FicWad

My body was still ringing with the pain Banache had caused, making my insides feel like water. But I healed Frank's cheek with a light kiss, using what little energy I had to do so.

I felt my knees shaking a moment before they have out. If Frank hadn't have caught me, I would have fallen.

It took everything I had to keep my glamour in place for the very scant human eyes that could possibly fall on us. Frank helped me up the steps to his apartment. He unthinkingly rested me against the steel door.

I groaned in pain as it seared through the glamour and burned my frozen skin even more than Banache did. Though it only took a second for him to realize his mistake, the burn was bloody and blistering, my blood looking like the lightest blue ink on his door when he pulled me away and into his arms.

"I'm so sorry!" He gasped as he carried me into his apartment, kicking the door shit behind him. "What can I do?!" I could feel his frightened heartbeat fluttering under his ribs.

My glamour slipped off like a sheet. My power upped a little, enough for me to talk. "Sit me on the couch on my front. Then bring me ice water in a plastic cup." He lowered me down onto the couch slowly.

He placed a soft kiss on the back of my neck before he got me the water. I drew an uneven breath and waited.

"Here." I turned my head to look at him. He held a clear plastic cup that looked as if he'd sighed on it.

"Sit it next to me and back away." He looked ready to question, but my vision blurred, making me panic a bit. "No. I will explain later. Once I am healed."

He backed away and I sighed in relief. I stuck my hand in the icy water. Instantly, I felt it absorb into my skin, filling my veins and throbbing up to my heart.

A sigh escaped my lips as it spread healing chill around my body. Until I noticed the water was gone. "More please." I removed my dry hand and handed the cup to Frank, who took it and refilled it.

I repeated the action again and again until my body was totally healed. I realized that I'd gone through fifteen cups of ice water and left Frank to make more ice. "Let me." I took the water filled trays in my hands and they instantly froze over. I put them in the freezer and let the lovely breeze cling to my face.

"Who was that?" He asked finally. He must see I am okay.

"Banache. She and I do not see eye to eye about anything." I wistfully shut the freezer and looked at him. "She is the queen to the Fire court of the West. They usually reside in Death Valley. What she was doing all the way over here I have no clue." I crossed my arms in thought.

"Is she bad?" He asked. I looked at him for a long second in silence, biting my lip.

"I...... Do not have an answer to that. She is bad for us, just as we are bad for the Garden courts of the Central-Lands. None of us are truly good or evil. Not courtwise, at least. It is only few in each court who decide to cling to shadows." My mind drifted to Gorheen. "We can also be born one way and then change. Gorheen, the King of the Blood court of the South, used to be a good friend of mine. And now he wants one of two things from me."

When I paused for a long moment, he finally asked what I was worried to say aloud to him. "What are the things?"

I took a deep, steadying breath and squared my shoulders. "He either wants to start a war with by court." I paused at the terrified look on his adorable face. "Or for me to join him. For our courts to combine. And for me to be his queen."

His face was unreadable. "No." He shook his head.

"I speak the truth, my dear." I said, not sure what was going through his head.

"No. I won't let either of those happen." He said through his teeth. He gripped my hands in his. "You are mine." He leaned forward, his lips so close to mine I could taste his sweet breath.

"Frank." I whispered, freeing my hand and resting on his waist. So close.

He was so close to this. To taking on the chill of my - our court. To truly becoming my King.

All one of us had to do was lean forward. His hand cupped my cheek. "Thalia." He breathed.

I could feel his pulse in his wrist. It was so fast I could hardly feel the little pause between each beat.

His nerves seemed to wash over me in waves. I stroked the skinunder his shirt with my thumb softly. "It is okay." I whispered to him.

My eyes were closed, but I felt his small nod. My pulse sped slightly.

So close.......






Cliffhanger!!!! I'm gonna add another chapter tonight probably.

But, before I forget, AIDS walk is tomorrow morning, so if you're in the Wichita area, it's only $25 to join and it should be really fun. I'll be there with my school's GSA group.

Registration starts at ten in the morning and the walk starts at eleven. 414S Commerce. Hope all the Wichitans whoreadmystuff.can come! If you do end up coming, I will have a sign on my back that says ficwadians unite.

So if you see me, don't be shy! It'll be cool if I can walk with a fellow writer from here.

And everyone I run into from here, I'll have a sharpie for you to write your usernames from here on the sign and after that, each of you will get a shoutout on here and a personal oneshot.

Is my obvious bribing working yet? No? Damn...

But if you can, it'd be awesome to see other ficwadians and hang out for a little.

So for now, R+R and I'll hopefully see some of you tomorrow.

Hugs and Moons,
-Lala