The Oldest Morgenstern (An Alec Lightwood Love Story)

Chapter 2: Alliance

Pandora's POV

We were in the middle of another boring and meaningless meeting when I caught sight of the shimmer from a projection. I looked around and noticed Luke and Amatis looking in the same place I had seen the shimmer. Valentine Morgenstern walked inside the Accords Hall that once held so much bloodshed and death from his uprising years ago. I watched as many of the respected hunters cowered in fear at the sight of someone they once would've followed to the ends of the Earth. He stopped right in front of Clary and I since most of the other young shadowhunters were in the hall. "Aw, my two daughters together at last." He said before he continued his way towards the dias. Once he was on the dias he never once looked toward Clary and I or acknowledged us. I smirked as Aldertree tore away from Malachi -who had been trying to hold him back- hurled himself at my father and passed through him before landing on the ground awkwardly. Valentine raked his eyes over the entire room before landing on me and glancing down at the family ring. Once he saw I was once again wearing it he turned away from me and looked at Luke.

"Lucian." He said. I turned toward Luke and watched as he returned my father's gaze but saying nothing. "I hear the Clave has brought you onto the Council now. It would only be fitting for a Clave diluted by corruption and pandering to find itself infiltrated by half-breed degenerates." I winced when Valentine said half-breed. My father turned to look at Clary, Simon, and I. "Clarissa here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we must discuss your choice of pets. And Pandora I thought I raised you better than to let a half-breed get close enough to you if you weren't going to kill it." I heard a growl coming from Simon as my hand rested on the hilt of my knife. Clary put a hand over both mine and Simon's before whispering "Don't."

It wouldn't have mattered seeing as Valentine had already turned away from us. "So many familiar faces." He observed. "Patrick. Malachi. Amatis."

I looked at Amatis. I knew her story all too well. She and her husband Stephen had been in the circle together until Luke was bitten by a rogue wolf. Dad forced Stephen to divorce Amatis and marry Céline Montclaire. I could see the hatred Amatis had for my father burn in her eyes.

The Inquisitor -who was once again being held by Malachi- struggles within the Consul's grasp causing Valentine to look at him. "Even you, Aldertree. I hear you were indirectly responsible for the death of my old friend Hodge Starkweather. A pity, that."

"You admit it, then." I heard someone say. I looked for the source of the voice and was unsurprised that Luke finally spoke. "You brought the wards down. You sent the demons."

"I sent them. I can send more." Valentine replied and added, "Surely the Clave-- even the Clave, stupid as they are-- must have expected this? You expected it, didn't you, Lucian?"

"I did. But I know you, Valentine. So, have you come to bargain or to gloat?" Luke told him.

I looked back to my father, waiting for his response. "Neither." Valentine regarded the silent crowd. "I have no need to bargain, and no desire to gloat. I don't enjoy causing the deaths of Shadowhunters; there are precious few of us already, in a world that needs us desperately. But that's how the Clave likes it, isn't it? It's just another one of their nonsensical rules, the rules they use to grind ordinary Shadowhunters into the dust." He paused before turning to me again. "I did what I did because I had to. I did what I did because it was the only way to make the Clave listen. Shadowhunters didn't die because of me; they died because the Clave ignored me." He looked across the sea of faces, but I chose not to follow his gaze. "So many of you were once in my Circle," Valentine spoke softly. "I speak to you now, and to those who knew of the Circle but stood outside of it. Do you remember what I predicted 15 years ago? That unless we acted against the Accords, the city of Alicante, our own precious capital, would be overrun by slobbering, slavering crowds of half-breeds, the degenerate races trampling underfoot everything we hold dear? And just as I predicted, all that has come to pass. The Gard burned down to the ground, the Portal destroyed, our streets awash with monsters. Half-human scum presuming to lead us. So, my friends, my enemies, my daughters, my brothers under the Angel, I ask you-- do you believe me now?" He once again looked at me before raising his voice to a shout. "DO YOU BELIEVE ME NOW?"