Secret (Alec Lightwood)

Chapter 21

"Hey," Izzy says as I walk into the kitchen a few hours later, Alec's arm around me.

"Hey," I say with a smile.

"Why so happy?"

"You wanna tell her?" Alec says with a slight smile.

"Tell me what?"

I smile at her. "Your brother asked me to marry him."

She drops the bagel she was eating, her eyes wide. "What?!"

"Are you not happy about it?"

"You kidding me?! I'm thrilled! But he said I could see when it happened!"

"It was an in the moment thing," Alec says.

"But still!"

He sighs. "Can you just let that go for one minute?"

"Any idea when the wedding will be?"

"Izzy," I sigh. "We've been engaged for literally a couple hours."

"You're engaged?" Jace asks from the doorway.

I turn to face him. "Yes."

He looks at Alec. "I wasn't gonna do the protective brother thing, but now I feel a need to."

"Jace!"

He laughs. "I'm just kidding! Congratulations, you guys."

I smile and lean my head onto Alec's shoulder. "I just wish I had a family to tell," I say quietly.

Izzy walks over and looks at me. "We are your family."

"You know what I mean. Henry would've been the overprotective brother that always ruined every time Alec and I were having a moment, and Fred would've been that one that was cool with him."

She looks at Alec, then back at me. "Fred?"

"I told you about him so many times."

"Char, when we went to go save Simon last night-"

"Izzy," Alec interrupts her. "I don't think you should do this."

"She deserves to know. Even if she can't go near him."

"That's the thing that will hurt her the most!"

"What are you talking about?" I say.

Izzy sighs, grabs my shoulder, and looks into my eyes. "Last night at the Hotel Du Mort, there was this vampire. He had brown hair, the same color as yours. He was attacking Alec, and then all of a sudden he stopped. We learned that his name is Fred."

"And you think he's my brother?"

"They all died in a vampire attack. Maybe he didn't die."

I turn and exit the kitchen, heading up towards my room.

"Where are you going?"

"To get my sword. I'm going to speak with some vampires."

"Charlotte-"

"No. I have to do this."

--

I walk up to the Hotel Du Mort, Alec and Isabelle trailing behind me.

"You're sure you wanna do this?" Izzy asks.

I nod. "I need to know."

We enter the building, to be immediately greeted by a vampire.

"I'm not saving anymore lives," the vampire says.

"I'm here to speak to Fred."

"What is he to you?"