Though none of the windows was open, a wind sighed through the gallery, soft as Spyden silk and light as a unicorn. A wind that seemed brushed with the sights and smells of possible worlds. Claire closed her eyes. For a second, she thought she felt a tug at her bushy ponytail, and her hand drifted to the purple ribbon wrapped around her curls. She would see her sister again—she was sure of it. And in the meantime, what other worlds were out there?

Her fingers tingled. She was ready to capture the image that had just blossomed in her mind, one of a unicorn, her head high, crystal horn gleaming, as she raced the wind to her next Experience. Smiling, Claire closed the double doors and tugged her pencil free.

Its leaf was still green.

Acknowledgments

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In a strange twist of fate, quests sometimes begin at the end. The very first thing I knew about Claire and Sophie’s story was how it would conclude. Though I knew the destination, I needed the creativity, thoughtfulness, and patience of many people to light the way. And so, it seems right to end this trilogy by thanking the people who were with me from the very beginning.

Tremendous thanks is due to the guiding stars at Glasstown Entertainment: Lexa Hillyer, Laura Parker, Rebecca Kuss, Emily Berge-Thielmann, and Lynley Bird. A special thanks to Rebecca, for her endless enthusiasm, keen eyes, and passion for children’s literature—Sophie and Claire are lucky to have you venture into these pages. Thank you, too, to Stephen Barbara, a literary agent with a unicorn’s talent to open previously unimagined doors, and to the rest of Inkwell Management, in particular Lyndsey Blessing, Sharon Chudnow, Emma Gougeon, and Alexis Hurley.