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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

“What about your father?” I ask.

The warmth in Everett’s eyes vanishes. “The elders exiled him from camp, and he did not survive long after being cut off from their resources.”

What could he possibly have done that was awful enough to warrant such a harsh punishment? As intrigued as I am, the shadows in Everett’s eyes leave me swallowing my question.

He shakes his head, as if dispelling the bad memories. “What about your father?”

Ronan’s voice cuts through my mind, unbidden. Tell them he’s something respectable. Like an accountant.

I didn’t lie to the king and queen; why would I lie now? “My father is a goat farmer.”

Everett doesn’t tell me I’m beneath him. He doesn’t make me feel less. He gives me one of his almost-smiles and says, “He must be proud of raising such a good female.”

Such simple words, yet they mean more than he could ever know.

“I hope so.”

Maddox hurls a stone toward The Divide. “I ate a goat once.”

Gryffin snorts. “You did not.”

“Did too.”

“When?”

“A few years ago. You were not there.”

Everett’s quiet chuckle makes my stomach flip. “Neither was the goat.”

23

“I did eat a goat!”

Maddox Finch, An Exclamation

Everett’s footsteps make no sound as we traverse the fields behind the cottage.

Tonight was such an unexpected delight. Maddox is funny and Gryffin…well, he isn’t the worst man I’ve met the last few weeks.

But Everett…

Where do I even begin?

We come to a stop outside the gate. “Thank you for a wonderful night, Everett.”

He shifts his weight from one foot to the other as he frowns down at me. “My friends call me Ever.”

Ever. I like that even more. Him referring to us as friends, however, I could do without. Yes, I was the first one to suggest friendship, but that was before I got to know him. I have a sinking feeling that the more I learn, the less interested in friendship I’ll be.

“Would it be all right if I come to see you tomorrow night, Ever?”

“I will not be guarding the bridge tomorrow.”

Oh, right…

“Perhaps…Perhaps I could come to you?”

A night alone, just the two of us? Even better. “I would like that very much.”

From the pocket of his trousers, he withdraws a single silver flower. The petals are squished and flattened, but I love it all the same. He holds the flower out to me, and I take it with my heart in my throat. “Until tomorrow night, Kerris Dawn.”

“Just Kerris, remember?” If he wants me to call him Ever, surely, he’s capable of calling me by my given name.