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Back For Ever Save as PDF
Chapters (63)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Map of the Willowhaven
  4. Map of Rosehill City
  5. Foreword
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. Epilogue
  62. Map of Rosehill City
  63. Also by Jenny Hickman

“I don’t care about a little water.” Her arms tighten around me. “How did you find out?”

“We went to a lake. It was so romantic. I kissed him.” Replaying the joyous moment is like death by a thousand thorns. “It was the most beautiful kiss of my entire life.” I will dream of it for the rest of my days.

“The tongue?”

“The t-tongue.” I’d wanted Everett’s mouth to cover every inch of my body, to consume not only my mouth, but to also consume me. He’s not yours. He’s not yours. “Then he pulled away and told me he’s to be mated with someone else. W-what am I going to do?”

She runs a hand down my soaked hair, careful to avoid the many tangles. “You cry until you have no more tears, and then you dry yourself off and get some sleep.”

If I sleep, I’ll dream of him.

You made me want what I cannot have.

If only I’d told Everett from the beginning that if he wanted me, I was already his.

37

Everett

“A king’s line is rarely straight.”

Author Unknown

A sharp, shattering sound pierces the night. Even from where I wait by the back gate, I can see the glass glittering around the discarded flowers. Kerris’s window remains dark, and I know I need to get home before my absence is noticed, but I cannot bring myself to leave this spot because, once I do, I will never be back.

This affection that has grown between us is over.

It must be.

Just because the thought of walking away feels like I am choking on that broken glass does not mean it is not the right choice.

There is a reason our worlds are separated—and I have witnessed the consequences of flouting the rules firsthand.

With Kerris gone, there is nothing left to hold onto.

The pain in her eyes the moment I told her the truth of my situation was the same pain that I saw when she spoke about the tragedy that befell her mother. I never should have let it get this far. Never should have crossed the damn canyon to appease my own curiosity.

My fingers skim over my lips, still feeling the blissful pressure of hers. Her taste will forever live on my tongue, the sweetness of her innocence and kindness.

When I turn and drift away, it feels as if I am leaving a piece of myself behind.

* * *

To avoid the guards patrolling the streets of Rosehill, I am forced to keep to the dark side of the city, where the shadows stretch their invisible fingers toward the orange glow of the streetlamps. With everyone so frightened of a non-existent wolf, it is easy to cross without being spotted.