Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2
The Ballad of Never After
by Stephanie Garber
Contents
Chapter 43
Overview
Apollo attacks under the curse, but Evangeline traps him and flees with Jacks. In the aftermath, Jacks reveals the four stones together allow a single trip to rewrite the past, which would erase Evangeline’s memories of him. He confesses he is the Archer whose kiss kills, resolving to undo their history to save her.
Summary
Apollo turns violent, choking Evangeline until the mirror curse forces him to release her. Gasping, Evangeline seizes the jar with the mirth stone and pulls a lever that drops a cage over Apollo, imprisoning him while he pleads that he doesn’t want to hurt her.
Jacks arrives, murderous toward Apollo, and orders Evangeline to leave. Remembering their shared pain, Evangeline warns Jacks that harming Apollo hurts her, too. Jacks carries her to his room, holding her tightly. Their intimacy builds—Jacks gently licks the blood from her lips—but he abruptly shuts down and pulls away.
When Evangeline pushes for the truth, Jacks explains the arch stones together grant a single return to any past moment. He plans to revisit meeting Princess Donatella, believing she was his only chance at true love. Evangeline realizes that would create a new reality where she forgets Jacks, though he would remember and keep their paths apart.
Pressed to admit what he truly wants, Jacks vows he wants to erase every moment with Evangeline to keep her alive, confessing he will kill her as he killed the Fox. Evangeline recognizes Jacks as the Archer. He reveals he once resisted the curse without touching the girl, but his first kiss killed her, and every kiss since—except one—has been fatal. Declaring Evangeline is not that exception, he resolves to leave before he destroys her.
Who Appears
- Evangeline FoxProtagonist; survives Apollo’s attack, traps him, seeks comfort from Jacks, and forces revelations about the stones and his identity.
- Jacks (Prince of Hearts)Rescues Evangeline; admits the stones enable one-time time reversal, plans to revisit Donatella, reveals he is the Archer with a fatal kiss.
- Prince ApolloCursed husband; attacks Evangeline with red eyes, is trapped in a cage, pleads he doesn’t want to hurt her.