PYRAEAN TERMS
Aura: City/place of gold, and the ancient capital of Pyra.
Aurys: River of gold, which flows from Pyrmont’s highest peaks down into the valley of the Golden Empire.
maiora: Grandmother
pyr: Fire or flame
Pyra: City/place of fire; also known as the Freelands, an emancipated province of the Golden Empire.
pyraflora: Fire Blossom, a tree with red flowers symbolic of Pyra. Petals can be made into poison, and sap is used for fireproofing.
phoenixaeris (s); phoenixaeres (pl): Phoenix Rider or Phoenix Master phoenovo: Phoenix egg
petravin: Rockwine, a distilled Pyraean liquor aged with a blend of local herbs and flowers, made only in the small village of Petratec.
sapona: Soaptree, plant used to bathe with.
Sekveia: The Second Road, an ancient route through the wilds of Pyrmont that supposedly leads to lost treasure.
xe: Prefix meaning “sweet” or “dear”; can also mean “brother” or “sister,” based on the gender of the name it’s paired with.
xe xie: Generic term of endearment translating to “sweet” or “dear” (xe) “one” (xie).
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1 “Azurec” in the Trader’s Tongue 2 “Noct” in the Trader’s Tongue
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
In order to say a proper thanks, I guess I should start at the beginning. Thank you to my parents—to mom, for great hair and a curious mind, and to dad, for a love of food and my fantastic Mediterranean skin tone. Also thank you for life.
To my brothers, Robin and Jason, who toughened me up young and frequently left me behind . . . it was in those lonely hours that I learned how to be strange and imaginative and to entertain myself. I also have to thank you for my sisters, Melissa and Jenny, as well as my nieces (Brianna and Ella) and nephews (Alexander, Everett, and Oliver), who have brought so much chaos and laughter into our family, and have taught me to appreciate silence (and naps).
To John and Angela, my Greek parents, who have been an essential part of my life since I was sixteen. I cannot thank you enough for the unconditional love and support that I don’t deserve and will never forget. Thank you, too, for being the best possible caretakers and guardians of my heart, Rocky.
Thank you to Bruce (who kept asking to read this book, even though I kept saying it wasn’t ready yet) and to Isabel, my godmother (with whom I share a love of reading and a name), and all my cousins and family, near and far.
To Shannon, my best friend since grade five, and Joel, who understands and shows appropriate enthusiasm for nerdy things like fantasy maps. You guys always kept me fed and drunk and safely tucked in on your couch. Cheers to Niki Wee and Shannon “Red Boots” Robertson, who were often tucked in next to me.
To Derek, who never doubted for a second that I could do this. I love you.
I must shout out all my critique partners and writer friends who have been there for every setback and success, making this winding road a bit less lonely. Elly Blake (my first CP, who blazed the trail so I could follow safely behind); Tara Wyatt, my bae (who holds my hand through every victory and meltdown); Morgan Rhodes (who helped brainstorm this idea); Eve Silver (who always made me believe it was only a matter of time); and fellow TRW friends Maureen, Julie, Bonnie, and Molly. Thank you to my other CP, Jennifer Welker, and my agent—and publisher—sister Akemi Dawn Bowman. To Jessi, thanks for the wine and cheese and cheerleading, and thank you to work friends past and present: Amy, Megan, Lindsay, Rohana, Chelsey, and Ashley.
To my agent, Penny Moore, who is a certified badass and a tireless advocate for her clients and for the YA community. I’m truly lucky and honored to have you on my side. Thanks as well to Andrea, Sandy, and everyone at Empire Literary.
I honestly can’t imagine Crown of Feathers at any other publisher or with any editor other than Sarah McCabe. Thank you for seeing the potential in this story and helping to grow and shape it into the kind of book I always hoped it could be. I am intensely proud of what we’ve made together.
Big thanks to Jessi Smith for your sharp eyes and fresh insight, and to Sarah Creech and Kekai Kotaki for a breathtaking cover that makes my heart sing. To Jordan Saia for the stunning map and to Mike Rosamilia for the gorgeous interior design. To everyone at Simon Pulse and Simon & Schuster for believing in this book and for being there every step of the way: Mara Anastas, Chriscynethia Floyd, Liesa Abrams, Katherine Devendorf, Elizabeth Mims, Sara Berko, Chelsea Morgan, Lauren Hoffman, Caitlin Sweeny, Alissa Nigro, Anna Jarzab, Christina Pecorale, and the S&S sales team, Michelle Leo and her team, Nicole Russo, and Samantha Benson.
And finally, thank you to the readers. Without you there would be no books at all, and what a dreary world that would be.