Brothers by Blood (Alec Lightwood twin)

Chapter 7

*Alec telling Maryse about Ben*

ALEC'S POV

I walked towards my Mum's study, hoping that she and Dad were there.  I knocked on the closed door when I got there.
"Come in."  Mum stated.  I opened the door.  I did so and, unfortunately, it was just Mum.  "Ah!  Alec!  I've been wondering where you were."  She stated.
"I was looking for Ben and Jace, especially since everyone seems to have forgotten about him."  I said, sending her a glare, the annoyance and anger in my tone painfully obvious. 
"As I told you before, forget about Jace, we all have to make hard choices in times like this."  Mother said.  This got me angry.
"I am not going to give up on someone, especially my parabatai, just because they are a 'hard choice'."  I snapped.  "Would you expect me to give up on Izzy, Ben, or even Max if they were a 'hard choice'?  Jace is just as much my brother as any of them."  I asked, highly annoyed at what my mother was saying.
"Jace is not brother.  He's not your blood."  She replied sternly.
"He's closer than blood.  He's my parabatai.  Through our rune we are both physically and emotionally connected.  Our souls are intertwined, I don't think you could get closer than that."  I retorted.  "Now, as I was saying, I was looking for Ben, whom everyone seems to have forgotten about even though he has been missing for over a month."  I said angrily.  My mother was making me so angry lately.
"And?  Did you find anything?"  Mum asked, raising an eyebrow, and expectant expression on her face.
"Yes."  I replied simply.  I received shocked but happy expression from her, which was surprising to me.
"Where is he?"  Mother asked.
"I took him to Magnus.  He was severely injured, and only a warlock's magic could fully heal him.  Magnus said he would watch over him until he was strong enough to return to the Institute."  I explained.  "Now, do you have anything on Jace?"  I asked, wanting to fish out what they knew. 
"All we know is that he is with Valentine.  We have no concrete location as of yet though."  Mum told me.  "Do you have anything on Jace?"  She asked me.
"Sometimes I can feel him through our bond, but most of the time I can't, and it's scaring me.  When I can feel him, I can tell that something, or someone, is causing him indescribable pain.  It is killing me to know that my brother, my parabatai, is missing and in pain and there is not a damn thing I can do it."  I said aggressively, half-lying again.  I actually knew that he was safe and our bond was strong again, but I was telling her what my feelings from a few days ago were.  She didn't need to know that though.
"There is nothing I can do, my hands are tied."  Mum said.  Of course they are.  I thought, but I did not voice it.  After that, I didn't say anything, as I didn't want to give away that I knew Jace's location, I just rolled my eyes.  "Anyway, back to Ben, what happened to him?"  She asked curiously.
"It doesn't matter.  All that matters is that he is safe now."  I replied.
"Alec."  She warned.  I sighed in defeat.
"He was tortured in an attempt to get information out of him at one of Valentine's compounds.  I didn't find Jace there though."  I half-lied.
"Did he say anything?"  Mum asked warily, sounding concerned about her middle son.  Although I didn't know whether that concern was for his wellbeing or concern for whether he said something or not.  I decided to hope for the first option.  I shook my head.
"No.  He didn't even give them his name."  I told them, a proud smile on my face.  She smiled at this.
"Would we be able to see him?"  She asked hopefully.
"So far as I know, he is in quite a delicate state, so I'd have to ask Magnus." I told them.  I noticed that my mother's smile faltered when I mentioned my boyfriend's name.
"Have you told Isabelle and your father about Ben?"  Mum asked.
"No, not yet.  The only one at the Institute, outside of you, who knows is Lydia as she was the first one I saw when I got back and I thought she should know."  I explained.  She seemed surprised, but nodded none the less.
"You should tell your sister and father."  Mum stated.  I nodded before I walked towards to door.  I stopped as I got there and turned around.
"I'll call Magnus and ask him if you can go and see Ben.  I'll let you know after I tell Izzy."  I told her.  "Would you be able to let Dad know?"  I asked.  She nodded, then I went to find my sister.

*Telling Isabelle*

I found Isabelle in her room going through her wardrobe.  It looked like she was trying to find something. 
"Izzy?"  I said, standing at the door.  She spun around at the sound of my voice.
"By the Angel!  Alec!  Where were you?  You've been gone for hours!  Did you find Jace and Clary?  You didn't call me to let me know you were ok!  You're lucky that news of Clary's disappearance didn't get to Aldertree.  We'd be in major trouble if it did.  Any news?"  She asked, coming over to me quickly and giving me a hug.  I walked over to the door, closed it, locked it, and drew a Soundless rune on it.  She looked at me strangely as I looked at her again.
"We found Jace and Clary."  I replied simply, a smile on my face.  A huge grin appeared on her face.  She then saw a smirk on mine and she narrowed her eyes at me.
"There's something else."  She said.  This wasn't a question.
"We found Ben too."  I revealed, my smirk morphing into a grin.  She froze at the mention of my twin before looking up at me.
"You what?"  She asked in disbelief.
"We found Jace, Clary, and Ben."  I repeated, a grin still on my face.  I saw her entire face light up.
"Where are they?"  She asked, anxious to see and hear about her older brothers and their wellbeing.
"Jace and Ben are with Magnus, and Clary is currently with her mother.  Ben has injuries that could only be healed by a warlock's magic and he is really weak.  Jace is ok though, a bit banged up, but he's watching over Ben until we can clear his name so we can bring him back to the Institute."  I explained.  She looked horrified at this.
"Can I go and see them?"  She asked hopefully.
"Like I told our mother, I will have to call Magnus and ask."  I explained.  "Ben is in a fragile state at the moment and I don't want to make it any worse."  I continued.  "Also, I only told her about Ben, not Jace."  I added.
"Of course.  I understand."  She replied.  "Where were they?"  She asked.
"On Valentine's ship.  Ben was tortured to try and extract information, but he didn't give them anything.  Not even his name."  I told her.  She had mixed emotions.  Sadness that Ben was tortured, but pride that he remained strong.
"How is Jace?"  She asked curiously.
"He's ok.  In better condition than Ben, but he was hurt both emotionally and physically.  I could tell."  I told her.  "He never wanted to go with Valentine.  The only reason he did so, was because he wanted to save and protect us."  I told her.  Izzy nodded at this.  "Please don't tell anyone about this."  I begged her.
"I promise I won't.  Don't worry.  They're my brothers too remember?"  She said, a smile on her face.  I nodded.
"I know, I shouldn't even have to ask because I already know, but I just want to protect both of them."  I said.
"Me too Alec, me too."  She replied with a smile.