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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

Maybe Leah is right in demanding our union. She is a strong female, the fiercest in our clan. Maybe I should give her what she wants. It is not as if anyone else will be lining up to mate with me after she stabbed Robyn. I have a duty to our people, to the Unseelie, to bring offspring into this cruel world, lest our line be eradicated.

The longer I stare at the flower, the more my chest aches.

Leah would not appreciate the gesture, only the outcome.

Would Kerris think this flower is beautiful?

Probably not considering it is as devoid of color as everything else this side of the bridge.

What if she understood?

Maddox’s teasing comment from earlier drifts through my mind.

What if Kerris did give me that box for a reason? It seems impossible, but still, I wonder…

* * *

Before my destination registers, I am already mounted on Nyx and riding along the trail of bones toward the bridge where River and Rynan have taken first watch.

I dismount without a word, tying Nyx to the post furthest from the fire pit.

The men leap to their feet, exchanging worried glances. I pay them no mind and head straight for the bridge.

“Where are you going, Everett?” one calls.

All it takes is a glower to shut him up.

I do not answer to them. I do not answer to anyone but our chieftain.

Seeing as he is not here right now, I am free to cross the bridge into Seelie territory. The journey takes me twenty minutes, but eventually the house where I last saw Kerris comes into view.

The flower still clutched in my fist looks so small and insignificant in light of the finery of her home, I almost turn around. But something in my foolish heart urges me to leave the gift on her stoop. I wish I could be here when she finds it just to see her face.

Will it make her smile? Will she know it is from me?

Such whimsical thoughts. How in the world would she know the gift came from me? She does not even know my name.

What was I thinking? This was a fool’s errand.

I am about to retrieve my gift when there is a clang from inside. Somewhere close by, a cat lets out a low mewl.

With my heart in my throat, I sprint all the way back to the canyon, feeling like the biggest fool who has ever lived.

13

“If you’ve had the misfortune of coming into contact with the skin of an Unseelie fae, immerse your hands in immortal water for a minimum of ten minutes to avoid warts.”

Unseelie Fae: A Scientific Study

“Ronan. I wasn’t expecting you this early.” Thank goodness I bathed last night, otherwise it would be at least another hour for my hair to finish drying.