Page 61 of Jilted By Jack Frost

“What she means,” Jack steps closer, his presence steady and reassuring, “is that her duties here require significant attention. The integration of mortal and magical healing is delicate work.”

I squeeze his hand, grateful for the support. “I’m not abandoning nursing, Alana. I’m just... practicing on a different scale now.”

“But you’ll visit, right?” Alana’s eyes shine with unshed tears.

I wrap my arms around her. “Of course. Jack’s already working on a way for me to travel more easily between realms.”

“Good, because I need my best friend.” She pulls back, wiping her eyes. “Especially now that I’ve sworn off men forever.”

“What? Since when?”

“Since Brad.” She slumps against the library wall. “Found him with one of the new surgical residents last week.”

“I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” Jack grins and makes an exaggerated bow. I give him a quick nod before turning my attention back to Alana.

My hands curl into fists. “What? That absolute—”

“It’s fine.” She waves off my anger. “I’m done. No more relationships. No more dating. Just me, my career, and occasional wine nights with you.”

“Alana...”

“Don’t give me that look. I mean it this time.” She straightens her spine. “Some of us aren’t destined for magical fairy tale romances with winter kings.”

If she only knew what I went through to get here.

“Besides,” she continues, “after seeing all this—” she gestures at our surroundings “—how could any normal guy compare? What’s the point?”

A chill draft whistles through the library, making the pages of nearby books flutter.

“Speaking of magical beings...” I bite my lip. “There’s something else you should know. About Gabriel.”

Her expression darkens. “The guy who tried to kill you and Jack?”

“He’s... contained. In the dungeons below.”

“You havedungeons?” She shakes her head. “Of course, you have dungeons. Wait—isn’t that dangerous, keeping him here?”

“Jack has him under powerful binding spells. But...” I hesitate, remembering Gabriel’s wild eyes and bitter words. “He’s Jack’s brother. Half-brother. It’s complicated.”

“Sounds like a mess.” She wraps her arms around herself. “Promise me you’ll be careful? I don’t trust anyone who’d try to hurt their own family like that.”

“I promise.” I touch the silvery mark on my arm. “But you should have seen him, Alana. He looked so... broken. Like someone who’s been alone too long.”

“Don’t.” She points a finger at me. “I know that tone. That’s your ‘someone needs healing’ voice. Some people can’t be fixed, Vi.”

Maybe. But everyone deserves a chance at redemption.

Chapter twenty-five

Jack

The month after our wedding, I stand at the grand windows of my chambers—ourchambers now. Violet’s warmth still lingers on my skin, her scent of vanilla and frost flowers permeating the air. Something has shifted in my realm. It has been a slow but steady shift.

Sunlight streams through the ice crystal windows, casting rainbow prisms across the floor. The eternal darkness that plagued my kingdom for years has lifted.How did I never notice how oppressive that darkness was?

“The ice walls are melting.” Violet’s arms wrap around my waist from behind, her chin resting against my shoulder.

I cover her hands with mine. “No, not melting like before. Transforming.”

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