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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

No wonder Ronan built his own house. I wouldn’t want to live under her thumb either.

Finally, Ronan finds his words, asking his father for permission to show me the private gardens.

The king inclines his head. “Of course. Kerris, it was truly a pleasure to meet you. I do hope we will be seeing more of you here at the castle.”

While I appreciate the sentiment, I won’t be seeing either of them ever again. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” I bob a final curtsy, turn on my heel, and leave without another word.

Good riddance to this throne room.

Good riddance to this castle and everyone in it.

“Kerris? Kerris, wait up!”

I halt in the middle of the hallway.

Ronan skids to a halt, clutching the jeweled dagger swinging at his hip. “That was a disaster. Did you forget what I said about your father?”

Gone are the stars that have filled my eyes since I first arrived in Rosehill. This man may be a prince, but he is also a liar who would rather belittle me than build me up. I only hate that I wasted the last few weeks on him.

That ends today.

“Unlike you, I refuse to lie about who I really am.” He can find someone whose lineage won’t disgrace the crown and leave me to search for a husband whose family doesn’t despise me on principle alone.

“I never lied⁠—”

“I know the silver flowers didn’t come from you.”

He swipes his palms down his thighs, peering at me from beneath his lashes as a trickle of sweat races down his temple. “You’re right. They didn’t. When I saw them, I got so jealous that I lied. I’m sorry, Kerris, but you must understand that I’m not used to sharing a woman’s affections.”

This has nothing to do with sharing my affections.

Not only has Ronan Reve proven himself deceitful and untrustworthy, he also wants me to be someone I’m not.

“Allow me to make this easy for you then: I do not wish to marry you, Prince Ronan. Now, if you would kindly point me toward the exit, I would like to go home.”

I came to Rosehill in search of a mate, and it would seem all I’ve found is disappointment.

19

“Liars lie.”

Kerris Dawn, An Observation

Monday morning, I find a single flower on top of the latest box from Madame Ella waiting on the stoop. I pick up the box and stomp on the flower, leaving it there as a reminder that no good deed goes unpunished.

The dress doesn’t fit, and when a note arrives from Trevor cancelling our date, I give up and go straight back to bed.

20

Everett

“Only foolish fae fall in love.”

Surviving the Unseelie Lands, Author Unknown