The Uneasy Heart

Chapter 15

Alec's POV

I approached my mother in the Ops room. "Have you spoken to Lydia? No one's seen her since the wedding." I ask her. She ignores me. "Mom, come on."

"Maryse." Dad said.

"Mom, I understand you're upset, but this is--" I tried to say.

"Calling off the wedding would've been one thing, but kissing Valentine's eldest daughter in front of the entire Institute? You've embarrassed all of us." Mom said.

"You never once cared before who her father was. Why now?" I asked her.

"We looked like fools taking her in after Imogen arrested her."

"And you know what? Everyone chose Clary over her. That's why Jocelyn ran with the Cup. She never knew she was still being raised by Valentine until Jace told her that he used a glamour to look like Michael Wayland." I told them. "Jace turned his back on her the second Clary came along. I made a choice and I'm happy with it." I add before I start to turn away. "Now I have to go find Lydia."

"She's probably packing for Idris with Elijah in your fathers office. What she did---" Mom told me.

"Saved my life. So, I should go thank her." I say quickly before I meet up with Val in the hallway.

"How much does she hate me now?" She asked.

"She doesn't hate you."

"Alec, she never used my genes against me. I didn't ask to be Valentine's daughter."

"I know." I tell her.

"Just give them time. I got a feeling something more is going on with your parents than they're willing to tell us right now." She whispers as she takes my hand.

"Lydia is in the office packing for Idris." I told her since it was her idea of thanking her. She nods before we start walking down the hall toward the office. We go into the study and see both Lydia and Elijah on the ground, unconscious.

"Lydia!" "Lijah!" Alec and I exclaimed simultaneously. I go over to Elijah and activate his healing rune while Alec does the same with Lydia. Lucy and Magnus walked in.

"Go get help." I told one of them. Magnus nods and quickly leaves as both the Branwell twins gain consciousness.

"Hodge..." They both said, before they passed out again. The three of us share a look, the Lightwood twins surprised but me pissed off and unsurprised.

Magnus returned with help and both the Branwells were taken to the infirmary. "Go with them." I tell Alec. "I'm gonna go change then meet up with the others in the Ops room." He nods and follows after the twins. "See if you can find Hodge." I tell my parabatai. She nods and quickly goes in search of the man we had treated like family other than the times when I was wary of him. I walked to my room and changed out of my dress and heels from the wedding and into a pair of black jeans and a black tank top with my usual leather jacket. I pulled on my fingerless gloves before I found a pair of boots and pulled them on. I quickly grabbed my two throwing knives and slipped them into my boots before I walked out of the room and joined the others in front of one of the monitors.

"Couldn't find him." Lucy said when she saw me. We watch the video of him attacking the twins.

"I led him right to the Cup." Jace said.

"We treated him like family. How could he do this to us?" Alec asked.

"For his freedom." I replied when I saw his Punishment rune being deactivated. Izzy sifted through the video feed from the Forsaken attack.