Frozen Heart

Jack was used to being tracked down by wizards.

They always wanted an audience with the Snow Queen, and of the two, she was a hell of a lot easier to find.

Not that she was particularly easy to find, either, but that’s beside the point.

The winter-girl had learned to be constantly aware of her surroundings, in order to avoid being caught unawares, and it had proven an invaluable skill.

Because of this skill, Jack was aware of them long before they tried to corner her.

Letting out a rather put-upon sigh, she stopped at the town’s outskirts, hovering over the dirt path and staff slung over both shoulders.

“Is there something you wanted, or are you just enjoying following me around?”

“Oh, mademoiselle, you are as perceptive as you are beautiful.”

Rolling her eyes, Jack turned to face the pair standing a few yards behind her, expression bored.

“Attempted flattery will get you nowhere.” She informed them, unimpressed. “What do you want?”

“We’re here to ask for an audience with the Snow Queen.” The other stated, black-and-white hair pulled up in a topknot and a black line running over the bridge of his nose.

“Oh, really?” Jack replied, already tired of the conversation. “And who would be asking?”

“Totomaru, the Great Fire, and Sol, the Great Earth, of Phantom Lord.”

Recognizing the names, blue eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“What does Phantom Lord want with the Snow Queen?”

“Non, non, non, mademoiselle.” Sol reprimanded, tilting at an unusual angle and wagging his finger at her. “It is for Monsieur Jose to tell Mademoiselle Snow Queen, not for you to know.”

Frowning at the demeaning gesture, Jack faced them fully, grip tightening on her staff.

“You don’t tell me, and I don’t tell her.” She stated, firm.

The you’ll never find her without me was left unsaid, but the Phantom Lord wizards were well aware of that fact.

They wouldn’t have wasted the time tracking Jack Frost down otherwise.

“We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.” Totomaru warned, one hand falling to the katana at his hip.

Jack did not even blink at the threat, ice creeping slowly up the staff from her clenched fingers.

“If you insist.”

That was answer enough, and the pair wasted no time in implementing the ‘hard way’.

“Roche Concerto!”

“Blue Fire!”

In a blur of motion, Jack twisted around their attacks, completely unscathed as the wind rocketed her straight towards Totomaru.

The Fire Mage could only gape in surprise before her staff struck him full in the face, leaving him semi-conscious and buried in a nearby stone wall.

Jack took a moment to make sure he was out of the fight before scoffing, flicking her braid back over one shoulder.

She seemed completely oblivious to Sol rising up from the ground behind her, hands raised to wrap around her throat-

An elbow slammed into the green-haired man’s face, and he fell back in a dazed heap on the ground, twitching.

“Did you really think it would be that easy? Do you know how many people would have kidnapped me or something by now if that was the case?”

When they proved too out of it to reply, Jack just sighed.

“Tell your guild master to go looking for her himself, if he really wants to speak with the Snow Queen.”

With those parting words, she was off, mind already whirring over the implications.

What the hell was Phantom Lord trying to do?