Forever Read Online Free PDF Page A

room, and she sat in the high-back
chair by the fire. “I’m very old, you know. My joints don’t work like they used
to.”
    Mina looked Terry over with
suspicion. “No, I don’t quite believe that. You’re hiding something.” She sat
in the other chair across from Terry. “Who are you really?”
    Terry’s eyes flicked between
Ever, Brody, Nan, and then to Charlie sleeping on the couch. “I don’t know what
you mean.”
    “Yes, you do,” she accused.
“I know this is a glamour over your Fae self. Mei was a brownie. Constance told
us you’re a house elf.”
    Terry looked scared, and she
twisted the bracelets on her wrist. She seemed like she wanted to be anywhere
but in this room.
    “Terry, it’s safe. You can
trust us.” Nan piped up and smiled widely at the old Fae woman.
    Terry nodded, blushing
softly. She released a long sigh and glowed white before her body began to
shift. The wrinkles softened but didn’t quite disappear, her body became
slimmer, and she started to shrink. The smaller she became, the brighter she
appeared, until only someone the size of a small doll sat perched on the edge
of the cushion. Her skin was a creamy opaque color, and her ears were pointed
and long with a cute dip on the tip.
    In her house-elf body, it was
even more apparent that something was wrong with her.
    “Terrylin,” Mina spoke her
real name, and the house elf smiled softly and shivered. “What’s wrong?”
    “I’m dying. Your mother’s
death has affected me more than I thought it would. We’ve been together a long
time, and we’ve become connected. I can feel her loss, and it’s tearing at my
soul. It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, when we Godmothers lose our
Grimm, we lose a huge part of ourselves. It’s a risk, but we are all willing to
take it.” Her eyes scanned the room and seemed to land on Ever as the only
other Fae in the room. Nothing was said between the two, but an understanding
seemed to pass between them.
    Ever nodded once.
    “Oh, Terrylin, what can we
do?”
    “There’s nothing you can do
for me. My time is short, but I must speak to you alone, dear.” She gave the
others a pointed look, and they got up and went to the kitchen.
    Ever stayed where she was on
the arm of the couch. “I’m her acting Godmother. I should be here.
    Terrylin shot Ever a
condescending look. “When you’ve dedicated your whole life to the cause, then
I’d say you’ve earned your place. But you’ve been a Godmother what? All of a
day?”
    Ever looked away
uncomfortably.
    “That’s what I thought,” Terrylin
said smugly.
    When they were alone,
Terrylin leaned forward and looked over to Charlie. “He must be protected.”
    “He will be,” Mina answered.
    “Do you really think you can
protect him when Teague attacks again? He will. Make no mistake about that. He
wants his revenge. He wants you my
dear.”
    “Then what do you want me to
do?”
    “I think you know what must
be done,” Terrylin said softly as she started to fade in and out.
    Mina couldn’t help but cry at
the prospect of what had to happen. “I’m not ready for that yet.”
    “I know, dear, but you need
to think about what I’ve told you and put a plan in place. Do you understand?”
    She nodded her head.
    “Good girl.”
    Ever popped her head in from
the foyer and frowned at Mina sitting on the floor crying over Charlie.
    “Hey, Gimp! Can I come in
now?”
    Mina looked over to Terrylin,
who nodded her approval. Ever strode in and perched back on the armrest of the
couch, glaring at the small house elf.
    Terrylin smiled at Ever. “Are
you ready to be sworn in?”
    Ever stilled, only her eyes
moving as she thought about what the elder Fae was asking. She didn’t take long
to answer. “Yes, I am.”
    “You know that this will bind
you two together? As her Godmother, you will always be able to find her, no
matter the plane you’re on, but it comes at a great price.”
    “Ever, what’s going on?” Mina
asked. “I’m