She bowed her head, her left wrist over her heart. The rest of the Valoffs did the same.
I nodded at them, then turned to Lexi. “I know you’re going to be off relieving someone of their hard-earned credits, but what do you think?”
“I think it’s a terrible idea,” she said bluntly. “But I think you’re going to do it anyway, and I would be disappointed if you didn’t. One of us has to fight for the greater good, and it’s not me.”
My smile softened. Lexi liked to think she wasn’t a good person, but her actions proved her wrong. Sure, she took some questionable jobs, but when I’d needed help, she’d dropped everything to go to Valovia with me. “Thanks, Lex.”
She nodded, her expression fond.
“So, we’re decided then?” I asked. Everyone nodded, and Torran squeezed my hand with a smile. I grinned. “Then let’s go stop a war.”
Acknowledgments
Turning a story into a book requires an entire team of people working together, and I’d like to thank everyone who made it possible!
Thanks to Sarah E. Younger, my badass agent, who is a continual delight to work with. I’m so glad you’re in my corner!
Thanks to Tessa Woodward, my outstanding editor, who always knows exactly what my manuscripts need to be the best versions of themselves. I don’t know how you do it, but I’m so glad you do! And thanks to the entire team at Harper Voyager for everything you do. This book wouldn’t exist without you all!
Thanks to Patrick Ferguson and Tracy Smith for reading early drafts, putting up with the inevitable “it’s garbage” wailing, and generally supporting me through the ups and downs of producing a story from thin air, imagination, and stress. You all are the best!
Thanks to Bree, Donna, Ilona, and Gordon for all the help, support, cheerleading, and encouragement.
All my love and appreciation to my husband, Dustin, whose unwavering support keeps me going even when the story refuses to cooperate, and I feel like becoming a hermit in a shack in the woods. I love you!
And finally, thanks to you, readers! This book was written during the pandemic of 2020, and while it was incredibly difficult to write, it was also a much-needed escape. I hope the world is in a better place by the time you read this, but I also hope the story still serves as a pleasant escape. Happy reading!