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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

Nia catches my hand as if I’m about to race off to the mountains this very second. “You cannot send her away, Mother. She hasn’t found a husband yet.”

“She would be more than welcome to come back after it’s safe.”

Although I hear what she’s saying, what she’s not saying is even louder.

I curl my toes in my slippers, careful to keep my expression passive despite the indignation burning through my chest. “That’s not true, is it? You don’t want me to ever come back.”

I don’t know why I feel so betrayed. Wasn’t I just contemplating leaving?

“Out of concern for your safety. Nothing more.”

Poppycock. She wants me gone and it has nothing to do with my bloomin’ safety. “Then I assume you’ll be sending Nia to Gravale with me? Or is your daughter’s safety not as important as my own?”

Nia crosses her arms, her chin lifting as she narrows her eyes at her mother. “Yes, Mother. Which is it?”

“Nia is more than welcome to visit you after she finds a husband.”

“Unbelievable,” Nia scoffs.

“Is it, really? You know as well as I do what everyone is saying about her. Do you want your cousin’s poor choices to hurt your prospects for a husband as well?”

I never even considered how my connection to Everett would impact Nia. Am I hurting her prospects? That’s the last thing I want to do, especially when she is so keen to marry Nolan.

Nia launches to her feet, her tight fists banging against her thighs. “Any man who doesn’t want to marry me simply because of who I’m related to isn’t worth my time. Unlike you, I don’t want a coward for a husband.”

“Nia Quill. You will hold your tongue.” Aunt Cordelia snaps her fingers, her cheeks a ruddy shade of red.

It’s my turn to stand and take Nia’s hand—after I pry her fist open. “It’s all right.” Her mother is only trying to protect her. I’m certain that my mother would have done the same for me. “Aunt Cordelia, I can assure you that my dealings with the Unseelie have ended. But if you still want me to leave, I will.”

Nia strangles my hand, her voice trembling. “Kerris, no.”

My aunt’s wariness lives in the lines on her face. “If you can assure me that you are no longer entertaining the notion of aligning yourself with the Unseelie, then you are welcome to stay.”

After all that has happened, I’m not sure I want to stay. But for my cousin, I make the promise, wishing it weren’t true.

39

“Break the rules, suffer the consequences.”

Surviving the Unseelie Lands

Nia groans from the sofa, her head thrown back on the cushion and hands folded over her stomach. “Do you want to go to town?”