“I do.”
“So…” Jack gently grabbed her hand before quickly slipping the ring off it. “If I took this and all those other things away and said no more jewelry for the rest of eternity, you’re saying you would be okay with that?” he fished, trying not to smirk. He seemed to think Elle was actually concerned over losing wealth and jewelry.
“I get to keep you, right?”
“But of course.”
Elle squealed as she wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed his cheek. “Best news ever! Because honestly, I really don’t know where to place all things you keep surprising me with.”
Jack watched her with a loving gaze as a cold finger stroked her warm cheek. His brows furrowed. “You could really live without a life of wealth and luxury, couldn’t you?”
“If I get to keep you, I’ll happily move into a cardboard box, Jack.”
“I don’t plan on allowing you to live inside a cardboard box, kitten, but I appreciate the sentiment.” He smirked. Jack bowed his frosted head down to glance at the ring in his hand. “I’ll be right back.”
Just like that, he was gone. Before Elle could spend too much time wondering where he had gone, Jack reappeared with a black leather box that was slightly worn and ripped. “Elle, this is something I have never shown another living creature.”
Elle watched the box carefully, wondering why he suddenly looked rather nervous. It always frightened her to see Jack look apprehensive about something. The majority of the time, he displayed the utmost confidence. Any time he looked unsure caused Elle to find herself unsure.
“This,” he began, stepping forward, “was the ring Boreas gave my mother the day I was born. He loved her, but he couldn’t stay with her. He wanted her to always remember him, and so he created something to document that they created me…” Jack trailed off, opening the dirty old box to reveal a silver band with a simple iridescent gem in the center. The ring seemed to glow a soft blue in the light. It was simple yet quite elegant.
“It’s beautiful,” Elle murmured, certain she had never seen something so very beautiful or unique in her entire life.
A sweet smile lit up Jack’s features as he released a breath Elle wasn’t aware he had been holding in. “As much as I loathe Apollo, he was right. My first ring doesn’t fit your personality, not at all. But then again, I don’t believe I’ll ever be able to find something that truly captures the beauty of your soul.”
Elle was about to speak before Jack gently shook his head. “I love you, Evangeline. You are the only woman I have ever wanted to spend the rest of my existence with and the only person I’ve ever wanted to become a better person because of,” he said, looking a tad nervous. “If I had to live in this cabin hiding for the rest of eternity, I would happily do so with you by my side.”
Elle tried to keep her eyes from misting as he gently slid the ring onto the fourth finger of her left hand.
Chapter 12
There was no time the next few days to bond over their overwhelming love for one another. The happiness of getting married was overwhelmed by the need for planning the royal wedding. Now that they were fully decided on getting married, it meant Jack was going to become king of all things related to winter. He explained to Elle getting married wasn’t as simply done as two individuals signing a document. Immortal marriages involving royalty were much more complex. Not only was it a must for both sides of the royals getting married to be involved, there were also members of the other communities that would want to be involved in the union of the heirs of Winter’s throne and Fire’s throne. It was a must for over hundreds of gods and goddesses to attend the festivities. That meant, to Elle’s vast dismay, that absolutely everyone was invited to the royal wedding regardless of any previous actions of trying to kill her or Jack.
“What if they try killing us?” demanded Elle furiously. “We all know Oritya or Zetes will try something.”
Hera ever so gently rolled her eyes as she bossed around castle keepers of Winter’s throne. The goddess was talented. The queen of the gods was respected wherever she went.
It did not matter that Oritya was currently the Queen of Winter; the castle keepers held the utmost respect for her. They scurried around the massive throne room listening to whatever commands she threw their way. It did not matter if Hera was having the keepers fetch the people she wanted to hire for decoration or something as simple as getting her an espresso. If she commanded it, the only action the keepers made was a swift nod and a run in the opposite direction to please her.
Before he had left earlier that morning for work, Jack had quietly explained the elves were assisting simply out of fear alone for the temperamental goddess rather than respect. According to him, Hera was a mighty force to be reckoned with; no one wanted to displease her.
“Do you really expect Oritya to stage an attack in a throne room full of immortals bent on keeping you alive, dear?” Hera chuckled humorously.
“I feel you want me to answer no,” said Elle dryly.
Hera sighed. “Elle, this is the end of all the chaos. You are simply meant to marry Jack. With that, you and he will become the king and queen of Winter’s throne and will then dance into a happily-ever-after while creating little fire-and-ice-throwing babies,” the goddess simpered. “Please stop overthinking it.”
Elle cocked a brow at that bizarre way of looking at everything. She strongly suspected that was truly how her godmother expected this all to go. Elle, on the other hand, felt suspicious something bad was going to happen. How could it not? Everyone from Hermes to Hera seemed to be under the impression everything was now fine and dandy now that the wedding was about to take place.
People were becoming far too lax in Elle’s opinion. It did not matter whether she always had Hermes or Hera hovering close; she expected some type of monster or angry immortal to suddenly pop into her life like an oversized whack-a-mole at any given moment.
“Pre-wedding jitters?” a warm voice asked softly.
Elle would have jumped at Apollo’s impromptu appearance had she not grown somewhat used to immortals popping up whenever they pleased. Jack often amused himself at the cabin by popping into a room to startle Elle. It had gotten to the point she had mentally declared strong retaliation when she finally gained the ability to teleport. “Not regarding Jack,” she answered honestly. “My jitters solely revolve around the idea of the immortals who’ve tried hurting us are watching us get married. How sick is that?”
“It’s all a part of the monarchy laws regarding this specific wedding.” Apollo nodded grimly. An odd silence hung thickly around them, causing Elle to remember their last encounter had been the epitome of awkwardness. He had wanted her to choose him. Elle knew how strongly she loved Jack. It was a burning—no pun intended—desire to always want to be near him. She loved everything about him.
An overwhelming sense of guilt flooded Elle at the very idea of Apollo loving her to that degree. She couldn’t imagine walking around loving someone with all your heart knowing they didn’t feel the same way for you. Her eyes couldn’t help but mist.
“We’ll never really be friends again, will we?”
Apollo’s blue eyes raised as he cocked his head to watch her. “That’s a rather negative notion.”
“But I’m right, aren’t I?”
Apollo motioned his head at Hera listening closely to their conversation. Beckoning her over, he gently took her hand before teleporting them to the far side of the room. Hera was then preoccupied with conversing with castle keepers regarding decorations and theme.
“I should hope not,” he answered in annoyance. “Being friend-zoned before shunned from your life as a friend indefinitely? That’s not going to happen.”
Elle laughed before watching him guiltily. Apollo stifled a laugh as well. “I think things between us were far simpler when we were just Aiden and Elle, two crazy teenagers who would sit at that coffee shop and listen to bad poetry.”
Elle laughed again. “Don’t
pretend for a moment you didn’t love that bad poetry.”
He provided a toothless grin. “I loved it because I got to spend it with my very best friend.” A sad look developed on Elle’s face, one that Apollo easily waved off. “Don’t do that. The day I saw you last, I wasn’t in my right state of mind. I missed you, and I allowed my dislike of Frost to overcloud my judgment.”
“Is it wrong that I love him enough to give up everything I ever knew?” she asked weakly.
Apollo balked. “You believe I’m the proper person to answer that?”
“Not in the slightest, but I’m not asking the great Apollo, Lord of glow or sun…by the way, isn’t Helios the real sun god?”
Apollo grinned. “I thought you’d never point that out. Yes, but there came a time when a battle took place regarding the sun,” he said simply, as if that answered everything. “Long story incredibly short, I won,” he said, his grin growing broader.
Elle smiled before shaking her head. “But…I’m not asking the immortal god. I’m asking the guy I spent years thinking was one of my best friends.”
Apollo’s happy look slowly slipped away. “You miss your family, don’t you?”
Elle gently nodded. “It’s my wedding day tomorrow, and my own grandparents don’t even know my fiancé, let alone my wedding is taking place on another continent. This sucks. What about Lucy? I’d have her be my maid of honor if she were here! What, does she just think I blew her off and never spoke to her again? Shadow, school…”
“Hey now,” Apollo said, coming forward and settling his warm hands on her bare shoulders. She could feel how warm he was given this annoying strapless gown she was currently wearing. “I promise you, I’ve been taking good care of everything back home. Jack…” Apollo sighed, looking and sounding as though simply saying his name aloud caused him deep agitation. “He made sure a heavy dowry was given to your family to ensure they were taken care of.”
“Wait, what? Dowry?”
Apollo nodded. “’Tis Greek custom. Those who wish to take a bride are to pay the family a dowry.”
“I know what a dowry is.” Elle laughed. “But what did Jack give?”
Apollo snorted. “Let’s just say your grandparents are so very financially set, they no longer need to worry about the nursery they own for the rest of their lives.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. They could lead a thousand lives in absolute luxury. He took care of them.”
Elle smiled warmly at the thought. She wanted to hug her favorite snowman so very much at that given moment. Apollo watched her curiously, nodding gently. “When you speak of him, your eyes light up and the biggest smile crosses your face,” he said quietly.
“I love him.” She smiled, an overwhelming feeling of happiness engulfing her at the very thought of Jack Frost. How very strange it was just a few short months ago she strongly detested the thought of marrying him. Now, she couldn’t imagine ever being with anyone other than him. He made her that insanely happy.
“So, to answer your question, my friend, no, it’s not wrong to love him,” said Apollo, his baby-blue eyes holding a strange look. He seemed happy for Elle yet silently heartbroken over it. His eyes suddenly darted across the room, wincing slightly. “Jack’s family has arrived,” he muttered crossly.
“Do not worry, my Lord, the Fire Princess is safe,” said an airy voice. A beautiful young woman with soft, cropped black hair stood beside Apollo. She smiled gently at Elle.
It was quite evident the girl was an immortal of some type. She looked very young but very wise beyond her years. The girl was beautiful. Her charcoal dark skin looked as though it could shimmer in the sunlight. Her golden eyes were gorgeous and full of unspoken knowledge. Her cream and gold tunic flowed behind her, causing the girl to look like a walking angel.
“Elle, this is Pythia,” said Apollo, nodding at the girl. “Pythia—”
“I know who this is, my Lord.” Pythia smiled toward Elle. Her voice sounded as young as she did. “You have been quite popular in my visions for quite some time, Evangeline Darrow.”
“Pythia,” said Elle slowly, recognizing the name from the stories she read. “You’re the Oracle of Delphi.”
“I am,” agreed Pythia with a wry smile. “’Tis enjoyable to finally meet the highly spoken of Fire Princess.”
Elle’s eyes narrowed as she realized who exactly Pythia was. This was the oracle who gave out all the prophecies regarding her. “So you’re the one who keeps telling everyone I’m going to die.” It was not a question, rather an annoyed statement.
Apollo’s expression fell. He looked rather guilty. “She simply relays the prophecy she sees when they come to her, Elle. She doesn’t create them.”
Even still, Elle could not help the irrational dislike for the gorgeous woman who determined she would one day die tragically. “So according to you, I die by Macaria?”
Pythia raised a beautifully sculpted brow. “According to me, you shall die by your sibling, yes.”
Elle turned to Apollo with raised brows. “And you thought I would want to have this chick here today? What, is she gonna give me a casket as a wedding gift?”
Apollo soon looked profusely apologetic as he sent a harsh glare toward his oracle. “I suggest you keep to yourself, my dear,” he scowled. “You would not be here if not for Hades wishing to speak with you.”
Pythia smiled dreamily as she slowly started to dance to imaginary music. “You rather I lie about prophecies, my Lord?”
Apollo’s jaw clenched as his teeth bared. “I rather you try not to aggravate me more than you already have, my highest priestess.”
“As you wish,” said Pythia whimsically, drifting away while dancing in a gentle fashion.
Elle stared after the girl, surprise coating her features as the oracle continued to dance to music that did not exist. “I’m supposed to take my looming death seriously when a girl who seems insane gave the prophecy?”
“She is but a mouthpiece of a higher power that provides the impending future,” explained Apollo with a shake of his head. “I have yet to find another soul who is able to accept the visions that she does.”
Elle waited until the oracle was well out of earshot before speaking. “I gather you don’t like her.”
Apollo clicked his tongue before sighing. “She’s been intent on aggravating me for the last century, given her time as oracle is almost up. Until then, she’s enjoying my patience being tried.”
“Can you do that, just replace her?”
Apollo grinned. “It has been foretold that Pythia is not meant to last as my Oracle of Delphi. One day, who knows when, she will be replaced by another. This could be relatively soon or a couple thousand years from now when the oracle reveals herself to me.”
“How do you know she’s meant to be replaced?”
“I was foretold by my oracle who came before Pythia. This was many centuries ago, and my previous oracle was very rarely wrong.”
“Any hard feelings from Pythia about losing her job?”
“Other than annoying me on a personal level, no,” Apollo snorted. “Pythia knows her days are numbered. She has always known.”
“You told her that when you gave her the job?”
Apollo openly laughed, shaking his blond head. “Styx, no. I never tell my oracles anything. If they are truly gifted with prophecy, they can foresee what concerns them well enough on their own.”
Elle watched as the strange yet beautiful girl continued to twirl around in a circle far across the room. “Do you think that Pythia’s predictions are written in stone?”
Apollo arched a brow to watch her. “I’ve walked among humankind for many years, Evangeline Darrow. And I have never said this before, given I’ve been known as the god of prophecy,” he said, leaning down to get even with Elle’s eye level. “I, along with your frozen fiancé and all else who love you dearly, plan on making sure the prophecy regarding your ultimate demise never comes true.”
Elle sl
owly nodded as she continued to watch Pythia. There was something about the oracle that she didn’t like. Perhaps it was completely irrational, but Elle was strangely finding she didn’t quite trust the Oracle of Delphi.
Chapter 13
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful bride,” exclaimed Hera the next day, looking as though she was trying very hard not to well up with tears.
Elle watched her reflection in the mirror, surprised by her own appearance. She looked beautiful. For the very first time, Elle felt this was the closest she had come to resembling a true goddess. Her slender frame was draped in a long gown of rich white material that was decorated with rubies. It was designed by Hera’s “top-notch” dress makers. It was custom made exclusively for Elle, given she was the descendant of the Fire Kingdom. The red rubies sparkled brightly in the light, almost yet not quite giving off the impression she was sparking with flames. Elle’s lips were coated a red deep enough to match the rubies decorating the gown. Her eyes were a pitch-black, enhanced with a smoky color that somehow made her brown orbs pop.
Vibrant red shadows covered her eyes. Considering her skin appeared to be glinting, Elle bet the light blush that had been used had traces of sparkles in them. To top the look, Elle’s dark mane was curled and gently rolled down her back as a very large crown resembling icicles sat upon her head. This crown was not comparable to Oritya’s or Khione’s crowns; Elle’s held ruby-looking stems braided throughout the crystalized icicles, giving it a look as though the ice was melting due to flames.
On her feet were glorious ruby heels that were easy to walk in even though they prompted her height grow at least two inches. Elle watched the extravagant beauty staring back at her in the mirror, plenty certain she had never looked more beautiful in her entire life. In a way, it made her sad. There were a few people she loved more than anything who would not be here to celebrate her own wedding day. She did not have her grandparents, Lucy, or even her father to walk her down the aisle. It made her eyes tear up.
Betrothed To Jack Frost Box Set Page 47
