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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

“You oughtta know better than that by now, Ulla,” he said with a crooked smile. “We started this together, we finish this together.”

I reached over and squeezed his hand.

“So four seats?” Dagny asked.

“Not exactly,” I said. “Pan and I have to make a stop first.”

55

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Bolster

Even with the airboat speeding through the swamp, the wind wasn’t enough to cut through the thick, hot air. It had been just over twenty-four hours since we left Merellä, and this morning, Pan and I split from Dagny and Elof at the airport. They went north to Sweden, and we went south to Louisiana.

“You still wanna go to the hotel and freshen up?” Pan asked, as Knut drove us on the Yggammi Tree Inn airboat.

“Yes, that’s the first thing I have to do.” My hair was up in a ratty bun, and the back of my neck was still slick with sweat. Not only did I feel super gross, but nobody at the palace would take me seriously if I came around demanding an audience looking like this.

“And then we’re just gonna roll up to the castle and stroll on in and visit the Queen,” Pan said, not hiding his unease. “That’s the whole plan?”

“You’re oversimplifying, but yes. The plan hasn’t changed.”

“And why are you certain this will work?” Pan asked.

“Because.” I lowered my voice so Knut wouldn’t be able to overhear. I didn’t necessarily think that Knut was listening to us, but I was more paranoid since Ragnall’s threats against my life.

Pan leaned in closer, his shoulder against mine, and quietly asked, “Because why?”

“I think she knows the truth.” I looked over at him. “About who my father is. Or at least she suspects it.”

His mouth opened as realization hit. “That’s why she’s keeping tabs on you.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think.”

“But if she suspects . . .” He glanced back at Knut, and then he lowered his voice so much, I could hardly hear him over the fan engine, even with him nearly speaking in my ear. “You’re a threat to her position and her son’s. The Omte have absolute primogeniture succession. The firstborn child of the dynastic monarch inherits the throne, regardless of gender.”

I shook my head. “My mother isn’t Omte. I have no claim.”

“Your mother wasn’t,” he agreed. “But Orra Fågel was. And you once thought she might be. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to make the same connections you once did. But without the counterevidence that Indu and Elof gave you.”

“Alai,” I whispered. “You’re right. She thinks I’m a claimant.”

“You still think we should do this?” he asked.

I stared out at the swamp and the canopy of trees around us. My heart pounded hastily, as if trying to escape my chest, and my stomach convulsed.