Entrusted [1]《SHADOWHUNTERS》

Chapter Sixteen

"Don't squirm," Robert Lightwood ordered his eldest son sternly, holding a stele against his shoulder. He didn't enjoy seeing the people he loved in this situation, and he couldn't help but blame himself for being involved with Valentine in the first place.

Isabelle was holding his son's hand as he was on a bed in the infirmary. She was concerned, and Robert knew he couldn't do much to help his little princess smile.

Alec shifted, grunting. "I'm not," he insisted. "It doesn't even hurt." Robert shook his head at his son's antics, preparing to suture his wound shut. He glanced over to Andina, who was perched on top of the counter that held medicinal herbs and oils, stretching out her right hand. An iratze from Hodge had cut down her swelling, but three of the knuckles in her right hand had fractured and that was going to take a little more than one rune to heal.

It didn't stop the girl from constantly playing with her injury, which Robert had given up on scolding her for. He just watched her wince occasionally as she repeatedly curled her fingers into a fist and relaxed them.

A phone in the room began to ring and his son pulled it out of his pocket. Peering over his shoulder, Robert could see that it was Jace. Not a surprise, although he noted that he still had no idea where his adoptive son was at the moment. Or where he had been all day. Again his eyes fell onto Andina, who's attention was now trained on Alec.

"No talking, just healing," Isabelle spoke softly. Alec allowed his sister to take his phone and leave the room as Robert finished stitching the gash on Alec's arm. While he was proud of Alec and Andina for successfully protecting the Institute, he didn't enjoy being reminded that they were both just as recklessly confident as he and Michael had been at their age. 

When he was in his early twenties, he had allowed Valentine to convince he and his parabatai that joining the Circle was the only way to fix the Clave's mistreatment of Downworlders. Now it appeared that same man was experimenting with Downworlders in torturess ways, trying to create weapons instead of peace. He saw way too much of himself in his children, and he hoped that he hadn't doomed them to fail because of it.

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Andina was standing next to Alec in mission control, watching their father converse with Magnus Bane. They had followed Robert down the hall after their wounds were tended to, both taking notice of how lost in thought their dad seemed to be. Andy really hoped he wasn't blaming himself for the two of them getting injured. There was no way he could have prevented it.

Magnus was performing his magic on the Clave's computer system, updating the information for the spells he had just done. "Are the wards solid?" Robert asked. "Nothing can get inside the Institute?"

Magnus bit his tongue and closed the system. "Even my magic has limits," he explained as he began to walk purposefully by. "The ward I put up will not hold off a forsaken attack. But my protections will slow them down," he reassured the Lightwood who was clearly getting aggravated by the warlock's mannerisms. 

Robert sighed, "Extra time is priceless."

"Say that after you get my bill," the warlock said playfully, but he was clearly not joking. Andy smiled at his antics.

"Lydia will take care of that," their father informed before walking away.

Andy watched him pass, his posture stiff, and she couldn't help but frown. Something was really bothering him today, and she wasn't quite sure that it was the attack.

"A forsaken injury often needs a little warlock TLC to heal," Magnus caught both of the Shadowhunters' attention. Alec narrowed his eyes. "Free of charge," the warlock added, moving forward.