He’d abandoned and threatened her because he cared about his tradehouse and reputation too much. Then he’d spared her because some part of him, however twisted, felt guilt toward her and wanted her to live.

And now, she’d taken his tradehouse from him.

The question was, Which of us makes him weaker?

Tannis folded up the note, then looked over her shoulder. “He’s going to come for us.”

Aina turned to face the doorway that led out to the hall. She’d left this office countless times with Kohl’s threats and ultimatums hanging over her, his promises that if she just did one more job, or listened carefully enough to his words, she’d be safe. Her hands tightened around the hilts of her knives.

“Let him come,” she whispered. “He won’t escape my blade this time.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Books are magical things in neat, pretty, rectangular shapes that somehow manage to hide all the hard work necessary to create them. But this book wouldn’t be here without the efforts of these passionate people.

So much gratitude goes to my spectacular agent, Peter Knapp. This book would not be the same without you, who believed in this book, its messages, and in me from the start and helped make Diamond City shine. I so appreciate the hard work of everyone at Park & Fine Literary and Media for all they do.

Thank you so much to Eileen Rothschild, my wonderful editor at Wednesday Books. You saw the heart of my book from our first conversation and always found new ways to help me bring the core of it to life and to make it better. Thank you to Tiffany and everyone else at Wednesday who’s supported this project. So much gratitude goes to Jessica, Natalie, DJ, Brant, Lexi, and Megan for all your hard work.

A huge thank-you is owed to Kerri Resnick, who gifted this book with such a gorgeous cover that I couldn’t have even imagined. It captures the book perfectly and beautifully. Thank you so much to Las Musas and the Roaring 20s, two groups whose support and community I greatly value. To everyone from Wattpad (especially Fantasci), Danielle Barthel, the wonderful authors who’ve given this book blurbs, sensitivity readers, book bloggers, booksellers, and librarians.

I would not be here without my friends, those in the book community and those outside of it. So much love and gratitude go to my mother, Michelle, Sonia, Nus, Kim, Leonel, Lyla, Molly, Amélie, La Beesh, Gagan, Crossroads Foundation of Pittsburgh, Mary Claire Kasunic, Kathy Mata, Andrea, Rebecca, Katie, Maura, my favorite tía, Doreen, all of MSS, and all the wonderful people I’ve met in the book community.

And lastly, thank you to everyone who shares their love of books and helps fill the world with them. Everything you do is magic and necessary.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

FRANCESCA FLORES is a writer, traveler, and linguist. Raised in Pittsburgh, she read every fantasy book she could get her hands on and started writing her own stories at a young age. She began writing Diamond City while working as a corporate travel manager. When she’s not writing or reading, Francesca enjoys traveling, dancing ballet and jazz, practicing trapeze and contortion, and visiting parks and trails around San Francisco, where she currently resides. You can sign up for email updates here.