The Last Hours

31: Lucie

It had been a few days since we all had returned from Idris. My father was still angry about the Inquisitors words about my mother, but he was slowly getting over it. Jesse had not been doing well, after seeing his mother and Grace. He had been going over to Uncle
Gabriel and Uncle Gideon's a lot lately.

The most worrisome situation that was happening right now, though, was Matthew. Ever since we had all gotten back from Idris, he had been very quiet. Lately, he had been missing meals, and he would go out in the middle of the night. James had tried to ask him what was wrong, but Matthew would only brush it off.

We were all very worried about him. Matthew never acted like this, something big must have been bothering him. Currently, I was sitting in my bedroom with Cordelia.

"When are you going to have your wedding?" I asked.

"I'm not sure." Cordelia replied. "Harry and I have not spoken about it, because we have been in Alicante."

"It's quite a thing to be in love, isn't it?" I said, a little dreamy.

She gave me an odd look. "It is. You say it as if you have experience."

I only blushed, and looked away.

"I knew it! Your in love with Jesse." Cordelia exclaimed.

"Shh you must not tell anyone." I insisted.

"You know I won't." She said. "This so exciting!"

"How so?" I asked.

"Well, it's so obviously that Jesse loves you back." Cordelia smirked.

"He does not." I rolled my eyes.

"You are blind, Luce." She said, and I chuckled shaking my head.

"I felt quite bad for him at the meeting." Cordelia said.

"As did I." I said. "At least, he did not have to speak."

"That is true." She said.

Cordelia and I talked for a bit more, until her mother asked her to help her with something. I sat in my room reading my book, and then there a knock at my door. It's probably Jesse, I thought to myself. I opened the door, not to find Jesse, but to find James.

"Jamie." I said in surprise.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked me.

"Alright." I agreed.

We walked all the way to the front hall, and opened the door. In an instant, Auntie Jessamine was in front of us. She wore a very worried expression in her face.

"Do you two know what is wrong with Matthew?" She asked.

James sighed, and shook his head. His black hair was particularly messy today.

"No, we haven't got a clue. I've asked a dozen times, but he will not say." He explained.

"He left out only a little while ago. Perhaps you two can go find him." Auntie Jessamine said.

She then left, and James and I returned to walking. We strolled the streets aimlessly, we weren't going anywhere in particular.

"Where is Jesse today?" James asked, breaking the silence.

"At Aunt Cecily's and Uncle Gabriel's house." I replied.

"He's been there rather a lot, hasn't he?" James said.

"Yes. I suppose he feels that Uncle Gabriel and Uncle Gideon are really, the only family he has left." I said with a frown.

"Sad." He murmured.

"It is." I agreed.

We were silent for a moment.

"What of Cordelia?" I asked.

His golden eyes slid towards me. "What of her?"

"Do you still love her?" I asked.

James sighed. "Of course I do, Luce."

"And the wedding?......" I trailed off.

"Is something I have to deal with." He finished.

I sighed. I felt quite bad for him.

"While we were in Idris, I spoke with Grace." James said quietly.

"You did?" I said startled. "What about?"

"She warned me to leave Jesse alone, and to not turn him into one of us." He explained.

"He is already one of us." I said, annoyed.

"That is what I told her. She then proceeded to ask if I still loved her." James said.

"And what did you say?" I asked a bit nervously.

"I said no." James spoke bitterly.

I sighed in relief. I was just about to say something, when I was a familiar head of blonde hair in the crowd. Matthew was walking briskly through the crowds people.

"I see Matthew!" I said while tugging on James's arm.

I lead him through crowd, until we were only a bit behind Matthew. He had his down, and he was walking quite quickly.

"Matthew." James called.

Matthew whirled around. He had dark shadows under his eyes, and his eyes were rimmed with red. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Matthew, are you alright?" I said while stepping closer to him.

To my surprise, he stepped back. What? Matthew had never been like this before. Out of surprise, I stopped walking as well.

"I'm fine." He murmured while looking at the dirty cement.

"Don't lie, Matthew." James said.

Matthew looked up at him with pained eyes. Shock ran through me. Never in my life had I seen him so upset. Dread went through me. Something horrible must be going on with him.

"I'll leave you two to speak." I said.

I then turned around and started to walk away. I supposed that they should talk alone, about what was wrong with Matthew. He would tell me in time. Just then someone sidled up next to me, and I knew who it was immediately.

"Jesse." I smiled, while turning to look at him.

His green eyes were bright, and his black hair was blowing in the wind.

"Hello Lucie, what are you doing out here all alone?" He asked.

"I had been with James, but I've left him and Matthew to speak." I explained. "How was Uncle Gabriel's?"

"Good." Jesse replied. "He is quite funny."

I chuckled. "He is."

"Aunt Cecily is nice, as well. She is also very pretty." He blushed.

I laughed. "By the angel, don't tell me you fancy her, Jesse."

He went very red. "Of course not, she is my aunt."

I just laughed. "Alright."