"Maryse and Robert didn't know," he answered, not realizing that it must sound odd that he didn't refer to them as 'mom' or 'dad'. He had been distancing himself from them, not quite intentionally but the hurt and anger was still something he needed to work out. "Mayrse felt betrayed by it. She acted like Jace had lied to us for years. She thought he was one of Valentine's followers. That he'd charmed us into loving him instead of being a victim of Valentine's games. I don't know if she meant it or if she was trying to get Jace out of the Institute to try to protect him from the Clave."
But it had hurt Jace no matter how often he'd pretended to be indifferent to how others had treated him because everyone assumed he was Valentine's son. "Hodge was a traitor, but he did try to protect us in his own way."
As he listened to Izzy's explanation, he tried to understand what had happened. None of it matched what he knew. "No, Izzy, none of that happened. Hodge took the Cup and Jace. I was dying and you were with me until Magnus threw you out of the room so he could heal me. Clary got Luke to help her save Jace but he didn't go willingly." Sometimes Alec wondered what Jace hadn't told him about Valentine but he'd never pushed. They both had their own set of father issues to deal with and forcing the other to confront them would only make things ugly between them.
"My wedding..." Alec couldn't stop the incredulous look that crossed his face. "To Lydia?" He'd never heard of anyone named Lydia but it was obvious that the being was female so definitely not anyone he'd ever consider marrying. Even when he was desperate for his parents' approval he never would have married to please them. Years ago Alec had resigned himself to never having a family of his own. He wouldn't decide to marry and force his wife to live a lie. "There is no way that I'd marry a woman. I'm gay not bi."
Despite how weird the situation was, he couldn't help chuckling over the idea of angering their parents because he'd kissed Magnus at a wedding. "I kissed Magnus in front of everyone in Alicante. Basically every Shadowhunter in the world saw me." He grinned at Izzy, momentarily ignoring the strangeness of the situation. "There was no turning back after that." He'd made his decision and he'd accepted the consequences. It'd been worth it. Even after the breakup, it'd been worth it to finally be free of their parents' expectations.
Watching her reactions, he was relieved that she could snark back at him. At least that hadn't changed but she still didn't remember. She still thought that the wound was recent. "I am okay, Izzy. If I have this scar at eighteen, why wouldn't I have it when I'm in my twenties? Magnus couldn't make the scar disappear." The High Warlock of Brooklyn had tried, but even his magic had limits.
Moving closer, he slowly reached out to catch the pendant, smiling as the light flickered over the ruby. The jewel was calm, not pulsing the way it did when a demon was near. "At least we know we're both Nephilim. Magnus gave this to our ancestor, Will Herondale. He gave it to his sister. He'd never want it back. It protects one of the people I love most and it was a reminder of how Camille broke his heart."
Part of him wanted to reach out and gently tug her hair like he had when they were younger but he'd already tempted fate by touching the necklace when Izzy was obviously upset. If he startled her too much, he might end up flat on the floor before he even knew what happened. "I don't know what's happening, Iz, but none of this matches what I remember. What I know is true. I have a notebook of Magnus' life in my bedroom that has some of this written down and...
"You're right. I was terrified to ask him but when I saw him after he healed me..." Letting go of the pendant, he rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he didn't have to tell something so intimate. That should be between Magnus and him but this was Izzy. She'd been the one person who had encouraged him and promised to love him no matter what. "I never felt like that before. I had to ask."
"I can show you the book. It'll tell you about the necklace. Maybe some other things that will prove to you that what I've said is true." But there had to be something more immediate that would convince her. Something that would be as distinctive as the scar. As he tried to think of some important difference, a strange idea took hold.
Alec twisted his arm so that the light hit the Fearless rune on his arm. The design was one that no Nephilim had studied in any of the books of runes because Clary had created it. It looked almost Eqyptian and unlike most of the runes they had grown up with. Only two beings had ever used it: Alec and then Jace. Izzy would know that... unless what she said was true as well. "Does the Alec you know have this rune?"
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But it had hurt Jace no matter how often he'd pretended to be indifferent to how others had treated him because everyone assumed he was Valentine's son. "Hodge was a traitor, but he did try to protect us in his own way."
As he listened to Izzy's explanation, he tried to understand what had happened. None of it matched what he knew. "No, Izzy, none of that happened. Hodge took the Cup and Jace. I was dying and you were with me until Magnus threw you out of the room so he could heal me. Clary got Luke to help her save Jace but he didn't go willingly." Sometimes Alec wondered what Jace hadn't told him about Valentine but he'd never pushed. They both had their own set of father issues to deal with and forcing the other to confront them would only make things ugly between them.
"My wedding..." Alec couldn't stop the incredulous look that crossed his face. "To Lydia?" He'd never heard of anyone named Lydia but it was obvious that the being was female so definitely not anyone he'd ever consider marrying. Even when he was desperate for his parents' approval he never would have married to please them. Years ago Alec had resigned himself to never having a family of his own. He wouldn't decide to marry and force his wife to live a lie. "There is no way that I'd marry a woman. I'm gay not bi."
Despite how weird the situation was, he couldn't help chuckling over the idea of angering their parents because he'd kissed Magnus at a wedding. "I kissed Magnus in front of everyone in Alicante. Basically every Shadowhunter in the world saw me." He grinned at Izzy, momentarily ignoring the strangeness of the situation. "There was no turning back after that." He'd made his decision and he'd accepted the consequences. It'd been worth it. Even after the breakup, it'd been worth it to finally be free of their parents' expectations.
Watching her reactions, he was relieved that she could snark back at him. At least that hadn't changed but she still didn't remember. She still thought that the wound was recent. "I am okay, Izzy. If I have this scar at eighteen, why wouldn't I have it when I'm in my twenties? Magnus couldn't make the scar disappear." The High Warlock of Brooklyn had tried, but even his magic had limits.
Moving closer, he slowly reached out to catch the pendant, smiling as the light flickered over the ruby. The jewel was calm, not pulsing the way it did when a demon was near. "At least we know we're both Nephilim. Magnus gave this to our ancestor, Will Herondale. He gave it to his sister. He'd never want it back. It protects one of the people I love most and it was a reminder of how Camille broke his heart."
Part of him wanted to reach out and gently tug her hair like he had when they were younger but he'd already tempted fate by touching the necklace when Izzy was obviously upset. If he startled her too much, he might end up flat on the floor before he even knew what happened. "I don't know what's happening, Iz, but none of this matches what I remember. What I know is true. I have a notebook of Magnus' life in my bedroom that has some of this written down and...
"You're right. I was terrified to ask him but when I saw him after he healed me..." Letting go of the pendant, he rubbed the back of his neck, wishing he didn't have to tell something so intimate. That should be between Magnus and him but this was Izzy. She'd been the one person who had encouraged him and promised to love him no matter what. "I never felt like that before. I had to ask."
"I can show you the book. It'll tell you about the necklace. Maybe some other things that will prove to you that what I've said is true." But there had to be something more immediate that would convince her. Something that would be as distinctive as the scar. As he tried to think of some important difference, a strange idea took hold.
Alec twisted his arm so that the light hit the Fearless rune on his arm. The design was one that no Nephilim had studied in any of the books of runes because Clary had created it. It looked almost Eqyptian and unlike most of the runes they had grown up with. Only two beings had ever used it: Alec and then Jace. Izzy would know that... unless what she said was true as well. "Does the Alec you know have this rune?"