To the Realmie Roomies (Tricia, Katie, and Ashley) for being the first to hear the pitch for this story way back when and loving it. To my Ninjas for being, well, my ninjas and always sending me Oreos (both real-life and virtual). You amaze me and encourage me in so many ways I could never recount them. Hidden ninja in chapter 36!

I know I’m forgetting people, but since I’m writing these acknowledgments thirty-nine weeks pregnant with major baby brain, I hope you’ll forgive me!

About the Author

Photo by Sara Ella Photography

NADINE BRANDES once spent four days as a sea cook in the name of book research. She is the three-time Carol Award–winning author of Fawkes, Romanov, and the Out of Time series. Her inner fangirl perks up at the mention of soul-talk, Quidditch, bookstagram, and Oreos. When she’s not busy writing novels about bold living, she’s adventuring through Middle Earth or taste-testing a new chai. Nadine, her Auror husband, and their Halfling children are building a Tiny House on wheels. Current mission: paint the world in shalom.

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NadineBrandes.com

Instagram: @NadineBrandes

YouTube: @Nadine Brandes

Twitter: @NadineBrandes

Facebook: @NadineBrandesAuthor

Praise for Nadine Brandes

“A gorgeous fantasy about incredible power just out of reach. Myrthe’s and Baastian’s stories interweave into a beautiful tale about self-worth, second chances, and mysterious enchantment.”

—Kathryn Purdie, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Burning Glass and Bone Crier’s Moon

“The battle for good and evil gets a unique twist in this imaginative and beautifully written fantasy, with the Wishtress caught in the center of the fight. You’ll want a magical wish for yourself when you get the breathtaking finish!”

—Sara B. Larson, author of Dark Breaks the Dawn and the Defy trilogy

“Breathtaking. Never have I ventured into a more unique and vibrant story world than within the pages of Wishtress. It is both fairy tale and literature, modern fable and timeless allegory. Nadine Brandes has crafted the masterpiece of her career. Full of secrets, romance, and magic, Wishtress is the book everyone will be wishing never comes to an end!”

—Sara Ella, award-winning author of The Wonderland Trials, Coral, and the Unblemished trilogy

“A touching, remarkable novel. The prose is enchanting and piquant, and paints rich, emotional images.”

—All About Romance for Romanov

“Older fans of the animated film Anastasia will enjoy this story, as will fans of R. L. LaFevers, Evelyn Skye, and Lucy Worsley’s YA novels.”

—School Library Journal for Romanov

“If you enjoy re-imagined history, like The Ring and the Crown by Melissa de la Cruz, then you’ll probably like Romanov.”

—The Story Sanctuary

“Romanov will cast a spell on readers and immerse them in a history anyone would long to be a part of.”

—Sasha Alsberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Zenith: The Androma Saga