Ever After (Unfinished Fairy Tales #3)
Aya Ling
Introduction
Kat has survived. She returns to Athelia as herself, Katherine Wilson. Edward, elated at learning she is alive, vows to bring her back to the palace. The obstacles, however, seem impossible to overcome. Marriage between a royal and a commoner is not recognized, not to mention that he is already legally bound to Katriona Bradshaw, who will do anything to keep her position as princess.
And there’s even more to worry about. Due to an uncommonly harsh winter, the people of Athelia have been suffering from inflated food prices, and are getting irritated at supporting the small, elite group of aristocrats. An uprising in a neighboring country only adds fuel to the fire.
Can Kat and Edward finally get a happily-ever-after?
1
Kat
I don’t want to close my eyes.
Every time I fall asleep, I dream of Edward. I see him with his steadfast gaze, his stride quick and firm as he heads in my direction. I hear him speaking in that deep, velvet-like tone, sometimes flirtatious, sending thrills through my mind; other times serious, reminding me of his many onerous duties. I feel his arms wrapped around me, the heat of his body surrounding me, and his lips on mine.
And when I wake up and realize it was all a dream, it feels like someone has taken a shovel and dug a hole in my chest. No matter what I do, I can’t make the pain go away.
“Edward,” I whisper. I never regretted meeting him, but I wish there was something I could take to ease the pain. There’s no painkiller for the ache in my heart. Only the short moments of unconsciousness when I’m asleep.
Outside my window, snow is falling lightly, the delicate flakes swirling when a wind comes up. We’re staying at a ski resort near Halifax. Ryan, who’s going steady with Mom, had bought this place years ago and only used it a few times every year when he had his days off. We’re all grateful to him for letting us stay at the resort. When I turned up in Jason’s apartment, eight months since I disappeared, it was like hell broke loose. I was like Portland’s version of Gone Girl. No matter how I assured everyone I was fine and that Jason had nothing to do with my disappearance, the rumors didn’t go away. Mom called Ryan and he arranged that I move up here, until the storm passed.
I throw off the blankets and sit up. It’s warm—too warm in fact—Mom or Paige must have turned the heater way up. And yet I would trade the convenience of the electric heater for a roaring fire, if only I could see Edward again.
Like a zombie, I go through the necessities of cleaning myself up. I take a hot shower, change into sweater and pants, wash my face, and brush my teeth. True, it’s convenient that I can dress myself without the aid of two maids. It’s a relief to use the microwave and have Internet access. But if given the choice, I wouldn’t hesitate to give up these modern appliances, if only I could return to Athelia.
I enter the living room. Paige is lounging on the sofa, watching a soap.
“Hey Kat.” She stretches and yawns. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a baby.”
She raises her eyebrows, like she doesn’t believe me. But if I say I was pining for the prince in a fairy tale world, there’s going to be a LOT of explaining to do.
I change the subject. “Paige, it’s February already. Don’t you think you should start preparing for university?” In Australia, college usually starts anywhere from late February to early March.
Paige plants her hands on her hips. “I’m deferring. And no, don’t you try to talk me out of it. Everyone says we barely have anything in common, but when it comes to stubbornness, I’m a match for you and Mom.”
“What about the scholarship?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that.” She waves a dismissive hand. “If it comes down to the question of money, I could ask Ryan for a loan. But I am not leaving you when you’re a mess.”
“I’m not broken.” I spoon ground coffee into the machine, make sure there’s enough water, and press the start button. “Look, I can take care of myself. I’m not going to keel over and die if I’m left alone. There are a few weeks left till school starts. It’ll be a waste to give up those Australian dollars.”
“We’ll discuss that later.” Paige gets off the sofa and approaches the dinner table. “But first, you’ve got to tell me who Edward is.”
I nearly drop the coffee mug I’m carrying. “How did you know about Edward?”
“You were calling his name when you fell asleep on the sofa yesterday. And you were crying.” Paige stares into my eyes. “This guy, Edward, is responsible for you breaking up with Jason, isn’t he? Why didn’t you mention him before?”
I get the sugar tin with a sigh. I knew we would have this conversation sooner or later. It had been frustrating trying to convince everyone that no, Jason did NOT keep me chained in a tiny room like those psychos in the news. It was hard enough trying to explain how I disappeared for eight months. I was even on international news and my picture was shown on numerous websites. I had used some lame excuse of hooking up with an ex who’s working in a remote area overseas with limited Internet connection, but no one buys my story. Most people think I’m covering up for Jason. Thankfully, my family and friends believe my boyfriend—ex-boyfriend now—did not kidnap me, but on the other hand, they are skeptical about my ex-lover explanation. I’ve never been abroad, and suddenly packing off on a trip without contacting anyone, is so unlike me.