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

by Stephanie Garber

Apollo was clearly fighting whatever was trying to control him. Or whoever it was.

I actually have no recollection of how this spell occured

A hand clamped over her mouth, and a powerful arm wrapped around her arms and chest. Don’t make a sound, Little Fox.

Im screaming everytime Jacks is on page

Not interested in biting me anymore? Jacks taunted in her head.

Hehehe

“No,” Jacks said sharply. “Apollo is not the Archer. But it seems someone has resurrected the Archer’s curse and placed it on him.

Me rubbing my hands together like a fly in this reread

“Jump!” Jacks yelled. Out of nowhere, he was suddenly right beside her. “I can’t swim,” she cried. “Then hold on.” He wrapped a strong arm around her waist, and together they fell.

Im truly obsessed with this man HERE COME THE CHEST ACHES AGAIN

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.

Ughhhhhhh

harder to believe that Jacks would put her in this much danger, especially when she could still feel his heart beating just as furiously as hers.

:)))))

“You talk in your sleep,” he drawled. “You said my name—a lot.”

Lmaoooo hahahahahahauahha

Evangeline felt a rush of heat crawl up her neck. “Obviously, I was having a nightmare.”

I literally can't with these two

“Don’t fret, I won’t tell your husband that you’re obsessed with me.” Jacks tossed his white apple and caught the fruit with the tip of his dagger.

JACKS PLEASE

“You don’t know that,” Evangeline said. “No one knows for sure if the Archer killed the Fox.” “Oh—” Jacks laughed, hard and nasty as his smile. “The Archer definitely killed the Fox.”

Stoppp

“Yes, I’ll help you open the arch,” she said. “But I’m not getting dressed while you’re in here.” “That’s too bad,” Jacks murmured.

Honestly

Jacks whistled merrily as he and Evangeline walked down the low-lit hall together on their way to meet with Chaos. She had never heard Jacks whistle before.

He literally kills me

Jacks was all dimples and whistles, and it was unsettling how curious this happiness made Evangeline. What could Jacks possibly want inside the arch?

HAhahahaa not Jacks being happy and it scaring Evie

Jacks chuckled under his breath. “Trust me, Little Fox, you’re better off not knowing.” He took a slow bite of the fruit, eyes darkening as they slowly slid from her lips to her neck,

We got an explanation right here

Evangeline had always been the person in the room with the least amount of power, but that was no longer the case.

Shes serving c*nt rn

She didn’t need to linger in a doorway like a scared little kitten or sit politely in a chair and wait.

Thats right Queen!!!

before she felt his knuckles softly brush against the underside of her breast. Her stomach dipped. But Jacks’s face was so impassive, she imagined the touch must have been a slip.

Not jacks trying to cop a feel lmaoo

“It didn’t do anything to me,” chimed Jacks. “Only because the luck stone makes people reckless, and you’re always reckless,” Chaos replied. Jacks shrugged. “What’s the point of being an immortal if you live like a human?”

Im actually feral for him

“The truth is never what you want it to be, Little Fox.”

The truth is him calling you Love and telling each other yall would be jealous if the other one was with someone else

There were also titles pertaining to the Great Houses, but the majority of books were related to the mysterious Valors. “Have you collected all these, just to find the stones for the arch?”

Its so obvious now in this reread

she kept expecting him to softly walk up beside her or to saunter through a secret door in the wall. But Jacks did not appear. The library was quiet without his teasing, or his laughter, or his tossing of apples.

:’(BABY LOVES HIM AND WE MISS HIM TOO

Aurora was sweet and was always described as the most beautiful girl who’d ever lived,

Sweet my ASS

But Evangeline couldn’t seem to uncover what this tragic event was. She knew the outcome—the Valors built the Valory, sealed something inside of it, and then their heads were all chopped off, ending the Age of the Valors and ushering in the Age of Great Houses. It

I wonder opening the arch releases all the fates from their curses

A History of Famous Beheadings,

all the original Great Houses: Fortuna, Slaughterwood, Merrywood, Redthorne, Hawkleaf, Casstel, Bloodgrave, Verita, Ravencross, Darling, Havok, Bellflower, and Acadian.

Acadian was Apollo’s surname, and reading it made her picture him,

Merrywood the village was said to be a charming township built in a forest, home to enchanted square fairs, magical foxes,

“There’s nothing worth reading about House Slaughterwood. They’re just a bunch of spineless brutes.” Chaos strode to the shelf and retrieved a book with a dusky lavender cover.

the volume she’d dropped when Chaos had first entered. Only, like the vampire, the book was gone.

Mmk way to be sus asf Chaos

He checked on her progress every day, but he was always quick to leave. And Jacks … She tried not to think about Jacks. Evangeline didn’t like the way it hurt when she thought about how he’d just left her here.

Stoppppp my aching heart cant take it

she felt a longing to accept it, to go to this party and celebrate with everyone. It was a smallish feeling, but her heart was already so splintered with loneliness that for a second she thought this sharp little pang might shatter her apart.

:( she misses her bestie

But she would have wished to see LaLa even if she weren’t having a party. If her friend were mourning instead, Evangeline would have wanted to be there. She just wanted to be anywhere. With anyone.

I love that theyre besties and its so interesting that Lala is a fate and Evie is so close to her

Of course, it was reckless to even think of visiting Tiberius in prison to ask what he knew about the stones. If Jacks were there, he’d undoubtedly say the idea was too dangerous. But Jacks was gone,

She's probably trying to coax him back and i cant blame her for it lmao but also i can because it’s dumb?! what about apollo and him trying to murder you?! THINK EVIE

Evangeline felt a measure of pity for Tiberius. She told herself it was silly to feel bad for the person who’d tried to kill her, but the last time she’d seen Tiberius, he hadn’t been murderous, he’d been in despair.

I get you Evie, im like that too unfortunately

The dagger she’d chosen was gold, with pretty pink gems on the hilt and a tip that sparkled.

Me

As soon as her boots touched the first step, she could hear Jacks’s voice. This is your worst idea yet, Little Fox.

Jacks pls come home the kids miss you (still giggling and kicking my feet in my reread)

“She put an end to a royal family, and yet she’s afraid of a spider.” The voice was followed by a droll snicker.

Same

These stones have powers that call to one another. They long to be reunited, and the last time all four stones were put together, one of the Great Houses was destroyed.

Quickly, she retrieved the gold dagger from her basket and held it out as she turned. “Hello, Eva.” Luc walked out from between a pair of snow-dusted trees,

God fkin dammit

“I came to say I’m sorry for the other day. I really didn’t want to bite you. Well … I did want to bite you, but I didn’t want to hurt you. I’ve missed you.” He looked at her through his lashes,

Dont trust him Evie!!! JACKS GET UR GIRL

“You still can’t bite me, Luc. I’m not a snack.” “What about just a nibble?” Evangeline glared.

Honestly Luc is funny asf but in like a dumb boy way

He flashed a crooked grin. “Is that a yes?” For a second, it was tempting—mostly because if Jacks found out, she was certain he’d be annoyed.

She loves making Jacks jealous lmaooo and we love to see it

Sometime later, when she was just on the edge of asleep and awake, she thought she heard him enter—she definitely heard someone. But when she opened her eyes, no one was there. The suite was empty and cold, and yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that seconds ago it had been different.

Jacks coming to check on her?! :')

Above him hung a cage full of dripping wax candles that tossed ocher light on both the checkers and the pretty girl that Jacks was playing with.

Goddammit Jacks

the locks artlessly askew as if the girl had just run her fingers through it. Evangeline felt a flash of—she wasn’t quite sure what it was. It certainly wasn’t jealousy.

So much denial lmaooo

Jacks was so bored, why hadn’t he come to find her? Was he planning on letting Evangeline know he’d returned? Evangeline didn’t want to be bothered by this.

And yet, seeing him here now made her feel small, insignificant.

This hurted

now he was sitting around playing checkers. Jacks barely flicked his gaze in her direction. “I also play chess.” Evangeline’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.

OOPSIE Damn did he hear everything then hahahaahaha

was just surprised. I didn’t know you played games that didn’t involve hurting people.” “Oh, there’s that other game,” the girl chimed in. “The one—” “You can leave now,” Jacks interrupted.

Hahahahahhaahhhahaha