Before City Of Heavenly Fire

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Alec's POV

He still couldn't believe what had happened. It had all happened so fast he only really remembered it n flashed. He remembered a deep deep sadness and an uncontrollable urge to kill Camille and then a great disappointment when he found out that he couldn't even do that cause Maureen had beaten him to it. He knew that he shouldn't have gone behind Magnus's back, negotiated with Camille, but Camille had known his weakness and he just couldn't resist. Anyway even if it had all gone to plan he had never thought about how he would actually tell Magnus that he was planning on taking away his immortality. He sighed he knew that all this was entirely his fault and yet he couldn't help hating everybody for everything.

Alec was shaken out of his thinking by the loud ringing of the institute bell. He couldn't help feeling a little bit hopeful that it may be Magnus, here again ready to forgive him for all his mistakes. He was practically running towards the door now and swung it open hoping to see the familiar cat eyes that he so badly wanted to see. But instead there stood a girl with long brown hair and grey eyes. She couldn't be older than him but Alec could see the same tired sadness in her eyes that he sometimes saw on Magnus. He couldn't help feeling a pang of disappointment realising that Magnus wasn't there and that it had been a stupid thought.

"How can I help you?" He asked his voice coming out harsher than he had meant it to.

"Um hi I'm here to see Jace Herondale."

"Who are you?"

"Oh I'm Tessa Herondale."

"You can't be, he has no family. He's the last Herondale." Alec looked at Tessa again this time noticing all the small things he had overlooked before. He could clearly see that she wasn't a shadowhunter or a vampire and she didn't seem to have a warlock mark.

"I haven't been in contact with my family for years and most people think I'm dead." Strange excuse thought Alec but then again the Herondale family was a strange one. He had to admit that she really didn't look like a threat and she only wanted to talk to Jace.

"I guess you'd better come in then. Though the Silent Brothers probably won't let you see him.

Alec led her down the long corridors of the institute towards the infirmary without saying another word. He guessed the silence was probably quite awkward but he was to caught up in his own feelings to really care. Suddenly he realised that Tessa had started talking again.

"I'm guessing that your Alec Lightwood?"

He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

"How did you know?" His voice was heavy with suspicion. He knew it was a stupid question, she could have found out a thousand ways and yet it annoyed him that she had straight away known who he was.

"Magnus told me. I'm pretty sure that you know him too." Alec started walking again not bothering to wait for Tessa. His heart gave a small pathetic leap at the sound of Magnus's name.

"Yes I know him. Is he your boyfriend?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and he felt his cheeks go slightly red.

"What! Magnus! God no he's just a very good friend of mine. I've known him for years." Tessa seemed to find the idea of ever dating Magnus amusing and Alec let out a small sigh of relief at the news and instantly regretted feeling like that. He had to get over Magnus, he knew that it was unlikely that they would ever see each other again, and anyway Magnus hated him now.

Finally they reached the infirmary and standing in the doorway was Brother Zachariah dressed in his usual parchment coloured robes. Before Alec could say a word Tessa had already started talking.

"Brother Zachariah! I hadn't expected to see you here!" Exclaimed Tessa in delight as she saw the Silent Brother. Alec looked at her in confusion, he hadn't expected her to know any of the Silent Brothers though now thinking about it he wasn't that surprising that the knew each other. What did surprise Alec was the look that Tessa had in her eyes as if she would love to hug the Silent Brother.

"You know each other?" Alec asked feeling the need to fill the silence.

"Yes, we are old friends Tessa and I. I assume you are here to see Jace." Brother Zachariah asked as he turned his robed head towards Tessa.

"Yes I am."

"Very well then. I always knew you would come." Brother Zachariah stood silently for a moment and suddenly added. "He looks like him doesn't he. With his blue eyes and black hair."

"He does."Replied Tessa staring at Alec. Alec had always hated when people talked about him as if he wasn't really there and this was no excuse. He badly wanted to find out who he looked like but instead he just stomped off towards his room making sure that he banged the door shut with enough force to warn anyone that he wasn't in a talking mood.

He fell into bed and lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking. He soon lost track of the time and was sharply brought back to reality with a loud knock on his door. With a deep sigh he stood up and opened his door. There stood Isabelle a worried look in her eyes.

"Hey Alec everything okay?" She asked rather timidly and then, he couldn't help himself, everything just poured out all the things that he had been feeling and thinking over the past few hours. Isabelle stood there listening quietly until he was finished and then gave him a huge hug.

"I'm going to go out to get a takeaway anything you would like?" She asked smiling at him sadly.

"No I'm fine. Thanks for listening Izzy."

Alec now felt a thousand times better. There was still a horrible pain in his heart but now it seemed to have lessened slightly. As if in a way he knew that he would be able to get over this.