - healing - journey - spiritual quest Key Concepts afterlife soulmates destiny Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor bonds after loss? - Can love truly survive death? A Different Perspective Such promises may ignore practical realities of loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) [Another life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-life/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [James carstairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/james-carstairs/) [Jem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jem/) ## Related quotes > [“You hear that, James Carstairs? We are bound, you and I, over the divide of death, down through whatever generations may come. Forever. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-hear-that-james-carstairs-we-are-bound-you-and-i-over-the-divide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me. And you are still with me. When I breathe, I will think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-and-you-are-still/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me," Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger. "And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-will-said-his/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [No more let life divide what death can join together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/no-more-let-life-divide-what-death-can-join-together/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“He looked surprised, as if he were not used to such praise, but surely he must be, Tessa thought in confusion. Surely everyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-looked-surprised-as-if-he-were-not-used-to-such-praise-but-surely/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Rage flared up in Tessa and she considered belting Woolsey with the poker whether he came near her or not. He had moved awfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/rage-flared-up-in-tessa-and-she-considered-belting-woolsey-with-the/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I know," he said, looking down at himself self-consciously. "I am not-I mean, I look-" "Beautiful," she said, and she meant it. "You look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-know-he-said-looking-down-at-himself-self-consciously-i-am-not-i/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If there is a life after this one, he said, let me meet you in it, James Carstairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-there-is-a-life-after-this-one-he-said-let-me-meet-you-in-it-james/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“With a shrug and a blink, the policeman moved past Will, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath about swearing off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/with-a-shrug-and-a-blink-the-policeman-moved-past-will-shaking-his/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“That sounds almost practiced, James Carstairs. How many girls have you made swoon with that observation?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/that-sounds-almost-practiced-james-carstairs-how-many-girls-have-you/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Dreams can be dangerous things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/dreams-can-be-dangerous-things/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Do you remember when we stood together on Blackfriars Bridge?” he asked softly, and his eyes were like that night had been, all black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/do-you-remember-when-we-stood-together-on-blackfriars-bridge-he-asked/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [You speak of sacrifice, but it is not my sacrifice I offer. It is yours I ask of you," he went on. "I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-speak-of-sacrifice-but-it-is-not-my-sacrifice-i-offer-it-is-yours/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When I am in the darkness, I want to think of it in the light, with you. - James Carstairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/when-i-am-in-the-darkness-i-want-to-think-of-it-in-the-light-with-you/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I always told myself after 'Jem,' I don't want fear to change my choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-m-chu/i-always-told-myself-after-jem-i-don-t-want-fear-to-change-my-choices/) [Jon M. Chu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-m-chu/) ## More by Cassandra Clare > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“So Jace is my actual family," Kit said. "But I can't go live with him, because him and his hot girlfriend are going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/so-jace-is-my-actual-family-kit-said-but-i-can-t-go-live-with-him/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [If you're texting Magnus to say 'I think u r kewl,' I'm going to kill you." "Who's Magnus?" Max inquired. "He's a warlock," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/if-you-re-texting-magnus-to-say-i-think-u-r-kewl-i-m-going-to-kill/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“they all have always loved you Will Herondale, for you cannot hide what is good about yourself, however har you try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/they-all-have-always-loved-you-will-herondale-for-you-cannot-hide/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“We work through this together, remember? No shutting me out. No epic sulks.” “I was figuring I could sulk for Idris in the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/we-work-through-this-together-remember-no-shutting-me-out-no-epic/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Lex malla, lex nulla,” said Julian with a regretful wave of his hand. It was the Blackthorn family motto: A bad law is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/lex-malla-lex-nulla-said-julian-with-a-regretful-wave-of-his-hand-it/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Maybe that was why she couldn't cry, she realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/maybe-that-was-why-she-couldn-t-cry-she-realized-staring-dry-eyed-at/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I'm memorable, its true." -Magnus, pg.229-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-m-memorable-its-true-magnus-pg-229/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“There is more to living than not dying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-is-more-to-living-than-not-dying/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Unless there was a reason for me to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/unless-there-was-a-reason-for-me-to-stay/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Love didn't make you weak, it made you stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/love-didn-t-make-you-weak-it-made-you-stronger/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I wasn’t just worried about him; I was worried about you, too. There’s something so . . . reassuring about you. And Jace is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-wasn-t-just-worried-about-him-i-was-worried-about-you-too-there-s/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I firmly believe that you can't get a good movie without risking a bad movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-firmly-believe-that-you-can-t-get-a-good-movie-without-risking-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) [Explore all 4,049 Cassandra Clare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) ## More Afterlife quotes > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“There was no attack on religion because people were generally indifferent to religion. They were neither hot nor cold. They were the tepid, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/there-was-no-attack-on-religion-because-people-were-generally/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The obsession with the afterlife is born of a panic at not having memories of a before-life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-obsession-with-the-afterlife-is-born-of-a-panic-at-not-having/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [... the man in the violent situation reveals those qualities least dispensable in his personality, those qualities which are all he will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-man-in-the-violent-situation-reveals-those-qualities-least/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Most people would probably call me a ghost. 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Unless you are immortal, both the soul and body are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelle-hughes/death-is-predestined-for-all-mortals-souls-live-forever-but-the-body/) [Yelle Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelle-hughes/) [Browse all 844 Afterlife quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me,\" Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger. \" And you are still with me. When I breath, I will think of you, for without you I would have been dead years ago. When I wake up and when I sleep, when I lift up my hands to defend myself or when I lie down to die, you will be with me. You say we are born again. I say there is a river that divides the dead and the living. What I do know is that if we are born again, I will meet you in another life, if there is a river, you will wait on the shores for me to come to you, so we can cross together.\" Will took a deep breath and let go of the knife. He drew his hand back. The cut on his palm was already healing- the result of the half dozen iratzes on his skin. \" You hear that, James Carstairs? We are bound, you and I, over the divide of death, down through whatever generations may come. Forever.\" He rose to his feet and looked down at the knife. The knife was Jem's, the blood was his. This spot of ground, whether he could ever find it again, whether he lived to try, would be theirs. He turned around to walk to Balios, towards Wales and Tessa. He did not look back.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cassandra Clare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-will-said-his-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Afterlife" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-will-said-his-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ff/cassandra-clare-9_afterlife_i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not_1754051.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I told you before, Jem, that you would not leave me,\" Will said, his bloody hand on the hilt of the dagger…” — Cassandra Clare", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cassandra Clare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I told you before, Jem, that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-will-said-his-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-told-you-before-jem-that-you-would-not-leave-me-will-said-his-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```