“Is it all right if I sit with you till then?” she asked. “It’s peaceful here. And I like the sun.”

“Me too,” he said.

They sat by the window of the Sunrise in Gotham Senior Living Center, two old and weary souls, hoping the light was enough to bring them back to life.

TO BE CONCLUDED

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book is dedicated to my late father, Richard Ruby, who spent much of his youth as an ironworker in his grandfather’s construction company. He, along with many others, helped to build bridges and buildings around New York City. He is gone, but also with me every day.

In the middle of writing this book, I was diagnosed with an illness, so I could not have finished this without a massive amount of support. Thanks to my agent, Tina DuBois; my editor, Jordan Brown; Debbie Kovacs at Walden Media; art director Amy Ryan; designers Aurora Parlagreco and Laura Mock; Renée Cafiero, Mark Rifkin, and Josh Weiss in the managing editorial department; and everyone else at Walden Pond Press for their faith and patience.

Many thanks to the Hamline MFAC students and faculty who sent cards and jokes and food and gifts that helped keep me going.

I’m eternally grateful for the amazing women of the LSG, the Shade, my beautiful Harpies, and my writing group (you know who you are).

Thanks also to Miriam Busch, the original Aunt Esther, knower of all the things; and Annika Cioffi, keeper of the Nines.

Love to all my family, every Ruby and Metro who called and visited even when I was too sick and cranky to speak, as well as to Anne Ursu, the Tess to my Theo, and the Theo to my Tess.

And finally, thanks and love to Steve, without whom I would be just a ghost, lost and untethered in the world.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

LAURA RUBY is the author of books for adults, teens, and children, including the Michael L. Printz Medal winner and National Book Award finalist Bone Gap, the Edgar Award nominee Lily’s Ghosts, the Book Sense Pick Good Girls, and York: The Shadow Cipher, the first book in the York trilogy. She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program and lives in the Chicago area. You can visit her online at www.lauraruby.com.

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BOOKS BY LAURA RUBY

York: The Shadow Cipher

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