Chain of Thorns

Days Past: 1903

"I said, open."

"You don't want to see-"

"You heard her. Open."

"Is it James?" Cordelia inquired. The voice sounded so impeccably familiar. Matthew was still standing in front of the door, and whoever was standing behind the door was banging to be let in.

"Look, Daisy, I don't want your heart to be broken again," Matthew began.

"I am a strong woman," she smiled. "I can handle it." She inhaled sharply. And breathed. "James," she finished. "Is that you?"

"You'll see soon enough." The stubborn voice came bouncing back. She opened the door and sure enough, it was the person she expected. James.

"What-?" She whispered.

"Please, Daisy, come back," James pleaded. "Lucie misses you."

"I can't-!"

"Daisy. Look,the night with Grace and all that, everything you heard, not true."

"Why is that?" She said in anger. He launched into full explanation of the bracelet, of Grace, of everything.

"James..." she said. "Even if I fall a little in love with you, the fall will break me."

"What fall? Daisy, I said that I love you, I really do. Please. Do it for me."

Matthew stood behind her, biting his nails nervously.

"Matthew," James continued. "You too. I could barely live without my parabatai-"

"You showed you could Live without Daisy." Matthew drank from a cup. "You showed you could literally live without me."

"What the f-? I just said I loved her."

"And I am repeating what she said she saw. She said you were all in love with Miss Blackthorn. Daisy was devastated. I won't let her fall again."

"Daisy," James turned to her. "You do know he's in love with you?"

"What?" Cordelia yelled. "Matthew, you never told me..."

Matthew turned bright crimson. He bit his nails again. It was very unlike Matthew to bite his nails.

"How do I...?" Cordelia sighed. She sat herself down on a velvet red couch that had a texture like silk. James sat down next to her.

"Fine, I shall go back to London. But, please, help me."