Once Upon a Broken Heart, #2
The Ballad of Never After
by Stephanie Garber
Contents
Chapter 42
Overview
Evangeline resists the temptation to use the mirth stone, choosing painful clarity over enchanted comfort. Apollo secretly visits and begins tenderly, but his eyes turn red and he starts to choke her, revealing the persistent danger of his curse. The encounter intensifies the stakes around breaking the Archer’s curse and confronting Apollo’s instability.
Summary
Evangeline experiences brief relief after deciding not to rely on the mirth stone. She replaces the lid on the iron jar and hides it beneath her pillow, choosing to face her heartbreak rather than live in a delusion. She resolves to open the arch and break the Archer’s curse, uncertain how that will change things with Apollo.
As she tries to rest, the air thickens and Apollo appears at her bedside. He approaches gently, with brown eyes and a haunted, vulnerable demeanor that mirrors Evangeline’s own pain. Seeking not to hurt him further, Evangeline allows his touch, which soothes her grief. Their kissing grows intimate and trusting, and Apollo carefully undresses her cloak and checks her comfort.
The tenderness shifts when Apollo’s kisses trail to Evangeline’s neck and his hands move from her breasts to her throat. His eyes turn from brown to red, and his hands begin to squeeze. Terror overtakes Evangeline as Apollo’s curse reasserts itself, transforming the moment from solace to danger.
The scene confirms that Apollo remains unstable and threatening despite moments of clarity, reinforcing Evangeline’s need to break the Archer’s curse without surrendering to the mirth stone’s false comfort.
Who Appears
- Evangeline FoxResists using the mirth stone, seeks clarity, and is confronted by Apollo’s tender approach that turns violent.
- Prince ApolloVisits Evangeline gently, kisses her, then his eyes turn red and he begins choking her under the curse’s influence.