To Naomi Davis, my literary agent, whose empathy, insight, and advice have helped me weather many a storm—I am so grateful we’re in this together! Much thanks to BookEnds Literary Agency for all its support.

To David Pomerico, my US editor—to put it simply, the duology would not exist in this form without you. I am so glad we shared the same vision from the start. You are a brilliant champion for these books, and your insightful edits have elevated the work immensely. To Francie Crawford and Jori Cook—you are amazing, and I am so thankful for all you’ve done, and glad to be working with you both! Much thanks to the wonderful Mireya Chiriboga; to Rachel Weinick and Rachelle Mandik for your invaluable help with the manuscript, and your patience with my comments and edits; and to Alison Bloomer for the beautiful interior design. Thank you also to Liate Stehlik and Jen Hart.

It is a joy and privilege to also be a part of the Harper Voyager family in the UK, to work with my fantastic editor, Vicky Leech Mateos—your insight and guidance have really helped me navigate this challenging year. I am also fortunate to work with the incredible Maddy Marshall and Susanna Peden, and I could not have asked for a better team. Special thanks to the wonderful Natasha Bardon, Leah Woods, Sarah Munro, Elizabeth Vaziri, and to Robyn Watts, the dream-maker of books and special editions.

There are so many people in HarperCollins around the world who played a part in bringing these books to the shelves. Thank you to the teams at HarperCollins Canada, the international teams, to everyone who worked on the duology—I am so grateful.

It gives me such joy to look upon the Heart of the Sun Warrior covers—the blazing sunlit match to the evocative night of Daughter of the Moon Goddess, and they are both perfect in different ways. Words alone cannot express how much I love them, how they have captured the heart of the story. Thank you, Kuri Huang, for your stunning illustration of the US cover—I am in love with each exquisite detail and keep finding new things to marvel about it. Much gratitude to Jason Chuang for illustrating and designing the breathtaking UK cover. I adore everything about it: the stunning flowers and symbolism, the intricate artistry, and striking colors. Thank you also to Jeanne Reina for the art direction in the US, and to Ellie Game, in the UK.

I cannot imagine a more perfect narrator for these books than Natalie Naudus—thank you for bringing the characters to life, just as I imagined them!