"Do you know who this man is, Sam?" Jonathan asked me, pointing at one of the paintings on the wall.

We had arrived in the London Institute half an hour ago and now we were studying our new home. We had been walking through one of the many corridors of the Institute and stopped next to the picture Jonathan was pointing at.

I looked at the picture. There was a young man, somewhere of our age. He was skinny, but not like he hadn't eaten enough. He looked more like a victim of some disease. He had dark rings under his eyes and his skin was pale almost like the walls around the picture. His hair was silver and its curls hid parts of his face. But, the most striking feature was his eyes. They were as silver as his hair. But, although I could reconcile with his hair colour, though it wasn't usual for such a young man, his eyes shocked me.

They were beautiful, hiding a thoughtful mind behind their gaze, but their colour was strange and I couldn't help myself but to hold my breath.

"No." I shook my head, trying to calm myself by showing some interest. For the first time I could remember, I was actually interested in history of some man. "Who is he?"

Jonathan smiled.

"James Carstairs."

I remembered Jonathan had mentioned him in Idris.

So, he is my ancestor. I couldn't take my eyes off James's face. I tried to find some similarities between him and myself. I could see he had my father's eyes, even if they weren't the same colour, and so I guessed mine looked exactly alike.

"When did he live?" I asked curiously.

"Victorian era. The end of nineteenth century." Jonathan replied, studying other portraits on the wall next to James's.

"You said he was famous." I said, wondering what my ancestor was famous for. I hoped he had been a great Shadowhunter, who had once walked down the path I was about to start.

Jonathan laughed and I didn't like the irony in his laugh.

"Yes, he is famous. In fact, it was because of him and his parabatai that the law about having a parabatai was voted in the first place."

He looked left of James's portrait and I followed his gaze. Next portrait showed a girl a year or two younger than James. She had long brown hair and blue-gray eyes. Unlike James, she wasn't wearing black Shadowhunter gear, but a long gray dress.

"This is his parabatai?" I asked, disappointed. She looked like any demon could eat her for breakfast.

Jonathan laughed again.

"Of course not. That was nineteenth century, Sam. It would be scandalous at the time for a woman to have a man for a parabatai."

"Who was James's parabatai then?" I asked, irritated by the fact Jonathan knew everything and I knew nothing. "And who is she?"

"His parabatai is one more portrait to the left." Jonathan answered. "William Herondale."

I looked at the portrait of another young man. He was handsome, black hair surrounding beautiful face features. His eyes were blue like sea. He also wore Shadowhunter gear. He looked a bit arrogant, opposite of modesty on James's face. He reminded me of someone, but I couldn't remember of whom.

"And the woman is Theresa Gray, known as Tessa." Jonathan continued. "They both loved her."

I stared at the girl's eyes, angry with her about something. I didn't know why, but I didn't like her.

"Who did she choose?" I asked as indifferently as I could.

For few seconds, Jonathan didn't answer. I was surprised, because he didn't hold his knowledge back until now. But, at last, he shrugged his shoulders.

"She chose both of them, in some way."

I raised my eyebrows.

"And they both agreed?"

Jonathan nodded.

"They were best friends, William and James. They couldn't hate each other, couldn't hurt each other, not even to gain Tessa's love."

I found that hard to believe, but I trusted Jonathan's story. I stared at the girl on the portrait.

That wasn't fair of you. You should have left them alone. James was William's best friend and his parabatai. How could you stand between them?

Jonathan noticed my unsatisfied face expression.

"What is it, Sam? You don't like Herondale because he stood between James and Tessa?"

I looked at him, puzzled. I had no idea why I should hate William Herondale. Then I remembered James was my ancestor, so it probably sounded logically that I would be on his side. But, I shook my head.

"Not at all. Tessa is the one I don't like."

Now Jonathan was the confused one.

"Why?"

"She knew they were best friends. I don't get it how she could even risk being the reason for the end of their friendship. If the things had been different, William and James could have hated each other for the rest of their lives." I explained.

Jonathan thought about my words for a few moments.

"What would you have done if you had been in her position?" he asked.

"I'd have left them both. Made sure they never saw me again."I answered like a radical.

"But, they loved each other. Wouldn't that have broken both of their hearts, and Tessa's as well?" Jonathan continued to interrogate me.

"But, they would have still had their friendship to comfort them. And if she had loved them so much, she would have left them for their friendship's sake." I said, looking with accusation at Tessa for not doing so.

There was a silence for few moments in the corridor. Then Jonathan spoke again.

"So, you would put friendship before love?"

I nodded, sure of my answer.

"Love isn't as reliable as friendship. Love makes people stupid, friendship doesn't."

Jonathan shrugged.

"I don't think your ancestor would agree."

I turned towards him.

"Maybe he wouldn't." I said, suddenly curious. "Would you?"

Jonathan smiled with secrecy in his black eyes.

"Maybe I would."