Chain of Iron

Chapter Three

Lucie found herself standing in a ballroom filled with people dancing in white and gold. The couples seemed to dance around her in a circle, blocking her view from everything around her. She, herself, was dressed in a gown of pure gold; a Shadowhunter wedding dress. Lucie looked up to see that there was now a boy standing in the center of all the dancing couples, a boy with dark hair and green eyes that seemed to see right through her.

"Lucie." He smiled at her.

"Jesse?" She echoed, moving closer to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Do not be silly, Luce." He chuckled as he moved forward and took her by the hand and began to dance with her.

His body felt warm against hers and Lucie realized that Jesse was indeed alive and breathing and that this was their wedding. But of course it was, after all, she had been the one to resurrect him...

Lucie awoke with a start, sitting up in her bed with a gasp. A blush went over her cheeks as she took in what had just occurred in her dream. By the Angel, how embarrassing she thought to herself. It was unlike her to have such romantic dreams, especially about a boy who had was dead. It made her feel quite stupid, having dreams about someone who was not even living, but she could not deny the rush she now felt from it. She had been thinking about Jesse increasingly since she had seen him in Idris with Uncle Jem. He had sacrificed his one chance to live again just so he could save James' life; since then Lucie had not seen him and she feared that he had already faded away. At Jamie and Cordelia's engagement, she had told Grace she would help her bring him back but she did not know how.

Lucie exited her bed and began to ready herself for the day to come, her thoughts still plagued by the ghost boy who she owed so much to. She wanted to help him, after all, he had saved the life of one of the people she loved most. Lucie decided that she would go visit Grace at the Bridgestock residence where she was staying and ask her if she had any ideas of how to bring back Jesse. She did not particularly wish to see Grace, but she had told her that she would help and Lucie had been raised to always keep her word. Lucie quickly dressed and hurried to meet her family in the dining room.

Her mother and father were sat beside each other, both reading a stack of papers and James was simply devouring his breakfast. Lucie had always thought that he ate like a complete animal. Both he and Matthew did.

"I am leaving." She announced to her family.

"And where are you off to, Lulu?" Her father, his blue eyes looking up from the paper in his hand.

"Just to see Cordelia." Lucie lied.

She did not wish to tell her family of her plans to see Grace; it would only upset James to hear her name and she also did not want to tell them about their goal to bring back Jesse Blackthorn. Necromancy was strictly against the law but Lucie had promised him and Grace.

"You should eat something first, Luce." Her mother nagged lovingly.

Lucie waved it off. "I am not hungry and I must go. I will be taking one of the carriages."

She bid her family goodbye and hopped into their carriage and then she was off to see Grace. Lucie felt a sense of nervousness; she had not seen or discussed this plan with Grace since the night of the engagement party and Lucie hoped Grace was not cross with her for not coming to her about it sooner. She was also not sure if Grace would even be willing to work with her; it seemed that Tatiana's distaste for Herondales had rubbed off onto her daughter. Well, all Herondales besides James, that was.

Lucie arrived at the Bridgestock household quicker than she expected and she then found herself knocking at the grand doors of the house. It was opened by Ariadne Bridgestock, which Lucie was surprised by; Ladies were not supposed to open the doors by themselves. Ariadne was dressed in a fitted yellow gown that complimented her skin tone. Lucie had always thought her to be one of the most beautiful and kindest girls she had ever known; Charles had been a fool to trade her for Grace.

"Miss Herondale," She greeted while smiling. "What a nice surprise."

"I apologize for my sudden appearance, Miss Bridgestock, I came to see if I could speak with Miss Blackthorn?" Lucie asked politely.

"Of course." Ariadne replied as she opened the door to let Lucie in. "She is in the parlour."

Lucie followed Ariadne through the large mansion; one could tell that this mansion had been standing for decades by the way the floor creaked underneath Lucie and Ariadne's feet. They then reached the parlour. Grace was sitting on an armchair, a teacup in front of her, looking bored. She wore a light blue dress with her hair pinned at the nape of her neck; Lucie thought she looked regal and thought to herself about how different hers and Ariadne's features were. They were both beautiful in such different ways.

"Miss Herondale is here to see you, Grace." Ariadne smiled at the other girl.

Ariadne then left them and Lucie awkwardly took a seat across from Grace. She had not said anything to her yet and was only watching her through her steely grey eyes.

"How are you, Miss Blackthorn?" Lucie started.

"Well. Yourself?" She replied politely.

"I am well." Lucie stated and tried to find a way to bring up Jesse.

She did not have to, it turned out, because Grace did it for her.

"I assume you are here to speak about my brother." Grace said, her face emotionless.

"I am." Lucie looked at her. "I am sorry I did not come sooner to see you about him. It is just that necromancy is forbidden and if we decide to do this, it could have grave consequences."

"I am fully prepared to do whatever it takes." Grace told her at once. "Jesse is that all that I have had all of my life. When he was taken from me the first time, it was agony but at least I could still see him and talk to him. Now that I cannot even do that, I feel more alone than I have ever been."

Sympathy coursed through Lucie towards the other girl. She knew that Tatiana had never treated Grace well and that Jesse had been her only real companion besides James. Lucie could not even imagine what she would do if she had lost her own brother.

"I am willing to help you." Lucie replied. "But I am afraid I do not know how we can bring Jesse back. Necromancy is only an act a powerful warlock can perform."

Grace was silent for a few moments and then spoke. "Do you still have my brother's locket?"

Lucie nodded and felt surprised. She did not think Grace had known that she had it.

"We need someone's last dying breath." Grace announced. "That is the only way we can bring back Jesse without breaking the law."

Lucie felt distress course through her. "You are right but I do not know where we could get that. We -- we would have to kill someone to do that."

Grace was silent then for a long time. Lucie watched as her grey eyes bore down into her cup of tea; she seemed deep in thought and just when Lucie thought she would not speak, she finally did.

"My mother. We will kill my mother to save Jesse."

* * *

Odeya Rush as Lucie Herondale.