BooksBarbecue
Back The Ever After Save as PDF
Chapters (92)
  1. Cover
  2. TheEVERAFTER
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. 73
  76. 74
  77. 75
  78. 76
  79. 77
  80. 78
  81. 79
  82. 80
  83. 81
  84. 82
  85. 83
  86. 84
  87. 85
  88. 86
  89. Epilogue
  90. GLOSSARY
  91. TheEVERAFTER
  92. By Amanda Hocking

He laughed. “I suppose not.” He breathed in deeply. “It is lovely here. The sunsets remind me of home.”

“Maybe that’s why I like them so much,” Eliana said as she stared at the pink sunset.

“The good news is that we can enjoy them from the car,” I said, and started back that way.

44

image

Whimsical

After the second grueling day of fifteen-plus hours on the road, we finally arrived in Förening at nearly midnight.

Following the winding roads on the top of the bluff along the Mississippi River, we passed through a metal gate after a guard waved us through. Förening was a lush green town, with many cottages both quaint and chic hidden deep among the trees. Over five thousand trolls lived here, but the streets were quiet, with only hints of life visible through the branches—a swing set, smoke from a chimney, a bleating goat.

The place where we were staying was an inn on the north side of town called the Wisteria & Whimsy Bed & Breakfast. It was the smaller of the two hotels in town, but the other was more expensive and extravagant, catering to visiting dignitaries, traveling Markis and Marksinna, and friends of the royal family.

Wisteria & Whimsy Bed & Breakfast had gone with a more fairy-tale, cutesy approach. From the outside it was positively charming, with a curved roof and lavender flowers hanging from the thick vines covering the stone walls. The flower gardens in the yard were practically overgrown, with cheery little gnome statues hidden around. It was dark out, but little lights scattered through the front gardens made it rather bright.

Inside was more of the same whimsical décor. Pastel walls and a curved front desk greeted us. The woman working the desk was someone I knew from around town, Birdie Vinstock. She was plump and lovely, with an energetic smile, even when the ornate grandfather clock behind her was ticking even closer to midnight.

She gave us our keys—big brass keys with butterfly room numbers on the key rings—and directed us to our rooms on the third floor. As we checked in, she told us about the communal washrooms and complimentary breakfast of appleberry scones and green tea.

Each room had two narrow beds, and Eliana called dibs on bunking with me. That was probably my preferred sleeping arrangement anyway. Our room was small and lavender, with elaborate paintings of fairies on the walls and an overabundance of pillows on the small beds.

I was exhausted and just wanted to sleep, but Eliana once again had other plans.

“I can’t sleep,” she announced after we’d been in bed for all of five minutes.

“You haven’t even tried,” I said, and snuggled deeper into the pillows.

“I just can’t believe I’ll see Hanna in the morning,” she said, barely containing her excitement.