“How did you know black leather was my favorite color?” he asks, sliding his arms around me and pulling me close.
“Well, I . . .” I realize that everyone’s staring, so I wrap us in our own little cocoon of shadow where they can’t see or hear what we say. “If I recall,” I say once we have privacy, “you said anything I wear is your favorite.”
His mouth quirks into a lopsided grin. “Right. I forgot.” He presses a kiss to my lips. “Are you sure you want to have a front seat to my nonstop lustful thoughts about my tethered match?”
“What part of I don’t want to wait another day makes you doubt me?”
His face softens. “Give a male a break, Abriella. This is hard for me.”
“How so?” I ask.
“I’m afraid I’m going to wake up.”
I melt. “Don’t make me look soft; it’ll ruin my badass queen look.”
“Never.” He winks at me. “You love me?” he asks.
“I love you,” I say without hesitation or reservation. “You love me?”
“I love you,” he says. “But I would love you even if you never wanted to bond with me.”
“Same,” I whisper. “Always.”
He squeezes me tight. Our little cocoon falls away, and we appear on the rooftop terrace of our mountain cottage. The stars shine so brightly overhead that they bring tears to my eyes.
“Pick a star,” he whispers in my ear. “Make a wish.”
I thread my fingers through his and make the same wishes I’ve made every night since taking the throne. The only wishes a queen should hold so dear.
I wish for peace. I wish for every faerie in my court—in the entire realm—to know and have a love like this.
Enjoyed this book? Leave a review, and support the
author, here.
Acknowledgments
First, I need to thank everyone who read These Hollow Vows, the first book in this duology, and contacted me with giddy excitement for more of this world. I needed your enthusiasm more than you know, and I am so grateful for every kind word, review, rant, and rave. Thanks to my longtime romance readers who don’t necessarily read YA or fantasy but read These Hollow Vows and cheered me on through this new career plot twist. I’m so grateful for your support!
I have so much gratitude for everyone who got me through 2020. Drafting this book （and two others） while also trying to get through a pandemic and all that entailed was challenging in so many ways. Thank you to my kids, who would’ve rather had their mom’s full attention while they navigated eLearning but thrived anyway, and to my husband, who listened to more than his fair share of meltdowns when I truly didn’t think I could play the role of super mom for one more day. Thanks also to my sisters and friends for your understanding, support, and encouragement when I felt like I was failing at everything. I can give sugar coatings and talk silver linings with the best of them, but 2020
was rough, and the people I love most got me through it.
Thank you to my friends, who encouraged me through the hardest phases of this project and many others. Mira Lyn Kelly, my bestie, my brainstorming buddy, I still owe you that Toyota Corolla.
（Okay, we both know you deserve something way nicer.） Thank you to the writers in my Write All the Words Slack group—for listening when I was struggling and for keeping me company while I work.
Thanks also to those who try to get my thoughts away from work—whether it be with talk of CrossFit, our kids, or cheesecake for breakfast. You always make me smile. To Emily Miller, my own personal elf-advisor and fellow lover of all things fae, thank you for being a sounding board again. I hope someday you write a book and show the world the magic in that beautiful mind of yours.
A special thanks to Lisa Kuhne and Tina Allen, who are both my friends as well as my assistants.
Tina, I’m so glad we’ve gotten closer over the years. You’re truly a gem. Lisa, thank you for always reaching out when I need you.
Thanks to my family. I was blessed with a big one and I love them more than they know. Special thanks to my brother Aaron, to whom this book is dedicated—your map truly helped me see this sequel in a new light. My mom always listens and knows what to say to make me feel better, and my brothers and sisters are so supportive. I wish a family this wonderful for everyone.
To my agent, Dan Mandel, who was enthusiastic about this book from the beginning and who helped me through some rough patches over this past year. I love having you on my team!
I am grateful for the team at Clarion Books, who’s helped me make this book what it is today.