The Ballad of Never After (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2)

by Stephanie Garber

“Do you kiss the prince because you actually enjoy it?” Jacks asked. “Or is it because you honestly think it will magically revive him?” “Maybe I do it because I know it will annoy you,” Evangeline answered archly. Jacks flashed a smile that was far more wicked than welcoming. “Glad to know you’re thinking about me when you kiss your husband.”

“Don’t pretend you’d never hurt me in order to manipulate me. You just said that if I didn’t agree to open your Valory Arch, I’d really start to hate you.” “I hurt everyone, Little Fox. But you have to be alive to hate me.” His eyes iced over. “I do not want you dead, and I’ll kill anyone who tries.”

But just thinking the words bite and Jacks sent a shudder through her that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. “Careful,” Jacks drawled. “You’re not looking at me as if you hate me right now.” “I do,” she said.

She was coughing and sputtering, barely able to suck down air as Jacks swam to shore with her in tow. He held her close and carried her from the ocean as if his life depended on it instead of hers.

Jacks’s chest was heaving, his clothes were soaked, his hair was a mess across his face—yet in that moment, Evangeline knew he would carry her through more than just freezing waters. He would pull her through fire if he had to, haul her from the clutches of war, from falling cities and breaking worlds. And for one brittle heartbeat, Evangeline understood why so many girls had died from his lips. If Jacks hadn’t betrayed her, if he hadn’t set her up for murder, she might have been a little bewitched by him.

“You talk in your sleep,” he drawled. “You said my name—a lot.” Evangeline felt a rush of heat crawl up her neck. “Obviously, I was having a nightmare.” “It didn’t look that way to me, Little Fox, and I was here all night.” Her heart pitter-pattered at the thought that he’d watched as she’d slept. Was that why she’d dreamed about him? “Don’t fret, I won’t tell your husband that you’re obsessed with me.”

“Unlock it,” Jacks ordered. Evangeline bristled. “You could at least say please.” “I could, but then you might think I’m being nice, and I would hate to confuse you.”

Winning at love was less about succeeding in a battle and more about continuing to fight, to choose the person you loved as the one you were willing to die for, over and over.

“Careful, Little Fox.” He took a step forward. “You sound rather excited by the idea.” “I’m not, I assure you,” she said, wishing she didn’t sound so breathless. “I merely like the thought that I torment you as much as you torment me.”

“This doesn’t end well.” His fingers pressed harder. Evangeline gasped, and at last she pushed him away. “There is no this—I’m married.” Jacks ran his finger over the smirk playing on his lips. “You keep saying that, Little Fox, as if it’s something I should care about.”

Evangeline wanted to give love and be loved and feel love at just the sight of someone. She wanted butterflies and kisses. She wanted it so much that sometimes she thought her heart would burst from it.

Then Jacks was crushing her to his chest. He held her like a secret, pulling her close to his pounding heart. She remembered her vow not to let him touch her. But if she pulled away, she felt as if she might break into a thousand tears.

“Evangeline—” Jacks’s low voice sounded distant, but he must have been there because she could feel him. She could feel the cool of his arms sliding gently under her legs and carefully under her neck as he cradled her to his chest. “It hurts, Jacks.” “I know, love. I’m going to take you somewhere safe.”

“Would you be jealous if I did?” I’m not a jealous person was what Evangeline intended to say, but instead the words “Of course” came out. Jacks laughed, louder this time. Embarrassment surged through her. “That’s not what I meant to say.” “It’s all right. I’d probably kill another man if I found him with you like this.”

She made a sound somewhere between a squeal and a gasp. “Was that really necessary?” “No, but everyone should have their clothes ripped off at some point.”

But he didn’t look that way now—he looked like a sleeping angel, which was probably why she needed to leave him. She ran her fingers through his soft hair, just once. He leaned into her hand. “That feels good,” he mumbled. “You feel good, too.” He hooked an arm around her waist and drew her onto the bed. “Jacks—what are you doing?” “Just for tonight.” He tightened his arm, holding her even closer, until her chest was pressed against his bare skin. “You’re injured,” she breathed. “This makes me feel better.” He spoke against her throat and finished with a lick that made her head begin to spin.

“I mean … it’s just one night,” he said softly. “In the morning, you can forget it. You can go back to pretending you don’t like me, and I can pretend that I don’t care. But for tonight, let me pretend you’re mine.”

She meant to say, For tonight, I’m yours, but all that came out was “I’m yours.”

“Evangeline … what’s wrong?” A line creased between his brows. “This isn’t real, Jacks. You and I, we’re under the influence of the mirth stone.” “You think you would only feel this way about me because of a rock?” Jacks’s mouth clamped shut. For a second, he looked angry, but when she looked in his eyes, all she could see was hurt.

Evangeline seethed. She still suspected maybe Jacks was trying to annoy her to hide any feelings he still had, and if that was the case, then he was succeeding. “Don’t worry, Jacks, I would never inconvenience you by dying.” She stalked off toward her room.

there were several things Evangeline would have done differently. “What moment do you want to go back to?” Jacks looked at the apple in his hand as he answered. “I want to return to the moment I met Donatella.”

Evangeline started to fall, and then Jacks was there. Her eyes were too heavy to open—but she could feel him. He held her with the type of intensity that only happens when a person wants something that isn’t quite theirs. But she was. She just needed to tell him she loved him. “Evangeline—” His voice was hoarse. “Come back to me.…” I’m not dead, she tried to say. But there was something wrong with her throat. And it seemed Jacks couldn’t hear her thoughts.

The Fate was every tear that anyone had ever shed for lost love. He was pain given form.

The Fate didn’t move. He didn’t let the girl go. He looked as if he never would. He continued holding her as if he could return her to life with the force of his will. His eyes were wet with blood. Red tears fell down his cheeks and onto hers. But the girl didn’t stir.

“I’m going to fix this.” He continued marching forward, holding the girl close as he carried her back through the arch. The angels who’d been guarding it now wept. They cried tears of stone as the Fate set the girl at their feet and began wrenching stone after stone from the arch.

“I’m going to go back and stop your son from killing her.” The queen’s face fell. For a moment, she looked as old as the years she’d spent lying in a suspended state. “That is not a small mistake to fix. If you do this, Time will take something equally valuable from you.” The Fate gave the queen a look more vicious than any curse. “There is nothing of equal value to me.”

She held his gaze, one final time, wishing she knew how to change his mind. “I wish our story could have had another ending.”

“I don’t want a different ending,” Jacks said flatly. “I just want you to leave.”