“So,” Agnes said. “Should we go back to Culinnon? We’ve got a lot of plans to make. And we’ll have to sort out what to do about Father.”

“Maybe he won’t be so angry anymore, now that Ambrosine and Braxos are gone,” Leo said. “Maybe Sera’s memory sharing can, I don’t know, help him be more like who he used to be.”

“Maybe,” Agnes said. “Or maybe he’ll just go back to Kaolin and stew.”

Leo grinned. “Maybe that too. But at least Culinnon won’t be so isolated anymore. We can do what our mother always wanted.”

“Yes,” Sera said. First Culinnon and then beyond. She would help heal the scars her people had unknowingly left on this planet. And besides, there was so much more to see and do and learn. She was still Sera Lighthaven, after all. Her curiosity had not been quenched by the fall.

They left the Alcazar and headed down to where Eneas and Vada were waiting for them, Hektor and the Byrne Misarros readying their fleet, the open ocean full of possibility.

Acknowledgments

I often say that every book is its own little monster, and this one was no exception. And no book is ever completed without the help of so many amazing people working diligently behind the scenes. First, to my editor, Karen Chaplin, thank you for the numerous phone calls and hand holding that went along with drafting this book, and for helping me keep all the storylines straight. Bria Ragin, thank you for your infectious enthusiasm for this story and for making sure I got everything in on time. Rosemary Brosnan, thank you for believing in me and this series. My wonderful copyeditor, Jessica White, and production editor, Alexandra Rakaczki, you were both so invaluable in keeping these varied worlds straight and making sure all the little details lined up. Jacquelynn Burke, my amazing publicist, thank you for all you did to help promote this series. To the fabulous illustrator and designer, Jeff Huang and David Curtis, I cannot thank you enough for such an incredible cover—people often think I somehow have any hand in them, which is absolutely laughable, and for which I am eternally grateful that I do not, otherwise my covers would all feature stick figures. And a thousand thanks to Tim Paul for the gorgeous map of Pelago, which made all my fantasy-writer dreams come true.

Charlie Olsen, slayer of self-doubt dragons and defender of insecure hearts, I am eternally grateful that I have you in my corner. And many many thanks to Lyndsey Blessing for handling all things foreign rights related.

Jess Verdi, there is literally no world in which I could write a book without your support and encouragement, your sharp eyes, or your shoulder to cry on. Thank you for always finding the time to have wine and snacks while I ask you a million plot questions. Jenna’s thesis.