Alec almost said that it was okay, but that made it sound like he was dismissing Adam's apology. "Thank you. I wasn't sure if you really did think it was brave or if - " If he thought that Alec should have gone through the marriage to improve his family's relations with the Clave.

The answer to Adam's questions should have been automatic. He didn't regret becoming parabatai with Jace, but in some ways he hadn't felt like he'd had a choice. He wasn't forced but at the time he'd struggled with the decision. "It was. The bond is one of the most sacred things in our culture. It's more important than marriage." Marriages could end, but parabatai rarely broke the bond. "No one would force that bond. And it's not something that we rush into because we'll be bound together for the rest of our lives and beyond."