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“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.”
― The Ballad of Never After
― The Ballad of Never After
“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.
He silently held her tighter and pressed his forehead to hers.
She wasn't sure if he was crying or if she was, but there was wet on her cheeks. It felt a lot like tears. And then she felt...
Nothing.”
― The Ballad of Never After
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.
He silently held her tighter and pressed his forehead to hers.
She wasn't sure if he was crying or if she was, but there was wet on her cheeks. It felt a lot like tears. And then she felt...
Nothing.”
― The Ballad of Never After
“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.”
― A Curse for True Love
'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.”
― A Curse for True Love
“You know,' she confessed, 'I've always loved your dimples.'
'I know.' He smirked. 'You were so obvious with your love at first sight.'
'It was not love at first sight.' She huffed. 'I only said I like your dimples at the start.' She dropped her hand from his cheek. 'I didn't even like you. I thought you were terrible.'
'And yet.' He grabbed her hand again and wrapped it around his neck. 'You kept staring.'
Well...' She wrapped her other hand around his neck before sliding her fingers back into his hair. She really loved his hair. 'I might not have liked you, but you were always ridiculously handsome.”
― A Curse for True Love
'I know.' He smirked. 'You were so obvious with your love at first sight.'
'It was not love at first sight.' She huffed. 'I only said I like your dimples at the start.' She dropped her hand from his cheek. 'I didn't even like you. I thought you were terrible.'
'And yet.' He grabbed her hand again and wrapped it around his neck. 'You kept staring.'
Well...' She wrapped her other hand around his neck before sliding her fingers back into his hair. She really loved his hair. 'I might not have liked you, but you were always ridiculously handsome.”
― A Curse for True Love
“Why are you being so cruel?'
'Because you won't leave!' Jacks shouted. 'And if you stay, you will die. Chaos hasn't fed in thousands of years. I know he thinks he can control his hunger, but he can't. That's why they put the helm on him.'
'You could have just said that. If you didn't want me to say goodbye or you want me to leave, you don't have to hurt me to get me to do it.'
'I'm not- I-' Jacks broke off abruptly. His eyes were no longer just red, they were blazing with fear. She'd never seen him look so terrified before. She'd been poisoned, shot, lashed across the back, and Jacks had always kept his calm until now.
With a great deal of effort, he took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft but uneven. 'I'm sorry, Little Fox. I didn't want to hurt you, I just-'
He looked suddenly at a loss for words, as if whatever he said next might be the wrong thing. He's never looked at her like this before.
'Jacks, please, don't use the stones tonight. Come with me instead.'
He took a jagged breath. For a second, he looked torn. He raked a hand through his hair, his movements jagged.
Evangeline took a step closer.
He shuttered his expression and took a step back. 'This doesn't change anything. I still can't have you in my life. You and I aren't meant to be.'
'What if you're wrong?'
Evangeline had once heard a tale about a pair of doomed stars, drawn across skies toward each other's brightness, even though they knew that if they drew too close, their desire would end in a fiery explosion. This was how Jacks looked at her now. As if neither of them would survive if they drew any closer.
'Evangeline, you need to go.'
A thunderous roar poured out from the Valory, so loud it shook the arch and the angels and the ground at Evangeline's feet.
'Get out of here.' Jacks said.
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 another ending,' Jacks said flatly. 'I just want you to leave.”
― The Ballad of Never After
'Because you won't leave!' Jacks shouted. 'And if you stay, you will die. Chaos hasn't fed in thousands of years. I know he thinks he can control his hunger, but he can't. That's why they put the helm on him.'
'You could have just said that. If you didn't want me to say goodbye or you want me to leave, you don't have to hurt me to get me to do it.'
'I'm not- I-' Jacks broke off abruptly. His eyes were no longer just red, they were blazing with fear. She'd never seen him look so terrified before. She'd been poisoned, shot, lashed across the back, and Jacks had always kept his calm until now.
With a great deal of effort, he took a deep breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was soft but uneven. 'I'm sorry, Little Fox. I didn't want to hurt you, I just-'
He looked suddenly at a loss for words, as if whatever he said next might be the wrong thing. He's never looked at her like this before.
'Jacks, please, don't use the stones tonight. Come with me instead.'
He took a jagged breath. For a second, he looked torn. He raked a hand through his hair, his movements jagged.
Evangeline took a step closer.
He shuttered his expression and took a step back. 'This doesn't change anything. I still can't have you in my life. You and I aren't meant to be.'
'What if you're wrong?'
Evangeline had once heard a tale about a pair of doomed stars, drawn across skies toward each other's brightness, even though they knew that if they drew too close, their desire would end in a fiery explosion. This was how Jacks looked at her now. As if neither of them would survive if they drew any closer.
'Evangeline, you need to go.'
A thunderous roar poured out from the Valory, so loud it shook the arch and the angels and the ground at Evangeline's feet.
'Get out of here.' Jacks said.
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 another ending,' Jacks said flatly. 'I just want you to leave.”
― The Ballad of Never After
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