A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart, #3)

by Stephanie Garber

Love was the world’s most powerful magic.

“No,” Evangeline said immediately, shooting the man a glare. “This wasn’t Jacks.” “My wife is clearly stunned,” said a voice that immediately made Evangeline’s skin crawl. Apollo was there. She could hear him, striding up beside her. Then she felt the brush of his hand on the small of her back. Evangeline spun to the side and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of her hand hitting his cheek echoed through the inn, loud, cracking, and satisfying. You loathsome, conceited, cowardly worm of a prince, she thought as she watched his skin turn an inflamed shade of red.

To hold her until she no longer wanted to escape. “I thought we were over this nonsense about your not acting like my wife.” His arms tightened around her and—

What’s that saying about love? You know the one that mentions the sugar, the fire, and cost of desire?” Evangeline shook her head. “I’m not sure I’ve heard that one.”

I know what the stories say about Jacks’s kiss being fatal to all except for his one true love—and I know he’s supposedly already kissed that one girl. But I also know the stories here lie and twist the truth, so that could be a lie. I am Jacks’s true love. I believe it with the same confidence that I believe that water fills the oceans and morning follows the night. I believe it with all my heart and soul. And there has to be some sort of magic in that.” “I don’t think that’s how magic works.” LaLa looked at her sadly. “Believing something doesn’t make it true.” “But what if the reason I believe this is because it is true? I know the stories all say otherwise, but my heart keeps telling me that Jacks’s story isn’t finished.”

“I know I seem naive,” Evangeline pressed on. “I know my faith in love might appear foolish. I also know it might not be enough. But I’m not doing this because I believe I’ll win. I’m actually a little afraid I’m going to lose. I no longer think love is a guarantee of victory or of happily ever after. But I think it’s a reason to fight for those things. I know my attempt to save Jacks could end in a fiery explosion, but I’d rather go up in flames with him than watch while he burns.”

“To foolish hearts and fire! May you and Jacks only ever burn with passion and desire.”

The torches everywhere filled the night sky with plumes of smoke that gave everything a slightly ethereal look. It made Evangeline feel as if she was skirting the burnt pages of a storybook. A story she was eager to leave.

“I just want to kiss him,” Evangeline said softly. “And … I don’t want to die.”

Her pretty eyes hardened and her musical voice struck a bitter chord as she looked up at Evangeline and asked, “What did you do? Why did Jacks fall for you?” “Well, she’s not a raging bitch like you,” said LaLa.

Jacks was the Prince of Hearts—he’d been searching almost all his entire life for love. And now here she was—and he was giving up?

“When I realized Jacks was never going to kill the fox girl, I put another spell on him,” Aurora said. “But the story curse twisted the truth of it. It’s not Jacks’s true love who will be immune to his kiss and make his heart beat again. Only a girl who will never love Jacks can survive the kiss. Maybe your love can save his heart, but if you decide to kiss him, you’ll just be one more fox that Jacks has murdered.”

“I love you, Jacks.” He closed his eyes as she said the word love. She hoped a little harder. She wanted to ask him to look at her, but all that mattered was that he didn’t let her go. “I used to wonder if fate was real,” she said gently. “I used to fear it meant that I had no real choices. Then I secretly hoped fate was real and that you and I were fated, that by some miraculous chance I was your true love. But now I don’t care if fate is real—because I don’t need it to decide for me. I don’t need it to make this choice. I’ve made my decision, Jacks. It’s you. It will always be you, until the end of time. And I’ll fight fate or anyone else who tries to tear us apart—including you. You are my choice. You are my love. You are mine. And you are not going to be the end of me, Jacks.” “I think I already am.” He opened his eyes and they dripped red tears. “Let me go, Evangeline.”

“Don’t ask me to do that.” “Then don’t ask me to let you go!” His eyes bled more tears, but his hand held tight to the jar. “I’m broken. I like to break things. Sometimes I want to break you.” “Then break me, Jacks.”

already told you. You are the love of my life. You are mine, Jacks of the Hollow. And you’re not going to be the end of me.”

“But you were dying.” “No,” she said, a little embarrassed. “I just forgot to breathe.”

“You look as if you’re contemplating something I’m not going to like,” she said. Jacks idly stroked her jaw with his fingers. “I love you,” he said simply. Then his face went abruptly serious. “I’m never going to let you out of my sight.” “You say that as if it should be a threat.” He continued to look at her solemnly. “This isn’t just for now, it’s for always, Little Fox.” “I like the sound of always.” She smiled against his fingers, and then she reached up to touch his cheek, because now he was smiling, too. And he loved her. He loved her. He loved her. He loved her.

He loved her so much he’d rewritten history. He’d given up what he had believed was his only chance at love. And now he had finally broken the spell that he never thought he’d escape.

For a moment, everything was perfect again. Jacks had his heart. She had Jacks. They were in love. This was everything she wanted. This was happily ever after.

“Is your pride really so wounded that you would kill me over a kiss?” “That’s not what I’m doing.” He worked his jaw as sweat dripped down his forehead. “I wanted us to be together forever, I wanted my legacy to be yours as well. I was going to make you a queen.” “And now you’re not, so you’re going to kill me?” “It’s not like that—I don’t want to kill you. If there was another way, I wouldn’t do this, but there’s not. I can’t keep you safe as a mere human, but I can’t have you and be more.” He dropped to his knees and stroked her cheek with his fingers. “This is the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make. You’re the love of my life, Evangeline, and I will miss you desperately.” He leaned in closer and he kissed her lips.

warned you,” Wolfric said. “I told you before, if you valued your life, you would forget all about this tree.” Apollo suddenly dropped to his knees and clutched the ground with one hand as if trying to find purchase. “You told me it would take the life of the person I love the most.” “It is,” Wolfric replied. “It’s taking you.”

Apollo’s hands clawed at the bark as he screamed, “You’re supposed to take her, not me!”

“You can ask me whatever you want, Little Fox.” “Splendid!” Her mouth turned up into a sweet smile. “Tell me about the apples.” “Next question.” “You said I could ask whatever I wanted.” The not-quite-human-boy’s eyes turned teasing, sparking with little flecks of silver. “I didn’t say that I would answer.” The girl’s mouth fell into a pout. The not-quite-human reached out with one finger and traced her lower lip. “It doesn’t matter,” he said softly. “I don’t need them anymore.” The girl’s lashes fluttered with surprise. The not-quite-human-boy leaned in closer … And the story curse decided to stop watching. It was time to leave these two alone and let them have their ever after. Other stories were brewing in the Magnificent North.