The Oldest Morgenstern (An Alec Lightwood Love Story)

Chapter 3: The Final Decision

Pandora's POV

Once Jace noticed I was there I jumped down and let the horse run back toward the stables. I led Jace toward the entrance I had used when I was 16 to sneak out and leave. The tunnel was long and twisting and smelled somewhat like the Bone City. I hoped Valentine never closed it off from the other side. When the tunnel finally opened up to the circular chamber I breathed a sigh of relief. I heard the echoes from another tunnel indicating that someone was coming. I pushed Jace behind a bulky stalagmite just as my father and brother walked into the room. I prayed to Raziel that they would ignore me, but when they looked up from their conversation I knew they had seen me when Jonathan threw a knife my way. I unsheathed mine and threw it at the one that was coming toward me. Thankfully, I had trained enough to know precisely when to throw something at a flying object and not miss it. There was a loud clang as the knives met and fell to the floor.

"Pandora. What a surprise. Did the clave send you here with a message?" Valentine asked me as I moved to get both knives.

"No. None of them know where I am. I thought it was time to visit the place where I grew up." I said. I watched Jonathan knowing he'd be the one to tell if I was lying. I hoped that they didn't know that I wasn't alone. I sheathed both the knives as I took in the sight of the Mortal Sword that my father had by his side. I also noticed that Jonathan had our father's blade. There was another, but Valentine had given that one to my mother years ago. It was meant to be mine but then she left, and I never knew if she still had it. "Last I heard Malachi was trying to get everyone to lay down their weapons. That is until Clarissa began a speech about her gift." I said and held back a smile talking about my younger sister's gift. Valentine nodded as I joined them in the center of the chamber. I easily slipped back into my role of being the obedient daughter I once was as I asked my father the one question that I needed the answer too. "Are you upset?"

Valentine took a minute to get his composure before he replied, "The Clave is further gone than I had originally thought. I knew that the Lightwood's were corrupted beyond any hope and that kind of corruption is contagious. It's why I tried so hard to keep them from coming back to Idris..." I zoned out as I thought back to one of the moments I wasn't by Jocelyn's side when she was in her magically induced coma. Magnus had to go open the Portal for the Lightwoods so they could go to Idris and I was there getting some clothes for the next few days when Forsaken began attacking right as I was leaving to go back to the hospital. I zoned back into the conversation as Jonathan began to brag about his time in Alicante.

"I certainly enjoyed myself in Alicante. The Lightwood's were better company than you led me to believe, especially that Isabelle. And as for Clary--"

I glared at my brother at the mention of Izzy. I almost gave away a wince at the thought of my parabatai and brother being together. Neither men noticed.

"She wasn't at all like I thought she'd be. "Jonathan went on petulant. "She wasn't anything like me."

"There isn't anyone else in the world like you Jonathan. We're both one of a kind." I said.

"Pandora's right. There is no one else like you Jonathan. As for Clary she has always been exactly like your mother." Valentine added. I ended up blocking out the rest of the conversation finding it uninteresting until I heard my name.

"Hmmm?" I said while looking at Jonathan since he was the one who called my name.

"Does Clarissa have any idea how to use that rune power of hers?" He asked.

I didn't have a chance to answer as Valentine replied, "Whatever the Clave is planning now, she's at the center of it. Hugin said as much--before Pandora gave him a new task of watching Malachi since he insulted her. He saw her there on the dias in the Accords Hall. If she can show the Clave her power..."