Betrothed to Jack Frost (REWRITTEN)

9)A Hated Fiancé

A/N Chap song: "Monster" by Meg and Dia dubstep remix
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Escape.

That word echoed relentlessly in Elle's mind. She needed to find a way to do it—and on her own. No one in this magical realm was going to help her. How could anyone expect her to navigate these revelations with ease? She had a secret goddess mother and a prophesied future that bound her to a monster? It was madness. Apollo couldn't possibly expect her to accept this fate—marrying the dreadful Jack Frost and bearing his child? She would rather gouge out her own eye with a spoon. It didn't matter that Jack had endured a traumatic childhood, losing his family. Elle understood loss—she had lost her father—but she didn't feel the urge to kill Jack for it. The hatred Jack Frost harbored towards her was incomprehensible. At least he had known about this sham of a marriage for two hundred years; Elle had mere hours to grapple with the madness.

Aiden—Apollo—had instructed her to remain where she was until her handmaidens arrived to prepare her for the ball. Elle had other plans. Her immediate goals were to find a makeshift weapon to defend herself against a potential encounter with Jack Frost and to locate an exit from the palace. Maybe there was an elevator or, at the very least, a long flight of stairs.

Elle grasped a nearby crystallized lamp, holding it close. The lamp's neck was perfectly shaped for gripping, and its base was sturdy. Her plan was straightforward: if Jack Frost made a reappearance, she would use the lamp to crack him over the head before he could transform into his icy form and make his skull as hard as rock—or, more precisely, solid ice. It wouldn't cause him real harm, but it would at least offer Elle some measure of satisfaction.

Elle eased open the doors to her bedroom, her mind racing as she considered her long-term options. She needed to persuade her grandparents to abandon their business and relocate. What would that involve? Would she be doomed to spend her life evading monsters and magic, just as her father had? She swallowed her anxiety and pushed aside the dark thoughts. There would be time to worry about her future later. For now, she had to focus on finding a way out.

Biting her bottom lip, Elle crept down the expansive hallway, moving as quietly as possible. She reached the end and turned the knob on the first door, only to find another winter-themed bedroom, identical to hers. This wasn't the exit. She closed the door and hurried to the next one, only to discover yet another frosty bedroom. It was becoming clear that nearly every room was a bedroom, making the place resemble an endless hotel with its maze of hallways. After a series of wrong turns, Elle realized she had gone the wrong way. The path to the exit, which eventually led to the throne room, was in the opposite direction. Her heart raced as she quickened her pace, breaking into a jog when she heard a door slam shut behind her. There was no time to look back to see who had closed it. Elle recognized the long hallway she was now running through. She dashed down two flights of stairs and navigated through multiple corridors, finally reaching the familiar landing that led to the hallway with the doors to the grand winter-themed throne room.

Elle skidded to a stop when she spotted a familiar blonde head on the opposite side of the hall—Apollo. She quickly concealed herself behind a large pillar, ensuring she remained hidden while overhearing their conversation.

"Do you realize she could have been killed last night because you thought it was necessary for the two of them to meet without a proper introduction?" Aiden—Apollo—hissed, his voice laced with irritation.

"Oh, come now, Apollo! Don't be so cross with me," a familiar voice—Eros—countered smoothly. "They're both demigods. Elle was more than capable of protecting herself if Jack had tried to harm her."