Page 96 of A Curse for True Love (Once Upon a Broken Heart)

He smiled broadly as he finished clapping. “You two know how to put on quite a performance. That was romantic and self-destructive. The only thing it’s missing is the grand finale.” Apollo’s grin widened. It was a smile that would forever make Evangeline dread princely smiles. “But I think I can help with that.”

He reached up toward the phoenix tree and plucked a golden leaf.

There was a crackle.

A spark.

“Evangeline, run!” Jacks pushed her from his lap just as the tree burst into flames. It was blinding light. White and bright. It consumed the beautiful tree in seconds. The trunk, the branches, the leaves, all of them were burning.

Evangeline ran hard and fast.

She told herself not to turn around.

But where was Jacks? Why wasn’t he following her?

The smoke was growing thicker, the flames were burning hotter. She paused just for a second. She turned to look.

“Jacks!” There was so much smoke.“Jacks!”She started to run back.

“Oh no you don’t!” Apollo’s arms wrapped around her from behind, quick and far too strong.

“No!” Evangeline cried. She tried to break free, but Apollo was so much bigger than she was. “Jacks—”

“Stop trying to fight me.” Apollo picked her up roughly and tossed her over his shoulder, pinning her legs in place with onelarge arm as her head and arms hung upside down. “I’m trying to save you, Evangeline!”

“No!Youdid this!” She beat Apollo’s back with her fists, she kicked his chest with her legs.

“Jacks!” she screamed again.

Briefly she paused her fighting to lift her head, to see if he’d come through the fire, if he’d come for her.

But all she saw was smoke and flames.

44Apollo

Evangeline continued to scream and hit Apollo with her fists, hard enough that she might even leave bruises. Yet he barely felt the blows.

She’d chosen Jacks, again.

She’d chosen wrong, again.

Apollo had tried to save her. He’d tried to protect her, but he hadn’t been enough. He could see that now. The spell Jacks had cast on her wasn’t going to be broken by anyone who was merely human. It was just too bad that Apollo couldn’t be human and still save her.

It didn’t take long for him to make his way back to the arch that had brought him to the clearing with the phoenix tree. He hadn’t seen Jacks coming after them through the flames, but hewasn’t feeling optimistic enough to hope that meant Jacks was dead.

But it didn’t really matter if he was alive. Apollo didn’t think Jacks would be able to use the arch on his own. He wouldn’t be able to take Evangeline away from him, not this time.

Pain sliced through Apollo at the thought.

He wished he could rip the damn protection cuff off her.

But he had expected the pain this time. And he was used to pain; he’d felt it constantly under the Archer’s curse. But this pain was much worse.

He stumbled and nearly dropped Evangeline as he went through the arch.

“Let me go!” she screamed. “Please! Please, I have to go back—” She continued to cry. “If you care for me at all, let me go!”

Apollo finally dropped her on the ground. She tried to crawl away. But he was larger and stronger. He grabbed her by the ankle and yanked hard enough that she landed on her stomach. The pain that lashed through him this time was nearly blinding. But it took only one pull to make her fall. Then he used his body to keep her immobile as he reached for the shackles he’d attached to his belt.

---