Page 42 of Jilted By Jack Frost

“Fuck this.” I find it liberating, saying out loud one of those vulgar words that Violet loves so much. I had already caught myself using profanity in my thoughts.

What else has she changed in me? How would she keep changing things?

I stand abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. The temperature drops further as I pace. Ice crystals form in the air around me, suspended like frozen stars. Each breath comes out as white mist, even for me.

I should have never let her leave.

The thought crashes through my carefully constructed walls of duty and obligation. It’s selfish. Dangerous. Everything I’ve fought against for centuries.

But it’s true.

The prophecy warned of destruction, yet everything seems to be falling apart precisely because I pushed her away.

What if I was wrong?

A blast of magic hits me from behind, ice shards piercing my shoulders. I stumble forward, catching myself against my desk.What the hell?

“You’re even weaker than I expected.” Gabriel’s voice carries none of its usual warmth. “Sending her away really did a number on you, didn’t it?”

I spin around, frost gathering at my fingertips. “What are you doing?”

“What I should have done centuries ago.” Gabriel’s gray eyes flash with hatred. “Father was a fool to choose you as his heir.”

The word strikes like a physical blow. “Father?”

“Oh yes, dear brother.” His lips curl into a sneer. “Didn’t you ever wonder why I’ve stayed by your side all these years? Why I know so much about our realm’s history?”

Ice spreads across the floor between us as my power responds to my rising anger. “You’ve been lying to me.”

“I’ve beenwaiting.“ Another blast of magic, this one catching me in the chest. “Waiting for you to make the same mistake Father did—rejecting your mate for the sake ofduty.”

I slam into the bookshelf, ancient tomes clattering to the floor. My power feels sluggish, weakened.

Fuck.He’s right. Sending Violet away took away too much of my power. And since when did Gabriel have winter powers?

“She tried to warn me about you.” The realization burns through me like acid. “Every time she questioned something, you twisted it. Made me doubt her.”

Gabriel laughs, the sound sharp as breaking ice. “She was annoyingly persistent about digging through those old records. Such a shame you didn’t listen to her.”

My chest aches at the memory of Violet’s face when I dismissed her discoveries. She didn’t stop trying to show me the truth, even when I pushed her away.

“You know what’s truly pathetic?” Gabriel stalks closer, magic crackling around him. “She was the only one who never lied to you. Who challenged you openly instead of playing games. And you sent her away.”

The truth of his words cuts deeper than any magic could. Violet had been honest from the start—about her feelings, her doubts, everything. While I listened to Gabriel’s honey-coated lies.

“You’re right.” I push myself up, ignoring the pain. “I was a fool.”

“Finally, something we agree on.” Gabriel raises his hand, ice magic gathering in his palm. “Too bad it’s too late to fix your mistake.”

But he’s wrong. The bond between Violet and me might be stretched thin by distance, but it isn’t broken. I can feel it now, humming beneath my skin like a forgotten song.

I never should have doubted her.

The bond pulses stronger, calling to me like a beacon. Gabriel’s magic crackles through the air, but I barely notice it now. All I can think about is Violet—her warmth, her strength, her unwavering honesty.

My brother launches another attack. Ice shards tear into my flesh, but the pain feels distant. Meaningless.

“You’re pathetic.” Gabriel’s footsteps echo across the frozen floor. “Centuries of ruling this realm, and you’re ready to throw it all away for some mortal?”

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