Tarisai has been my companion since I was thirteen years old. But I’ve never felt closer to her than I did while writing this book. Her confusion, headaches, and sense of isolation were my own. But so was her stubborn determination to complete what she had started, buoyed by the potent love that surrounded her.

To cross the Underworld, she repeated the names of her loved ones, summoning each individual’s unique traits to power her journey. In no particular order, I’m honored to do the same here.

Mom, my first griot.

Dad, my tireless champion.

Rachael Bug, my constant joy and sister-grown-dearest-friend.

Auntie Lisa, my beacon of love and lifelong fairy godmother.

Mama Marva, who adopted me.

Tia Thee Therapist, who is to this day helping my brain function.

Lisa-Marie, who helped me love my ailing writer’s body through dance and art.

Miss Viv, my model for a stability and love that could only exist in a lifelong teacher.

Melissa, one of my original “council members,” who never gave up on our friendship.

Otana, the first non–blood relation I ever remember truly loving, which perhaps laid the foundation for what this book is all about.

Jibiana, who will someday—benevolently and with cheerful enthusiasm—rule the entire free world.

Clare, Latosha, Reed, Monica, Ian, Kristina, Rob, Robyn, #BobYourFriend, Wendy, Matt, Lauren, Michael, Ali, Will, Kim, and all the rest of my church family, for their endless, nurturing care.

Grandma, for teaching me the meaning of unconditional love.

Uncle Femi, for his enormous fatherly heart.

Auntie Monica, for being the glue of every community she chooses.

Auntie Ifueko, who adopted me as passionately as I adopted her.

Auntie Tonia, who helped me connect to my roots in a way no one else has.

Shaiah the Bee, for letting me be her honorary big sister.

Kenzie, Naomi, and Imelda, for being their extraordinary selves, and Faith, for sharing them with me.

Gail Carson Levine, for her kindness, and for inspiring me to make worlds of my own.

Shannon Hale, for modeling a level of empathy in writing I hope to reach someday.

Joniece Abbot-Pratt and Weruche Opia, for lending their voices to bring Tarisai to vivid life.

Rosiee Thor, for going above and beyond as a sensitivity reader.

Maggie Lehrman, my editor, for accepting my specific brand of weird and making it shine.

Pastor Colleen, for being the mother’s heart of God I so desperately needed.

Charles Chaisson and Hana Anouk Nakamura, for giving Tarisai a face and designing yet another a heart-stopping cover.

Namina Forna, for being my fast friend and champion, but also simply for being her warrior-hearted, brilliant self.

Ronni Davis, Dhonielle Clayton, Bethany C. Morrow, Rosie Brown, and Nic Stone, for being my guardian angels. I will never forget.

Michael Prevett, my film agent, for being my tutor and champion in the world of television rights.

Becca Seidler, for her love and constancy in the roller-coaster ride that was my life these past two years.

Karisa Keasey Marsland, for being my kindred spirit and lionhearted friend, and for accepting my tear-soaked calls at all hours of the night.