Chain of Iron

Chain of Iron
Information
Author/s	Cassandra Clare
Cover artist	Cliff Nielsen
Release Date	March 2, 2021[1]
Publisher	Walker Books Margaret K. McElderry Books
Cover	Lucie Herondale
Series The Last Hours  1  2  3
Chronology
Preceded by Chain of Gold	Followed by Chain of Thorns
Release order
Released after The Lost Book of the White	Released before TBA

Description

Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.^[2]

Teasers

Information

• The book will take place over the course of a month^[3] in December 1903.^[4][5]
• While the book will primarily still be from James, Cordelia, and Lucie's point of view, we can expect a few scenes from Grace,^[6] Anna, and Thomas's^[7] POVs.
• Like in the first book, there will be "Days Past" chapters; though these are set to follow one plot-line rather than bounce between characters.^[8]
• Magnus will have a love interest;^[9] they will be a warlock^[10] we met in Chain of Gold.^[11]
• A significant thing about Rupert appears in this book.^[12]
• A new female character will be staying at the London Institute for her training year.^[13] She will be Italian.^[14]
• There will be a new engagement and at least one wedding within this installment.^[15]
• Characters mentioned in passing, including Kellington, will be revisited.^[13]
• Elias will not have returned before the beginning of the book.^[16] When he does return, he causes some trouble and demands something shocking from James.^[17] Also, his feelings toward his unborn child are in question.^[18]
• Matthew will be buying a car^[19] and will have his own place.^[20]
• In an early chapter, Lucie, Cordelia, and Anna meet up for a party at the Hell Ruelle.^[21]
• There will be a big twist in the love triangle between James, Cordelia, and Matthew.^[22]
• Cordelia and Matthew will have grown much closer over the four month gap^[23] and are set to take a road trip together.^[24] Matthew will also reveal to her his secret.^[25]
  • Cordelia will find out about Matthew's feeling towards her.^[26]
• Thomas does something dangerous.^[27]
• The truth about what happened to Eugenia Lightwood will be revealed.^[28][29]
• Ariadne's heritage will be explored and her birth name may be revealed.^[30][31]
• Anna and Ariadne invade the Hell Ruelle and do some investigating.^[32]
  • The pair will also have some more heated moments.^[33]
• More about Jesse and Grace's childhoods, especially about their relationship with Tatiana, will be revealed.^[34] As well as more information into Grace's powers, the bracelet,^[35][36][37] and Jesse's death.^[38]
  • The reason why Tatiana adopted Grace instead of another Cartwright will also be revealed.^[39]
• Some people will learn of Lucie being able to see Jesse.^[40]
• The Shadow Market will be visited^[41] and Christopher will display some surprising behavior there.^[42]
• Sallows's shop will be reopened by Hypatia Vex in this installment.^[43]
• Pickles will have a mermaid love interest.^[44]
• At least five Shadowhunters are expected to die by the serial killer.^[45]
• Some self-inflicted trouble will take Charles to Paris.^[46]

Snippets

For more check either the series' teaser section or the unidentified snippets page.

Teaser #1

“Math, I didn’t know you’d gotten a flat. You didn’t tell me.”

Matthew, having finished buttoning James’ coat, looked slightly abashed. He ran a hand through his hair, which was already tumbling about his head like unkempt sunshine. “It was an impulse decision —“

“Nothing to do with that argument you were having with Charlotte the other day?”

Teaser #2

As she turned away, the faerie woman said, in a low voice, “You need not marry a man who does not love you, you know.”

Cordelia froze. She glanced back over her shoulder.

Teaser #3

Alastair looked amused. “Never before have I heard such a concise statement of the ludicrous philosophy with which you and your school friends go through the world.”

Teaser #4

Anna was fortress-surrounded by her friends: tall, handsome Thomas; Christopher, who shared his sister’s stern delicacy of feature, peacock Matthew, who always looked as if he’d just rolled out of an unmade bed piled with silks and velvet. And Eugenia Lightwood, who hadn’t bothered to take off her canary-yellow gloves or hat, as if she were ready to run out the door any moment.

They all eyed Ariadne suspiciously as she approached Anna. Anna didn’t seem to see her at all; she was leaning back with one booted foot braced on the wall behind her. She was all lean black and white lines, her close-fitting jacket following the outline of her slim curves, her head thrown back as she laughed. Her ruby pendant glimmered in the hollow of her throat.

Keep your head up, Ariadne, she told herself. You can do this.

“Hello, Anna,” Ariadne said.

Teaser #5

Alastair’s gaze flicked to Matthew. “Why,” he said, “are you not even wearing a hat?”

“And cover up this hair?” Matthew indicated his golden locks with a flourish. “Would you blot out the sun?”

Teaser #6

Over the past months, she had become closer with all James’ friends, but she had become closest to Matthew. He was always willing to stand her a dance at a party, or to sit on a bench and chatter and gossip. It made her laugh now to think she had once been almost afraid of him, thinking him James’ disapproving guardian.

Teaser #7

From The Beautiful Cordelia:

The brave princess Lucretia raced through the marble halls of the palace. "I must find Cordelia," she gasped. "I must save her."

"I believe the Prince holds her even now, captive in his throne room!" Sir Jerrod exclaimed. "But Princess Lucretia, even though you are the most beautiful and wise lady that I have ever met, surely you cannot fight your way through a hundred of his stoutest palace guard!" The knight’s green eyes flashed. His straight black hair was disarranged, and his white shirt was entirely undone.

"But I must!" Lucretia cried.

Teaser #8

James spoke at last, and there was real kindness in his voice. “You must give people time, Alastair,” he said. “We are none of us perfect, and no one expects perfection. But when you have hurt people you must allow them their anger. Otherwise it will only become another thing you have tried to take away.”

Alastair seemed to hesitate. “James,” he said. “Does he think —“

Teaser #9

“I know that you’ve been doing something — something you’re keeping secret. I’m not angry,” Cordelia hastened to add. “I  just wish you’d tell me what it is.” 

Lucie tried to cover her surprise.

Teaser #10

“Alastair! Cordelia!” A familiar voice bellowed up from downstairs.

Sona went white and laid a hand against the wall to steady herself. “Elias?”

Teaser #11

Cordelia shivered a little, though it was not cold in the room. “There is something weighing on you, Matthew,” she said gently. “A secret. Will you tell me what it is?”

She saw his hand go to his breast pocket, where he often kept his flask. Then he lowered it stiffly to his side and took a deep breath. “You do not know what you are asking.”

“Yes, I do,” she said. “I am asking for the truth. Your truth. You know mine, and I do not even know what makes you so unhappy.”

Teaser #12

Jesse glanced out the window. They were passing through Piccadilly Circus, nearly deserted at such a late hour. The statue of Eros in the center was lightly dusted with snow; a lone tramp slept upon the steps below it. “Don’t have too much hope, Lucie. Sometimes hope is dangerous.”

“Have you said that to Grace?”

Jesse shook his head. “She won’t listen.”

Teaser #13

“I’ve been trying to hate you,” Thomas said quietly, “for what you did to Matthew. You richly deserve to be hated for what you have done.”

Alastair’s dark eyes glittered. “It wasn’t just his mother I slandered. It was your father, too. You know it. So you don’t have to—to act all high-minded about this. Stop pretending you are only upset on behalf of Matthew. Hate me on your own behalf, Thomas.”

Teaser #14

His golden eyes were fixed on her, fierce as a hawk’s gaze. She said, "It doesn’t matter what I said. I wanted them to leave you alone —"

"I don’t believe you," he said. She could feel the slight tremors running through his body — tremors of stress, that meant he was holding himself very still. Holding himself back. "You don’t say things you don’t mean, Daisy —"

Teaser #15

James thwacked Matthew gently on the back of the head. “I believe what he means to say is that it cannot be the responsibility of one’s friends to prevent one from doing something one believes is right,” he said. “It is, however, the job of one’s friends to rescue one from the consequences of one’s actions when it all goes skew-whiff.”

Lucie clapped and called out, “Hear, hear!”

Teaser #16

James closed his eyes. Against the back of his eyelids, he could see the city take shape—the minarets flung darkly against a blue sky, the silver river. Cordelia’s voice, low and familiar, rose above the clamor of his nightmare. He followed it out of the darkness, like Theseus following the length of thread out of the Minotaur’s labyrinth.

And it was not the first time. Her voice had lifted him out of fever, once, had been his light in shadows…

A sharp pain spiked through his temples. He blinked his eyes open: he was firmly back in the present, his friends all looking at him worriedly. Cordelia had already moved away from him, leaving behind the lingering scent of jasmine. He could still feel where her fingers had rested against his shoulder.

Teaser #17

Hands caught his wrists; he was hauled up roughly, an arm around his back. he smelled brandy and cologne.

“Matthew,” he said, in a dry voice.

“James needs water,” Christopher said. “Do we have any water?”

“Never touch the stuff,” said Matthew, settling James onto the long sofa. He sat down next to him, staring so intently into James’s face that, despite everything, James had to stifle a laugh.

“I’m fine, Matthew,” said James. “Also, I don’t know what you expect to discover by looking into my eyeball.”

Teaser#18

“You should have told us,” said Thomas. “We would have helped you move your things. I’m exceptionally good at carrying large objects.”

“And think of all those hairbrushes you would have had to relocate,” Lucie said. “Haven’t you got six or seven?”

Matthew glowered at her affectionately. “I try to be at least as stylish as our local ghosts.”

Art

Special content

• Collector's first editions: will feature 10 illustrations of the main characters by Kathleen Jennings^[47] and a short story of Brother Zachariah and Magnus Bane on a mission.^[48]

Trivia

• The death's-head moths on the cover are meant to signify Lucie's necromantic abilities.^[49]

References