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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’m willing to take a chance with my own life, but gambling with Ever’s is out of the question. “Everett didn’t do this.” Of that I’m absolutely certain. “There are guards who can attest that he hasn’t crossed the bridge.”

Ronan bares his teeth in a snarl. “What makes you think they aren’t willing to lie?”

He wouldn’t do that… He wouldn’t.

“Marry me or watch your Unseelie swing from the gallows. Those are your options.”

He would.

My life in exchange for Ever’s.

A simple choice, one I would willingly make time and again if it saved the man I love.

Agreeing to marry Ronan might give me an audience with the king. I could plead with him to keep the bridge open. I would have a voice.

I would have time to figure out how to get out of this.

Ronan sneers, knowing already that he has won.

I came to Rosehill looking for a husband…

And to my misfortune, I have found one.

49

“Traditional white attire on one’s wedding day symbolizes purity, honor, and truth.”

A Seelie Guide to Matrimony

By Tuesday evening the curfew has been lifted. An interesting development considering they never caught the wolf that everyone was so worried about. My aunt still won’t speak to me, but she has yet to kick me out. Probably because the prince has been calling at the house every day to court me.

And by “court,” I mean ensure that I still intend to hold up my end of our bargain.

According to Nia, the guards still patrol the bridge—not that I’ve seen as much with my own eyes. Every time I’ve set foot outside the cottage, at least two guards accompany me.

A prelude to my life as Princess of Willowhaven.

At noon on my twenty-fifth birthday, in the middle of the crowded Black Rose pub, I propose to Prince Ronan Reve.

Much to Ivee Lynch’s dismay, he accepts.

Ivee isn’t the only one shocked.

Nia gawks at me, and when those closest to us have finished offering their congratulations, she drags me into the garden to ask what the hell I’m thinking. I tell her Ronan’s fabricated story, that he and I bonded over our shared grief and made amends.

We don’t speak at all on Wednesday.

First thing Thursday morning, Ronan sent a carriage to whisk me away to his home in the tree where guards have been posted day and night. He claims it’s for my safety, but we both know it’s a lie. I’m being held hostage and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.

Two days later, I’m sitting on Ronan’s plush sofa, all alone, wishing there was some way to escape this nightmare that has become my life.