I'll kill you, Alanna thought savagely. She stared into the group, her violet eyes shining with anger. She would kill. . . If she could just wait a little bit longer. Once they were all drunk she would have the time of her life. Until then, she would wait.

Chapter Six

Two Years Ago:

Alanna was in a daze as she walked off the practice courts with Faithful at her side. She and Alex had dueled again, and this time it had been she who was tempted to kill. His neck had seemed so weak and thin just then, and it was all she could do to tear herself away from him. If she hadn't left them, Lighting would be forever in his throat.

She tried to swallow the lump that was in her throat. Sure, she had killed before, but killing Alex would simply be murder. Or would it? After all, what about all those that she had killed at the River Drell? Was that murder, or was there a reason behind that killing?

Thankfully, Faithful was quiet as he walked along beside her, trotting to keep up. But a familiar voice broke into her thoughts.

"Alan!"

Alanna stopped and turned around. She tried to force a smile as Gary came to a halt before her. "What's up, Gary?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level. But tears were threatening to spill and her thoughts were trying to turn on her.

"I just wanted to see if you had a minute," was all Gary said.

She cast about, looking for somewhere to run, to hide. But there was nowhere for her to go. She would have to face him. "Yeah, a minute."

"Great. This way then." Gary turned and started down a side passage off the hallway.

They walked in silence for a ways, Faithful following at a slight distance. Why does it have to be this way? Alanna thought, a shiver passing up her spine. And I told you to go AWAY! She added savagely as thoughts of murdering Alex poured into her head again.

Gary led her into a little chamber with only one window and a fire burning on the hearth. There was a high-backed chair with someone in it, staring deep into the fire. Another chair was next to the first one, and that was the chair that Gary ushered her into.

She sat down, and glanced at the figure in the chair. Dread washed over her in a sheet of ice. Sitting there, staring into the fire was Thom. But he wasn't the Thom she remembered. He had a tortured look about his face, and his fingers seemed long, and spidery, almost dead. He was ghastly pale, his violet eyes standing out like someone dressed in white when the room was black.

"Thom!" Alanna cried, staring wide eyed at her brother. "Gary, what's going on?" she asked as he started to retreat out of the room. "Gary?" But her friend was gone, and she was left alone with the shell of her brother.

He turned to stare at her, but his eyes were blank, his long fingers knitted together. And then his spoke, but his voice was distant. "In the darkness lies the danger, forever bound to His will. Magic beyond his own understanding lies there. While he seeks it he puts more than himself in danger. But he will not rest, will not stop." Then Thom stopped speaking, his eyes widening in shock. If possible, he turned paler, and then keeled over in his chair.

"Thom!" Alanna was on her feet, leaning over her brother. She was feeling desperately for a pulse, screaming the whole time. Tears were pouring down her face as she felt frantically. His chest was still, and no air was coming from his mouth or nose. When she put her fingers over the place Duke Baird had taught her to look for a pulse, she felt nothing.

She crumpled to the floor, losing all train of thought. Everything was blurry, everything was wet. And then she was lying in a bed, staring into Jon's face.

Alanna looked around. She was in her room. There was light coming from the window, and Jon was inches in front of her. "Ssh," he soothed rubbing her hand between his fingers.

But no matter how much body heat he gave her, she still felt numb. "Is he--?" she didn't have to say the rest. Jon knew.

The Prince's sapphire eyes were alight with caring. Alanna felt amazed. He didn't even know her brother, and yet he cared about Thom's death because he cared about Alanna. "I--" he stopped too, breathing in to calm his shattered voice. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could. But he was gone."

Alanna shut her eyes, but the tears squeezed out between her shut lids. They fell down her cheeks, hot and salty. And then she remembered what he had said. The words came to her, even as she tried to push them back.

In the darkness lies the danger, forever bound to His will. Magic beyond his own understanding lies there. While he seeks it he puts more than himself in danger. But he will not rest, will not stop.

She swallowed. Her throat ached, her eyes burned, and yet she couldn't stop. The memory flooded her. The last time she had seen Thom he had been happy to go to become a sorcerer. And then. . . Then he was dead.

She gulped hard, but found that it only made her throat hurt as if the black plague gripped her. Jon put his arms around her, and she buried her face in his shoulder. He held her, whispering to her, trying to calm her.

But her shaken nerves would not be calmed. Fire burned through her whole body. Her heart was beating sluggishly slow, or faster than the fastest palace horse could run. It changed whenever she breathed. Sometimes it would be such an effort to breathe, other times it would come in quick gasps that sent spasms down her whole body. Fear and anger alternated. Anger at Him, whoever He was. She felt as if He had killed Thom, and she was angry.

She didn't realize she was digging her fingernails into Jon's back until he said, "Alanna, stop. Calm down." And removed her hands from around him, lowering her onto the bed.

She lay there, her heart beating fast for the moment, plotting revenge on whoever had dared to hurt her brother. The tears had stopped. Now she was just angry. But then the tears poured out again, her throat ached, and her mind felt numb. It was just too much!

But Jonathan was there. He wouldn't let anything hurt her. "Alanna, calm down," he whispered again, his voice soft. She was trying to pull him down to next to her, to make him kiss her. But he was resisting her, his hands firmly on her shoulders, keeping her down.

She strained to earn his kiss. He would kiss away everything inside her, make the horror leave. But he wouldn't. "Alanna, not now. You don't know what you want right now. You're in shock."

Her fingers groped for the ties on the back of his shirt, but he swatted them away. His cool sapphire eyes were turning annoyed. She could feel his irritation with her building up. "Please." He took her hand and kissed the back of it lovingly. But that only made her want him more.

"No, Jon. I want you!" She was begging him, pleading him. She didn't know why, she just knew it was what she had to do.

He touched her forehead softly, brushing her hair away. "Thom's dead, you don't want anything right now. And you want me least of all. You don't want anything like that to happen."

"But I do!"

She reached for his face, wanting to touch his soft skin. He reached up and snatched her hand, gently putting pressure on it. But she fought him. He touched her hand to his face, letting her feel it. Then he turned her hand over and kissed her palm.

Alanna continued to struggle, but she could see the light coming to his eyes. That light that she knew meant he wanted her too. He wanted to be with her, to kiss her. To love her.

And then he was pulling her up, kissing her thoroughly, his lips soft, his touch just as gentle. His hands were on her head, keeping her there. And hers were in his silky hair, feeling its every strand between her fingers.

And then the door opened.

Okay, please review! Oh, and I just want to tell you all, that this year I'm writing a book. Like, an actual book. I don't know if it'll be published, but I'm really HOPING it will. So, wish me luck!