Adam had been sitting in the adjoining room when this started, going over some of the files Alec had given him. When Maryse had begun speaking to Alec, Adam had wanted to interrupt, but it seemed wrong to intrude and he had little context and nothing to say. He thought also of leaving, but the idea of abandoning Alec to this seemed worse than the crime of eavesdropping. Maryse hadn’t bothered to have the lecture anywhere quiet and private, after all. Adam could hear the whole thing.

He was most interested in the wedding which Alec had ended by kissing a Warlock. Adam wondered if the two of them were still together, or if Alec wanted them to be.

But when the topic shifted to him, Adam wasn’t going to stay on the sidelines. He strode into the room, drawing upon his stubbornness and trying to project some of Gansey’s natural authority. “Excuse me,” he said, still soft-spoken but with his flared temper showing clearly in his eyes and his tight shoulders. “Since I’m going to be restoring the institute to its proper glory, you could refer to me with something other than ‘the mundane’. My name is Adam, my title is magician.”

He spoke directly to Maryse, ignoring Alec. “You’ll be glad to know that I have decided to restore the ley line, and to maximize the Institute’s connection to it. I didn’t know anything about the Shadowhunters and I wasn’t sure I should ally with you rather than anyone else. Alec’s honor and integrity convinced me to work with the Institute. From what I heard, it sounds like you think I should change my mind?”