Mars Conrad

“Don't cry, my love.' She carefully wiped his tears with her fingers. 'I'm all right.

She gave him a wobbly smile.

His eyes went wide and as blue as a clear sky after a storm.

'How is this...' he trailed off.

It was a little endearing to watch. His sulky mouth gently parted as he seemed to forget how to speak.

'I 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.”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse for True Love

“That's not going to work at all,' he muttered.

'Why not?' Evangeline spun around.

...

'Jacks frowned, his lips turning down at the corners. 'I think it will attract too many people.'

She laughed. 'That's the entire point of an inn, silly.'

His frown deepened. Possibly at being called silly.

That made Evangeline smile wider.

Then Jacks was taking hold of the ribbon around her waist and tugging her closer to him. She'd noticed before that he couldn't go very long without touching her. Tucking hair behind her ear, toying with the straps of her gown, coming up behind her and pressing kisses to the back of her neck as he wrapped his cool arms around her and whispered things that often made her blush.

'I don't want anyone here but you,' he murmured. Then in one of his lighting-fast moves, he deftly stole the paintbrush from her fingers.

'What are you doing?' she squeaked as Jacks released her waist and swished the brush across the sign, adding two letters right before the word happily.

'There,' he said smugly, 'it's fixed now.'

Evangeline scowled, as did the little blue dragon who'd been perched happily on the sign. The greeting on the sign, still swinging from Jacks' handiwork, now read:

THE HOLLOW

Inn for Travellers, Adventurers

and Those searching for

UNHappily Ever After.

'No one will come if it says that,' Evangeline said.

'Don't be so pessimistic,' Jacks carelessly dropped the brush back in the bucket. 'People will still come. They'll just be a little cursed if they dare to stay here.'

(Indigo Exclusive Edition Alternate Ending).”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse for True Love

“Upon Evangeline and Jacks's initial return to the inn, the Hollow had actually been quite frosty. Doors often slammed shut. Windows stuck. Wardrobes refused to open. Faucets yielded only icy water.

'I think it's cross with us,' Jacks had said. 'Give it a few days. It will warm up.'

The walls had rattled then.

'If it doesn't, we'll leave,' Jacks added, tossing a dart up in the air as he spoke. 'We can build a new inn- a better one.'

Jacks caught his dart, then threw it, purposefully missing the board and sinking the dart's sharp tip into the wall instead.

Doors stopped slamming after that. Windows no longer stuck, and wardrobes were more eager to open.

As the days went on, the Hollow became friendlier and friendlier. Fresh flowers started to appear on tables. Evangeline found new logs in the fireplaces every morning at dawn, and whenever she drew a bath, the water was always perfectly warm.

The Hollow wanted them to stay.

(Indigo Exclusive Edition Alternate Ending).”
― Stephanie Garber, A Curse for True Love

“Then very soft from LaLa: “I hope you brought enough apples.”
― Stephanie Garber, The Ballad of Never After