Chain of Iron

Chapter Twenty-Two

James looked down at his feet as he and Cordelia walked along the streets of London, towards Kensington Gardens. The sky was very dark and the only source of light was from the lamp posts that were placed here and there as they walked. James felt a sense of awkwardness being alone with Cordelia; he had not been alone with her since he had spent the night in her bed and he found now that he was not sure what to say to her. Thankfully, he did not have to as she was the one who spoke first.

"It is a shame that you were not able to get anywhere with Belial." Cordelia started.

James sighed. "I had not been very hopeful that I would anyways. It seems like the situation is hopeless."

"You most not think like that, James." Cordelia frowned. "Something can always be done."

James could not help but smile. Cordelia was always so optimistic and he found that it was quite refreshing from his tendency to think the worst of everything. He recalled, then, how she had felt laying in the bed beside him and how warm she had felt. He blushed slightly and looked down at his feet as they walked.

"Do you truly think so?" He asked softly.

"I know so." Cordelia replied. "We just cannot give up hope."

An amused smile came to his face then. "At least we did not get in trouble; I suppose we can thank Matthew for that."

She chuckled. "Has he always been able to charm your mother and father like that?"

James nodded, smiling fondly at the thought his Parabatai. "Ever since I can remember, Matthew has always been able to charm everybody. My mother is especially susceptible to it; she has always adored Matthew, but then again, who would not."

Cordelia only smiled but did not reply to James. He had noticed that her and Matthew had become quite close in the recent weeks and it had surprised him. James had not thought that Cordelia had been terribly impressed by Matthew when she had first come to know him but he figured that opinions changed. James could tell, though, that Matthew enjoyed Cordelia being apart of their group which made him happy.

"You and Matthew have become quite close." James started casually.

Her eyes flitted away from his for a moment. "Yes, I suppose that we have. He was is very funny; he always makes me laugh."

James smiled. "Math has that quality to him."

"It is a shame that he does not court anyone." Cordelia spoke then. "He deserves to have a romantic love in his life."

"I agree. It has just never been in Matthew's nature to be in a committed relationship." James replied. "For as long as I have known him, he has only preferred one night flings and that is all."

Cordelia only remained silent and they now were nearing Kensington Gardens. She seemed to be studying her shoes, looking deep in thought. Something in James' heart fluttered when he looked at her and he could not deny how beautiful she looked. Her looks were so different from Grace's and it was unfair to compare them; they both were attractive in their own separate ways. As James gazed upon Cordelia he could feel something pulsing at him in the back of his mind. It was as if something in his brain was trying to make him remember something but he was not sure what it was. He often felt this strange feeling when he was around Cordelia.

They had now reached Kensington Gardens and James walked Cordelia to her front door, and that was when she turned to look at him.