Betrothed To Jack Frost Box Set

by Alex Gedgaudas

  “Why would Calais save me if he did it?” wondered Elle. She had been hostile toward Calais when she saw him, but Elle wasn’t too sure he committed the crime. Had he, he wouldn’t have needed to go through the effort of saving her. Had he merely waited a few minutes longer, Elle would have died easily.

  Jack scowled. “Perhaps to place himself in my good graces, considering I’ll be king…mild entertainment, who knows? I really don’t have any trust in someone who once beat me to a pulp before drowning me.”

  “He acted too fast in counteracting the poison,” Elle recalled slowly. “He and Khione made to help me. The only people who didn’t move to help were…” She trailed off, frowning.

  “Were who?”

  “Oritya, Zetes, wives and concubines, and…” Elle trailed off, frowning at the memory.

  “And who else?” inquired Jack, using gentle fingers to stroke her warm cheek.

  “Boreas.”

  Chapter 17

  “What are you doing?” Elle inquired ten minutes later. Upon her stating that Boreas did not move to help her or bark a command at anyone, Jack was suddenly very serious. He took her back to his own wing of the castle. After disappearing for a long time, Jack had arrived back into his room with a bag that looked too small to hold anything. He went to a closet to grab a long cloak, boots, a dagger, and a few other random objects.

  “Something’s wrong,” said Jack finally, zooming around the room to look for whatever it was he was searching for.

  “Something’s been wrong ever since I was kidnapped to join your family.” Elle shrugged. “Your point?”

  “My father never speaks calmly to me when I disrespect his wife and children,” Jack explained quickly. “He does not simply watch me and act as though I said nothing offensive. He’s not polite. I challenge the old man, and he attempts to gain control of the situation verbally before sending me away. That didn’t happen tonight.”

  Elle frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  “My father has gone above and beyond to make sure this royal marriage is to take place,” said Jack in explanation. “He loves the idea of our marriage making me his successor. He desires to have the kingdoms of fire and ice unite,” Jack explained with a growl. “It’s not right that Boreas would simply be uncaring that you were dying on the dining room floor!”

  Elle finally realized what he was saying. “You think he knew his wife was trying to kill me tonight?”

  “Worse,” Jack breathed, finally pausing as he looked to Elle. “I don’t believe that soul I conversed with before my exit was my father.”

  Elle shivered as he quickly went back to packing and stuffing objects into the bag that looked incredibly too small to hold the amount that Jack was placing inside of it. “Our first kiss is proof for you that gods and goddesses can take on different appearances,” said Jack, glancing around his closet one more.

  “More like our only kiss,” mumbled Elle. Her comment finally grabbed Jack’s undivided attention.

  He raised a brow. “Is my betrothed truly complaining about a lack of kisses right after she nearly died?” Elle blushed a deep crimson. In the grand scheme of things, not being kissed by Jack lately really wasn’t a problem. A mischievous grin lit up Jack’s face as he came to stand beside Elle. “Are you saying I’m neglecting to make my fiancée happy?”

  “Stop calling me fiancée. Or your betrothed. Or your kitten!”

  “Then what are you?” said Jack, now closer than he was even before their first hug that evening. “Or instead of those titles, should I simply refer to you as what you are—mine?”

  Elle couldn’t help the small smile on her face. Blushing hard and ignoring every ounce of her body telling her not to, she stood up on her tiptoes, balanced her hands on his shoulders, and placed a quick kiss against Jack’s chilled and unsuspecting cheek. Jack’s eyes watched her with as much intensity as a lion would watch a meal. The one small movement ignited something in him, his deep grey eyes holding a sudden hunger as he watched her. Without any warning, Jack suddenly launched himself forward and attached his mouth to Elle’s. His cool lips moved at a frenzied pace as his hands moved toward Elle’s waist to scoop him closer to her. Feeling a tad timid, Elle didn’t return the kiss Jack was enforcing. She shivered from his icy body. His lips continuously crashed against hers, silently begging for a response to be given.

  Elle finally kissed him back, causing a slight smile to cross Jack’s lips. The sweet kiss deepened as Jack held onto her tight. Elle gently wrapped her arms around his neck, enjoying the tender moment that kept escalating up and down from tiny kisses to a passionate lock of lips. When Jack finally—but gently—pulled away, he leaned his too-cool forehead against Elle’s warm one.

  “You could drive a man crazy looking so beautiful,” he muttered.

  “You think I’m beautiful?” Elle murmured, surprised he used such a word for her. Jack slowly shook his head, causing her to frown. He grinned at her disappointed look as he placed a quick kiss on her lips once more.

  “Funny little mortal. No. Beautiful is too simple of a word to describe you. You are instead utterly divine. Your radiance shines so brightly you could make Aphrodite herself weep in shame, for you outshine her in beauty both inside and out,” Jack said quietly, carefully removing himself from Elle’s grasp. Elle watched him with widened eyes, a flutter of nerves hitting her as he watched her carefully.

  “I bet you say that to all the girls.” She blushed.

  “Believe it or not, I don’t lie. The only individual I tend to lie to is myself, actually. You’re the first person I’ve ever said such words to.”

  Elle could sense he was being honest. The realization caused her to blush just a bit more. “Be careful, Frostbite. I’m feeling spoiled for all the sweetness you’re spewing.” She smiled.

  Jack grinned as he stroked her cheek once more. “Wouldn’t want that, would we?” He nodded seriously, his joke halfhearted. His sudden sad expression caused Elle to step forward to hug him once again.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Jack looked as though he did not wish to answer for a moment. “I’m simply remembering how much tragedy life has had to offer me. It makes me despise the fates or any other immortal being who cursed me with such a life.”

  It didn’t surprise her he felt that way, but a strange sadness plagued Elle all of a sudden. She was feeling let down he could be so negative after the beautiful closeness they just shared. “Life is a gift, Jack.”

  He gently shook his frosted head, clearly disagreeing. “It’s a curse for the mortal or immortal. You grow attached to individuals, and they can disappear one day as swiftly as a heart beats. You should know that better than a lot of people. The only parent you had ever known was ripped away from you as a small child.”

  Elle frowned. “Is this about my family or yours?”

  A dark chuckle escaped him. “It’s more or less about how I am doomed to lead an eternity of misery.”

  Jack sounded gloomy as he continued to hold her. “And to think I thought you were finally warming up to the idea of spending forever with me,” Elle teased.

  Jack did not return her smile. “We’re getting off topic,” he muttered, shaking his head as he watched her sadly. “If you were to return to your natural habitat…” he began, firmly taking Elle’s hands from his neck. He gently placed them against her chest as his eyes closed. “Would you be able to cut ties with everyone you used to know?”

  Elle blinked a few times, not understanding why he would bring such a thing up. “Natural habitat? What am I, a leopard?”

  “If you were to be brought back to your little world…” Jack trailed off, holding her hands gently as he stared into her eyes. “Would you go into hiding?”

  Elle’s brows furrowed as she became startled by his sudden intensity. “Why?”

  “Elle…” said Jack, his voice painfully wrapping around her name. It gave her both butterflies and goosebumps to hear him say it. “If you were to be brought
back to where you lived, would you cut ties with absolutely everyone in order to run?”

  She thought for a moment he was joking. Elle’s desperation to get home was in order to get back to her old life. It was to see her grandparents, her beloved dog, and one of her very closest friends. She missed school, and work, and everything that reminded her of her dad, and where she came from. Jack couldn’t possibly assume she would get back to her world just to throw away all the people she loved. Still, his face held the utmost of seriousness. There was no joking playfulness, no smirk underlying hidden humor on his pale face. Thinking about his question, Elle wondered if he was asking her something specific.

  “Are you asking me to run away with you?”

  “That’s a rather romantic notion, but no.”

  “Then what are you talking about? I can’t leave. We’re…engaged,” said Elle awkwardly.

  Jack slowly shook his head. “You’re not safe here any longer.”

  “That changes nothing.” Elle strangely felt compelled to argue.

  “I feel the opposite. If taking my father’s throne means losing you, I would rather lose my opportunity to become king.”

  Elle’s mouth slowly fell open. “You don’t mean that.”

  “On the contrary,” Jack noted. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve ever meant something more.”

  Elle stared. “B-but Boreas won’t give you the throne if I leave!”

  Jack gently smiled at Elle as her bottom lip trembled. “Then I s’pose Jack Frost was only meant to be personification of everything winter instead of the king of it.” He grinned. His smile was soon sad, but Elle suspected he was not crestfallen over losing his chance at becoming king as much as he was at sending her away.

  “Come with me,” said Elle suddenly, her eyes watering even though she couldn’t pinpoint why. “We can leave together. You’ll never have to be pressured by Boreas or anyone else again. No more of this crazy stuff with prophecies or forced marriages! You can come with me. You could be free…”

  Jack used the chilly pad of his thumb to gently rub against her trembling bottom lip. He ignored her idea. “With a second chance at your mortal life, would you follow your father’s footsteps and run so no immortal could ever find you?” he said, strong intensity in his question. Feeling strongly he was looking for one specific answer, Elle gently nodded even though she felt the next word about to come from her mouth was something she didn’t want to say.

  “Yes.”

  Jack nodded. He went over to the bag and set it on a nearby table. Even though he had stuffed a remarkable amount of materials into the bag, it was surprisingly light. “The bag is enchanted,” explained Jack upon her confused expression. “Worst case scenario, you could probably hide yourself inside of it if necessary.”

  “I don’t understand what’s going on,” Elle complained as Jack finally brandished the magical snow globe that was first used to find her. He then placed the globe inside of the bag.

  “I have a very good feeling something bad is about to happen,” said Jack, shaking his head. “It all begins in the strangeness of my father simply uncaring that someone tried to kill you. His words at the table tonight were merely a ploy to get me away and to leave you unprotected.”

  “Are you sure? Maybe you’re wrong! Maybe none of this is right.”

  Jack ignored her words. He leaned in and placed a cool kiss on Elle’s warm lips. He kissed her slowly, morphing the deliciously gentle kiss to a stronger one. As it slowly came to an end, Jack brushed his cool lips gently across hers one last time. Before Elle could even begin to think of a question to ask, Jack pressed the pad of his thumb to her forehead. An overwhelming desire to sleep filled Elle.

  Her eyes closed. Elle’s body slumped, easily caught by the ready Jack. He frowned as he watched her. Jack used a single finger to brush a dark strand of hair from Elle’s eyes as her deep slumber took over. “’Tis a tragedy that when I realized I would give up everything to keep you, I have to give you away to keep you safe,” he murmured softly, even though Elle had no chance of hearing him.

  Chapter 18

  Elle was groggy the next morning. Her six hours of sleeping consisted of odd dreams. They mostly contained lots of snow, balls of fire, and ugly troll women yelling that if Elle didn’t learn how to use a fork to fight, she was going to get eaten by a lion.

  Elle’s thoughts slowly drifted to how today was supposed to be spent in corset fitting to prepare her for some upcoming gala. But as she sat up from bed and slowly rubbed her eyes, Elle found it was surprisingly warm in her bedroom. Most of the time she was struggling to find warmth underneath the large winter comforter due to how cold the palace was. It usually felt as though they blasted the air conditioner in a fifty-five-degree house.

  It was paying attention to the sunlight drifting in through the window that caused Elle’s mouth to drop open in surprise. She wasn’t in her winter-themed room getting ready to start another painfully boring day with etiquette lessons. Elle was back in her bedroom at her grandparents’ farm. Her mint green walls still held posters that she acquired in her early teenage years. There was the familiar David Bowie one that her grandfather gifted her for her fourteenth birthday. A couple of Fall Out Boy ones, along with Muse and The Hives. There was a very large dream catcher that Aiden—Apollo—gifted her for her birthday two years previously. Elle’s eyes locked on her collage of photos hanging over her desk. She and Lucy had developed a phase their senior year of high school where they took pictures of absolutely anything and everything that they did to document their final year of high school before college. It was mostly just different types of food, given Elle was always too engrossed with getting good grades to ever skip a day of classes to leave town.

  Looking at her young face looking back at her through old photos, Elle wondered how there ever could have been a time where she was completely oblivious to the fact that gods and monsters existed. She and Lucy seemed so young and carefree. Turning her vision onto her desk, Elle found her books for school where she left them. Everything was still the same it always was.

  An alarm blaring six a.m. rang nearby, startling her. Elle hadn’t heard that noise in a while. That familiar wail was something she needed if she happened to ignore her annoying cell phone alarm. Elle didn’t know how or why, but somehow, she found she was home.

  Scrambling out of bed, Elle found her feet were toasty warm touching the hardwood floor—courtesy of her grandmother blasting the heat during the winter. Elle started to laugh. It was a dry sound that was a garbled mix of a genuine laugh and a cry of pleasure. She was home! All sense of familiarity was returning to her. Her eyes darted around the room, wondering for a nanosecond if everything she had gone through with Jack and the other gods was perhaps all some extremely bizarre dream brought upon by lack of sleep and lack of a social life. Perhaps her mind invented such a crazy fantasy all because she was overly exhausted from her part-time jobs and extensive schoolwork.

  But it was spotting an utterly familiar snow globe that held a sparkling silver city inside that caused Elle to gasp in fear. That single item clarified it wasn’t just some odd type of fantasy nightmare. It hadn’t been some dream that seemed to go on for a couple weeks. It wasn’t all just a part of her subconscious stemming from lack of sleep and an overactive imagination. Elle covered her mouth with both hands. The memory of last night came playing back to her, clearly reminding her that Jack said she would be returning home. She hadn’t given too much thought about it. Elle didn’t really believe he was serious about bringing her back. Now what?

  “Grandma, Grandpa!” Elle shrieked, bolting from the room in search of her grandparents. She ran from her familiar bedroom toward their closed bedroom. They weren’t inside. Elle couldn’t smell breakfast cooking, and she didn’t hear any grumbling from her grandfather over some nonsense in the morning newspaper he read. They didn’t seem to be home, and Elle couldn’t find their car in the driveway. “Shadow?”

  The same as her
grandparents, her beloved dog was nowhere to be seen. “Shadow!” Elle called again, inwardly begging for some sense of familiarity. She couldn’t find them anywhere. Not downstairs and not outside. It was running back upstairs to her bedroom that Elle found a piece of parchment taped to her bedroom door. She didn’t notice it earlier for she was too preoccupied with searching for her family. Elle knew it was from Jack just by reading his nickname at the top of the parchment. An elegant writing was on the page, causing her to become envious of just how neat his handwriting was compared to hers.

  Kitten,

  I know you will find this after you commit a thorough search of your house for your family. Gods forbid you listen to simple directions. Your family is not here. Knowing how very little you listen to warning, I knew taking your relatives and placing them temporarily in another location was what was best in order to get you to leave. Do what I told you last night, and don’t look back. Go somewhere very, very, warm. The individuals of Winter’s Kingdom despise warm places. The elves can’t handle heat. Take the snow globe with you. If you ever find yourself needing someone who possesses a talent in fighting, two turns on it should do the trick. Do not turn the globe for any other reason.

  Warm regards,

  Frostbite.

  P.S.

  Drop the letter off the door as soon as you read it.

  Elle stared at the note, holding in an amused laugh at how Jack signed his name off along with the irony of writing “warm regards.” She wasn’t sure if she should feel slightly miffed he hid her family or grateful he was doing this for her. Jack couldn’t have at least left her dog? Still, Elle felt grateful to be back. She read the note once more before dropping the letter from the door. As soon as this simple action was done, ice developed over the parchment before it shriveled up and only a bit of snow was left in its wake. Seeing this small form of magic was what propelled her to run into her bedroom to pack a few more clothes into the bag Jack gave her. She probably didn’t have a lot of time.