I close the door and lean against it, scanning the room. Everything looks the same, except different. Nothing has been touched or moved, but it’s as if I’m seeing it all through new eyes. Panic rises to the surface again as I think about everything. I fall back against the door and slide until my butt hits the floor. Pressing my knees against my chest, I wrap my arms around them and hide my face. My shoulders shake as I’m overcome with sobs, and I hug my knees tighter.
I should’ve stayed with Adam. I dig my fingers into the side of my leg as tears fall down my cheeks. This isn’t what I came back for. If I knew what was going to happen, if I’d had the choice, I never would’ve woken up.
For the first time since Adam died, I experience a pain stronger than what I felt that day. There’s a physical emptiness in my chest. I don’t know how to describe it, but I feel it there.
Sitting with my head in my hands, I cry until there’s nothing left. It’s like losing Adam all over again, except this time I feel as if I’ve lost Tristan. I don’t know how I’m going to get through the night, let alone the rest of my life as not only one of the fae, but as the light fae leader. The thought of everything I felt with Tristan being fabricated by Jules’s meddling makes the bile in my stomach rise; I have to swallow it.
Sometime after midnight, I pull myself off the floor and crawl into bed. I lie awake, staring at the door as if I’m expecting Tristan to walk through it and refuse to leave. For all the times he showed up and I wanted him to leave, I’d give anything to have him here now. To know that what I feel for him is real. Until I know the truth, whatever we were is over. It has to be. After everything we’ve endured together since we met, we end in the most tragic way I can imagine—in a cruel twist of fate.
STAY TUNED FOR TWISTED GIFT, THE STEAMY, FAE-FILLED SEQUEL TO TWISTED FATE, COMING FALL 2018.
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First and foremost, I need to thank my family. Without them, this book wouldn’t exist. Their love and support is the most important thing to me. They are my inspiration to work hard for the goals I want to achieve.
To the friends who have supported me since the day I announced I was writing a book. Special thanks to the ones who said they would buy it before they knew what it was about or if it was any good.
To my incredible critique partner, Allison Alexander: I don’t have sufficient words to express my gratitude for your friendship. I can’t imagine going through this journey without you, and I’m so excited to continue working with you in the future.
To my epic critique partners, Beck Wilkinson and Destiny Murtaugh: thank you for your unwavering support and suggestions.
To my amazing team of beta readers: thank you for loving Aurora and Tristan (and the rest of the gang) as much as I do. Your honesty and compassion makes my heart happy. Special thanks to Jenna Streety for being an awesome friend who let me bounce ideas off her too many times to count.
To Jacquie Pugh who wrote the lyrics Aurora sings in the ballroom scene: thank you for helping add a beautiful level of authenticity to the story.
To my cover designer, Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations: I’m in awe of your work. Thank you for bringing my vision of the perfect cover for this book to life.
To my editor, Maggie Morris of The Indie Editor: You are a-freaking-mazing. I can’t imagine working with anyone else on my debut novel, and I can’t wait to work with you again in the near future. Your suggestions were pure gold and took Twisted Fate to the next level.
To Kim Chance: for not only proofreading Twisted Fate but for being such a bright, encouraging light in the writing community. You are the bee’s knees, Kim.
To Stacey Blake at Champagne Book Design: thank you for working with a debut indie author and for making Twisted Fate look amazing.
To the wonderful ladies at Love Between the Sheets Promotions: thank you for making the release of Twisted Fate so smooth and epic.
To the bloggers who reviewed and pimped Twisted Fate: I did the book blogging thing for a long time, I know the work that goes into each post, so thank you for taking the time for my book.
To all my amazing online writer friends: I’m not going to list names because I know I’m going to forget someone and then I’ll feel terrible. You guys know who you are, and thank you.
Last, but in no way least, thank you, the reader, for giving Twisted Fate a chance. I want to hug each and every one of you.
Jessi Elliott is a newly graduated law clerk and debut author of both young adult and new adult romantic fiction. Her love of writing was born after many years of reading and reviewing books on her blog.
She lives in Southwestern Ontario with her family and two adorable cats.
When she’s not plotting her next writing project, she likes to spend her time hanging with friends and family, getting lost in a steamy romance novel, watching Friends, and drinking coffee.
You can find Jessi at www.jessielliott.com, on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and you can sign up for her newsletter to stay up to date on book news and upcoming releases.
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