Charlotte Fairchild~ Alec Lightwood

Chapter Eight~Rescuing Simon

Lottie's POV:

We went over to Clary and I was actually surprised she had found it and wasn't just saying that to bring more attention to her. She was knelt in front of the grave, reading what it said on it. "Beloved servant?" She questioned. "Who wants that on a headstone?"

"Someone who is in service to a greater cause than themselves." Alec answered.

"At least she is now." Jace smirked. "Abracadabra." He joked.

"Wait, you people actually say that?" Clary though he was being literal.

"No, we don't." I rolled my eyes at her. I traced my stele over the rune on the top of the headstone so Alec, Jace and I could lift the lid off. Jace then opened the chest in it to reveal a stash off weapons and a few spare steles.

"Woah!" Clary exclaimed. "Where's Mrs. Milligan?" She reached in and pulled put a seraph blade.

"Don't touch that." Alec grumbled. "You don't know how to use it."

"What, like at Pandemonium when I killed that demon?" Clary sassed.

"Clary," I sighed. "you didn't intentionally kill it. Jace pushed it onto the blade you just happened to be holding." She glared at me.

"Alec, Charlotte." Jace interrupted whatever we could say next. "I'm gonna show her the right way to use it. Do you both see what you need in here?"

"No." Alec said after looking. "There's no bow here. I need one."

Jace looked at me, "Oh, I don't need any weapons from here. I brought my own. I know how to hide my weapons so no one can see them."

"I have to rune some arrows." Alec stated. "That's back at the Institute. I gotta go."

"I'm coming with you." I told him. He nodded.

"How are you gonna get back in the Institute?" Jace asked us.

"If we go in the back. They won't bother us two." Alec suggested.

"Okay, good." Jace shrugged his shoulders. "Go. I can finish up here."

We were about to walk off but Alec turned back to Jace, "Hey... I understand what we need to do. And I trust you, parabati but don't ever doubt me. No matter what I said."

"It's already forgotten." Jace shook his head and they had a little bromance moment. "I'll see you at dawn."

"At dawn." Alec nodded and came back over to me.

We walked off and as soon as we were out of the cemetery, I turned to him, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He nodded hesitantly. "I'm fine. It's just mine and Jace's parabati bond is getting weaker. He doesn't care as much anymore."

"Because of Clary." I realised. "That's why you hate her." He nodded. "Well, I know we've only just met but I'll always be here for you."

He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders, "Thanks."

"No problem." I leaned into his side slightly and we carried on walking to the Institute.

When we got there, we went through the back and straight to the weapons. Alec got his bow and we both picked up a handful of arrows and started running our steles up and down the arrows.

"Alec. Charlotte." Hodge came up behind us. We both dropped the arrow we had in our hand and tried to act casual. "Didn't know you were here." Alec stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse. "Don't tell me. I don't wanna have to report you."

"It's just that, you know, Clary is--" Alec started.

"That girl is Valentine's--" Hodge interrupted but paused when his rune started burning. "The monster's daughter. There must be some reason why the roaches are coming out of the woodwork again, right?" I thought about it for a moment and realised he was right. He sighed and went to leave, "I'll leave you to it."