“Clive Breakspear, the head of the Buenos Aires Institute, broke the Accords and will pay for it,” he said at last, and paused. “Lily, can you translate for me?”

“Absolutely, yes,” Lily said promptly, and began to do so.

Alec listened to her talk, watched the faces of the people listening, and saw a few smirks. Alec listened more intently and picked up a word.

“Boludo,” Alec said to Jem. “What does that mean?”

Jem coughed. “It’s not … a polite word.”

“I knew it,” Alec said. “Lily, stop translating! Sorry, Jem, could you translate instead?”

Jem nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

“The head of your Institute has brought shame on us all,” Alec told the Shadowhunters. “I could bring everybody here to Alicante. I could have every one of you put to the trial of the Sword. I know you were left after the war, to rebuild as best you could, and instead of leading you, this man brought more ruin. But the Law says that I should make each of you pay.”

Alec thought of Helen and Mark Blackthorn, cut off from their family by the Cold Peace. He thought of the way Magnus had sunk his face into his hands, despairing, when the Cold Peace was passed. Alec never wanted to see that despair again. Every day since that day, he’d tried to work out ways that they could all live united.

“What happened in that house should sicken any Shadowhunter,” said Alec. “We have to earn back the trust of everyone we have wronged. Joaquín, you will know the names of every man who was in Breakspear’s inner circle. They will go with their leader to stand trial. For the rest, it is time for a new leader and a new chance to live as Nephilim should.”

He glanced at Joaquín, who was wiping tears from his eyes. Alec frowned at him and mouthed, “What?”

“Oh, it’s j-just the way Jem is translating,” Joaquín explained. “I mean, your speech is good too, very stern, it makes me want to do everything you say. And Jem is basically repeating it, but it’s the way he puts things, you know? It’s beautiful.”

“Uh-huh,” Alec said.

Joaquín grabbed his free hand. “You be the new head of the Institute.”

“No, I will not,” Alec snapped.

People were always trying to make him head of Institutes, and it made Alec tired. He couldn’t change enough, if he took that kind of position. He had more important things to do.

“No,” repeated Alec, less grouchily but no less firmly. “I’m not Clive Breakspear. I’m here to help you, not to take over. When you saw what was happening, you told your men to stand down. You should act as the head of your own Institute until the Consul can consider your case.”

Joaquín stood amazed. Alec nodded at him.

“You can work with the Shadow Market to rebuild,” he said. “I can provide you with resources.”

“So can I,” said Juliette.