The Dark Artifices Spin off

A Goodbye

"How long will you be gone" asked Arabella. 

"Honestly I'm not sure. Basically once I've made the Clave happy I guess." I said.

Arabella handed me a small golden trinket. I turned it over in my hand and brought it closer to my face to get a better look.

"I made this for you. Bring it along with you when you go to Los Angeles." Arabella said with a smile. 

"What is it?" I asked. I looked it over once more and looked to her for answers. 

"It's a portal. Although, it can only take you here and back. But you'll be able to come and see me anytime you want." She said. 

"Are you serious? How did you even make this?" I asked. 

"Don't worry about it. It just makes me happy to know I'll be able to see you every once in a while." She laughed out. She took the small trinket in her hands and demonstrated how to work the portal. She opened her mouth to say something else until I quieted her by pressing a soft kiss to her mouth. Her soft silver hair fell into her face as I pulled away. I gently placed her hair behind her ear and drew my fingers over her cheekbone down to her chin. Her violet eyes looked at me so innocently. She was a gifted witch. She had stopped growing once she reached eighteen. However, she was much closer to 800-years-old than 18. It killed me to leave her, even though I was so looking forward to seeing Julian again.

"Even if I can still see you, I'm going to miss you." I said with tears in my eyes. 

"I know, I know. I'm going to miss you too." She said with a smile on her lips. We shared once last soft kiss until she walked me out to my car. I turned the key and my car sprung to life. 

"I love you Kyler, don't forget that." She yelled over the noise of my engine. 

"I love you too Arabella. I'll visit you soon." I yelled back. I started to drive away from Wells Fargo Plaza. I always found it funny how she'd choose to live in the penthouse of a bank. I connected my phone to my car through bluetooth and began shuffling through songs. Finally, I'd be able to go back to Los Angeles. Out of everywhere I had traveled to last year, LA had been my favorite. I fell in love with the beaches, the food, the institute, and Julian Blackthorn. I had only been in LA for three months but once I saw Julian, I was immediately drawn to him. He felt the same way about me. We'd often stay in each others rooms at night and smoke on the roof at sunset. Man, I have missed him. Well not only him but his family and friends as well. I had met Christina Rosales on my trip and immediately fell in love with her. Well not romantically but I knew if I was going to have a parabatai, it was going to be her. I also met Emma Carstairs. Now that is an interesting dynamic. Our "friendship" is a bit complex. Emma was known to be one of the most promising shadowhunters of our age group. While I will admit she is hard-working and dedicated, she just lacks in certain areas. Well, when I first met her, we immediately started competing in everything. We are both very competitive but her need for dominance over others consumed her and I ultimately rose as the most promising shadowhunter. I mean, they don't call me "the one hit wonder" for no reason. My combat skills are so advanced that I can take out a greater demon with just one swing of my short swords. Emma also is secretly in love with Julian but it is forbidden for parabatai to be in love. Emma and I may not get along very well but when we used to patrol for demons, we were unstoppable. Our combined strengths were no match for any cluster of demons. It was almost too easy.

I traveled around the United States to basically show the Clave what I am capable of and what skills I excel at. The Clave doesn't usually take much interest on one single young shadowhunter, but I've been able to take out ever since I was four years old. My parents were avid on training me while I was young. I also finished all my classes early as no shadowhunter has done before, and I basically drove around killing any demon I could find while keeping a log of it. After they had finally seen enough I was able to go home. I hadn't officially had my travel year but I would have chose to go to Greece if it was up to me. But yet again, the Clave basically makes every choice for me. My mom says "I'm too worthy to be doing whatever I want and throwing precious years away" so the Clave just gets to live my life for me. However, to make up for missing out on my travel year, they gave me the opportunity to go back to LA since they knew how much I loved it there. Although nothing comes without a price. Fortunate for me, they are sending me on a mission to uncover the mysterious murders of several mundanes in Los Angeles. At first I was excited, until they kept stacking on rules for me to follow. One of those being that I can't tell anyone about my mission. They never told me why I couldn't tell anyone, but my guess is that they've sent other shadowhunters to figure it out but none of them have been able to. I think the Clave is just trying to save them from public humiliation. 

I pulled up to a hotel somewhere in West Texas and bought a room for the night. From Texas to Los Angeles is almost a twenty-four hour drive and there was no way I was going to continually drive for a day. I walked into my room, set down all my stuff and took a shower. Of course I shower to get clean, but showering also helps me think. It somehow clears my mind and lets me think rationally. I cleaned up and immediately went to bed; somehow I was able to sleep with all the thoughts running rampant in my head. 

The next morning I woke up, gathered my things and got back on the road. I only had another twelve hours until I reached the Institute. Twelve hours until I reached the place that will forever remain as a second home for me.