She folded her arms across her chest, which probably didn’t look as forceful as she wanted with Jacks’s handkerchief still wrapped around her hand; one more reminder of how he’d helped her, even if it was with another problem he’d possibly created. “Jacks, leave me alone.”
He took another slow step. “You’re a little scary right now, did you know that?”
She glared at him.
“That was a compliment, Little Fox.” He reached toward her and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear with one featherlight touch.
Butterflies moved inside her. Different from the ones that she felt whenever she saw Apollo. Because Apollo didn’t frighten her.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked.
Jacks chuckled. “If I knew all it took to scare you was a little touch, I would have tried this sooner.” His fingertips played with her earlobe.
Evangeline pulled away, almost stumbling on the frozen ground. She hated that her legs were so unsteady. That one small touch could affect her so.
Even seconds later the ground was still shuddering. It didn’t feel quite like a true tremor, more like a shiver moving across the garden, and suddenly, Evangeline feared it wasn’t just from her wobbly limbs.
Outside the circle of garden lights above them, the world was darker. Curling mist instead of shrubs and trees. As Evangeline looked out, she had the same prickly sense she’d gotten nearly a week ago when Jacks had followed her into the library.
Someone was watching.
“I think someone else is here,” she whispered. Her eyes strained until she saw a figure appear in the distance. It was far enough away that it could have just been a trick of the shadows, but it looked to Evangeline like a rider astride a horse.
Jacks frowned. “It’s probably that gossipmonger from the scandal sheets.”
But Evangeline didn’t think so. This horseman looked broader and stronger, and familiar.
She took a step forward into the shadows.
“What are you doing?” Jacks asked.
“Don’t worry,” Evangeline replied. “I’m sure whoever it is couldn’t be more dangerous than you.”
But the truth was, something about this rider called to her. The only other one who had made her feel anything like this was Jacks. The broken heart scar on her wrist tied her to him, tingling and burning and reminding her that he was inescapable. With the rider, it was different. There was no tingle. It was more like a tether, pulling her toward him with an invisible cord. Snow fluttered around her shoulders as she continued down the moonlit path.
Leaves rustled, the horse whinnied, and a shaft of moonlight lit the horseman, enough for Evangeline to see clearly the familiar edges of his handsome face. Apollo.
8
Time stopped, or maybe it was just Evangeline’s heart. Apollo was awake. Fully awake. This must have been what Havelock was trying to tell her.
Evangeline felt an impossible burst of hope.
When she looked in the prince’s eyes, they were no longer red. Unlike the last time she’d seen him, Apollo appeared fully in control of himself.
Beside her, Jacks went nightmare stiff, and she couldn’t help but smile. With Apollo awake, all of Jacks’s leverage over her was gone. She didn’t need to open the Valory Arch. The horror was over. At least Evangeline wanted to believe it was.
Apollo’s stillness as he sat atop his horse was entirely unreadable. He wasn’t riding away from her, but he wasn’t moving toward her. And suddenly, Evangeline thought of another memory—one she’d have loved to bury forever. Right after Jacks’s love spell had been lifted, before Jacks’s poison had taken effect, Apollo had been furious and devastated, and he likely hadn’t forgiven her yet.
Little Fox, Jacks thought. I think we should leave.
Not yet, she thought back. But you can go.
Jacks gritted his teeth. Then she heard his voice in her head again, softer this time, as if he were trying to use his powers to coerce her. This is a terrible idea. A dangerous idea. You need to leave the garden now.
Evangeline shut him out. She was determined to hope for the best—maybe Apollo hadn’t forgiven her for the love spell, but the fact that he was here made her think that perhaps he wanted to. “I’m so glad you’re awake.”
Apollo took a deep breath, exhaling a small cloud of white. “Gods, you’re beautiful.”
Three words had never felt so powerful. She took a tentative step closer.
“Don’t!” he said harshly.
Evangeline’s heart fell.
Apollo raked a hand through his dark hair. “I’m sorry. I—I really don’t want to hurt you. I just—” He paused, and through a shaft of moonlight, she could see pain distort his expression. It was raw and wounded and like nothing she’d ever seen on his face before.