21. Jack
Chapter twenty-one
Jack
T he weight of my crown feels different now as I hold it in my hands, studying the ice crystals that have sustained my realm for centuries. My chambers feel hollow without Violet’s warmth, though she rests just down the hall, recovering from Gabriel’s attack.
I almost lost her. My stubbornness nearly cost everything.
Rising from my desk, I gather my magic and craft a second crown from the eternal ice—this one a delicate circlet meant for Violet. Frost flowers bloom along its gentle curves, and each crystal captures light like the opalescent glow I first saw when Violet touched my sculptures.
With a final wave of my hand, I add matching frost flowers to my crown as well, letting them wind between the deadly points. A reminder that even the harshest winter can harbor beauty.
My feet carry me to her door before I can second-guess myself. The guard steps aside with a respectful nod.
I pause, my knuckles hovering over the wood. “Violet?”
“Come in.” Her voice sounds tired but steady.
She’s propped up against pillows, her brown hair tousled, dark circles under her eyes from exhausting her magic. The sight of her drained and vulnerable makes my chest ache.
“I have something for you.”
“If it’s another lecture about staying in bed, save it. The nurse in me knows better than you do.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. Even injured, her fire burns bright. I move to sit on the edge of her bed; the circlet cradled in my palms.
“This is an apology. And a promise. I was wrong. About everything. The prophecy, your presence here, what I thought would destroy my kingdom.”
I trace one of the frost flowers with my finger. “You were never meant to be my downfall. You are my salvation.”
“Pretty words don’t fix everything.”
“No. But actions might.” I hold out the circlet. “This is crafted from my own power, bound with ancient winter magic. By giving it to you, I’m sharing my strength, my kingdom... my heart. If you’ll have them.”
Her fingers brush mine as she touches the crown, and that familiar opalescent glow spreads through the ice. “You risked everything to save me from Gabriel. ”
“I would do it again. A thousand times over.”
A tear slides down her cheek, but she’s smiling. “Help me put it on?”
With gentle hands, I place the circlet on her head. The frost flowers seem to come alive, tiny crystals dancing in her hair. She’s never looked more beautiful.
“I promise you, Violet Jones, I will spend every day proving worthy of being your mate.”
Her breath catches as I lean forward, drawn by the way the crystals reflect in her eyes. The scent of her—warm vanilla and something uniquely Violet—fills my senses. My fingertips trace the edge of the circlet where it meets her temple.
“It suits you.” My voice comes out rougher than intended.
“Does this mean I get to boss people around now, too?” A playful smile tugs at her lips.
Even after everything, she can still make me want to smile.
“You’ve been ‘bossing people around’ since the moment you arrived.” I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “The crown merely makes it official.”
She catches my hand before I can withdraw it, her warm fingers wrapping around my cool ones. “Speaking of official... we need to talk about what happened with Gabriel.”
The name sends ice crackling along my fingertips. “He will never harm you again.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She shifts closer, wincing slightly at the movement. “Jack, he is your brother. All those centuries of manipulation... are you okay? ”
Am I okay? The question catches me off guard. No one has asked me that in... I can’t remember how long.
“I should be asking you that. You pushed yourself too hard with magic today. Your body isn’t used to channeling that much power.”
“Stop deflecting.” Her grip tightens on my hand. “I saw your face when he revealed the truth.”
The memory of Gabriel’s betrayal burns like frost-bite. “I trusted him. For centuries, I let him guide my decisions, shape my beliefs.” My free hand clenches into a fist. “I let him convince me to push you away.”
“Hey.” She places her other hand over my fist until it relaxes. “You figured it out. You chose to listen when I brought you the truth, even though it meant questioning everything you believed.” She grins. “Eventually.”
“Too late. You could have died.”
“But I didn’t.” She tugs my hand until I meet her gaze. “And now we’re stronger. Together.”
The word settles something in my chest that’s been restless since Gabriel’s attack. Together . No more isolation, no more walls of ice between us.
The tenderness in Violet’s eyes makes my chest ache. I don’t deserve her forgiveness, not after everything I put her through.
Yet here she sits, still holding my hand like I’m something precious rather than the fool who nearly destroyed us both.
“You were protecting your kingdom.” She traces the frost patterns on my skin. “I understand that now.”
I shake my head. “Don’t make excuses for my behavior. I was a coward. ”
“Maybe.” A small smile plays at her lips. “But you’re my coward.”
Her possessive words stir something deep inside me, a warmth previously unfamiliar to my frozen heart. She tries to adjust her position, exhaustion clear in her movements after expending so much magical energy. Her powers have left her drained, yet that teasing smile remains.
“Here, let me—”
“No.” She holds up a hand, stopping my attempt to help. “I need to do this properly.”
Violet takes a deep breath, then slides from the bed to kneel before me. The crown I gave her catches the light, sending rainbow prisms dancing across her face. My throat tightens at the sight.
“Jack Frost, I pledge myself to you and this realm.” Her voice rings with conviction. “Not because of prophecy or fate, but because I choose to. Because I’ve seen your heart beneath all that ice, and it’s more beautiful than any sculpture in your garden.”
This impossible woman. Even wronged, she finds ways to humble me.
“I believe in you.” She presses her palm against my chest, right over my thundering heart. “In us. And I swear, by whatever power brought me here, I will never let anyone make you doubt yourself again.”
Magic surges between us at her words, pure and powerful. Ice crystals form in the air, catching light like stars, and beneath her touch, my skin glows with that same opalescent light from the first time she touched my sculptures.
“Violet...” My voice breaks on her name.
She rises up from her knees, bringing her face level with mine.
“I’m not finished. Your brother was wrong about everything. You’re not weak for feeling. You’re strongest when you let yourself feel everything.”
The truth of her words resonates through my entire being. I cup her face in my hands, marveling at how she leans into my icy touch without hesitation.
“How did I ever think you would destroy my kingdom?” The words come out rough with emotion. “You’ve already made it more magnificent than I ever could alone.”
Her hands slide up my chest, fingers tracing the frost patterns racing across my skin. “I love you, Jack. Not the Winter King, not Jack Frost. Just you.”
My heart stops. Her words echo in my mind as I study every detail of her face, searching for any hint of deception. The raw honesty in her expression steals my breath. My voice comes out rough with need.
“Say it again.”
She smiles up at me, reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair from my eyes.
“I love you, Jack Frost. I love the winter in your heart and the warmth you bring to mine.”
My heart pounds against my ribs. Centuries of isolation crack and fall away like ice in spring.
“I love you too, Violet. You’ve melted every wall I built. Made me feel things I thought died long ago.” I press my forehead to hers, breathing in her warmth. “You are my heart, my home, my everything.”
“Then stop fighting this—fighting us.” Her lips brush against mine as she speaks. “Let yourself have this happiness. Let yourself have me. ”
I pull her closer, my magic wrapping around us both in swirls of frost and starlight.
“I’m done fighting. You’re mine, and I’m yours. Forever.”
Her eyes shine with unshed tears, but her smile could melt glaciers. “That’s what happens when you let love in, my mate.”