Fire

Chapter 6

He had been in New York yesterday. He had portaled in to give me a letter from Tessa. I had made him my messenger. Tessa had met him somewhere outside of the Citadel. The other Iron Sisters didn't meet males, didn't change their ways even for another Iron Sister's love. I had been asking Tessa to send me more raw adamas if she could. Tessa had replied that she would try.

Jem had stayed the night, and was going to return to the Carstairs today morning, but something was wrong. I hadn't seen him through the day, I had figured that he had left already.

"Daddy, where is Rj? I know he's fine, but where is he? And something's wrong with Jem. Where is Jem? Find him! Something's wrong either with him, or for him." I said. I had to find Jem now. Something was dreadfully wrong.

"Jem left in the morning. He said he was going back to their house in Los Angeles. Magnus was too busy getting down with Alec, so Clary had drawn the portal for him. He should be there in Los Angeles. But what could be wrong? Do you know?" Dad asked gently. I have to know what is wrong. But thinking will take time, we need to draw the portal first.

"Mom, can you draw out the portal? I can't concentrate on the runes. Drawing the portal after I know will be too late." I told Mom distractedly. I had already started to search for him from my mind. I followed the instinct that told me something was wrong.

From a distance, I heard someone in Mom's direction say something. I couldn't make out what it was. I could feel....

There, I could feel something, but the connection was jumbled, like he was....running? hunting? near a Greater demon? in a star circle protection marked with demon runes? protected by stronger protection runes that shut out lesser angelic powers? For the love of the Angel what the hell was Jem doing? Even if he was in an Institute, my powers wouldn't be blocked. If he was in the In-Between, they would, but I could still feel him, so that couldn't be it. If he was in another dimension, I couldn't feel him at all either, but I could, so not that. If he was in Hell- wait. What? What would he be doing in Hell? No use to think of that one either.

'Is he even in Los Angeles?' a sudden thought popped up. More flickers. Flickers of....New York? No. Not New York. But a city. It had...almost an olden look. The smell of sea. Shops with names in...Latin? Yes, Latin, Dad had taught me himself.

I suddenly returned to my own mind, and took a gasping breath. "Italy," I gasped out, "Italy is where he is." I panted some more.

Dad took my elbow and lead me to the wall next to the door of the Infirmary. Mom's portal was a vortex, and I could feel it tugging at me as I walked closer.

"Let me go first. I know where to go." I had regained control over my breathing, and my voice was back to normal.

"Wait, Iz. I got you a whip and a katana. Take both. I also got the belt for the katana." Rj said. He had unknowingly saved the day. I couldn't let Mom and Dad and Aunt Izzy find out about the newest ability the heavenly fire had given me.

I took 3 long strides towards Rj, gave him a quick hug, and took the weapons out of his hands. He had twin long blades in his hands, his mother's specialty. I wrapped the whip around my arm as Aunt Izzy taught me, made it look like a bracelet with the help of the Mark that was inked onto my arm, like Aunt Izzy's.

I hurried back to the portal. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I pulled one of the flickers that I had seen to the front of my mind. And held it there as I stepped forward into the swirling vortex.

And nearly stumbled. God I hated being portaled. It was a horrible feeling, mixed feelings of your stomach dropping, nausea, as if you were being disintegrated. But now was not the time to talk about the horribleness of portaling. I had to find Jem.