For a Servant and a Master

Part 2: Chapter 4

Someone was in his room.

Alexander shot up in bed, reaching for the small handgun in the beside table when his sister came into sight.

"Damn it, Isabelle," he swore.

"You wouldn't have shot me," she said, sitting on the edge of his bed. She was fully dressed and ready for the day.

Christmas morning had been uneventful and quiet. The Lightwood siblings spent the day relaxing after exchanging gifts. True to his word, Mr. Davies had delivered a list to him after dinner. A dozen names and their corresponding salaries were listed. Jace left a few days later on the afternoon train north.

"Lydia rang last night," Isabelle continued. "I invited her to dinner tonight."

"Tonight?"

"No better time than the present," Isabelle said. "And Simon will be joining us as well. I thought a small dinner party might be nice."

"Could I invite a business associate?" Alexander asked.

"How old is he?"

"Does it matter?"

"I don't want a stuffy old man spoiling our fun."

"No, he's our age," Alexander said.

"Then telephone him. The more the merry, I suppose. And you've got an appointment today."

"With who?"

"The psychotherapist. I'm taking you."

"You don't trust me to drive myself?"

"Not this time," Isabelle said, stalking out of his room.

.............

The office was just as horrible as he had pictured it.

Small and confining, only one window let light in. Alexander didn't feel inclined to tell the old man anything. He had told him to lay on a reclined couch, and the therapist had hidden himself out of sight.

"Why don't we begin with why you're here today?"

"I'm having nightmares," Alexander admitted.

"About?"

He couldn't find the words to describe the dreams. He could picture them so vividly, but to put it into words felt impossible.

"Mr. Lightwood?"

"This isn't going to work," Alexander said, sitting up. "I apologize for taking up your time." He snatched his coat up and flung open the door to the lobby.

Isabelle didn't even looked surprised.

..........

"No discussing work," Isabelle ordered, as the siblings stood in the entryway awaiting their guests. "Not with this Mr. Bane fellow or Simon."

"What does my work have to do with Simon?" Alexander asked.

"Don't be rude," Isabelle said. "Being an author is a noble line of work."

"Perhaps. But it does make one a rather dull conversationalist."

"How so?"

"They don't know how to converse in a world they can't manipulate."

"Alec," Isabelle pressed.

"I'll be pleasant," he assured her. Mr. Davies opened the front doors and Simon entered, Lydia at his side.

The Lightwood siblings greeted their respective betrothed and Isabelle led them into the library to await Magnus and dinner.

The difference between the couples was stark. Isabelle was clinging to Simon's arm and looking up at him with shining eyes. Lydia and Alexander sat on opposite ends of the loveseat, with an awkward gap between them.