“Uh, watch what?”
It was then Brock saw she was holding something. It was the gift Me’Shala had given her—a strange blue liquid in a delicate and beautiful flask.
Frond shattered that flask over the statue’s head.
“Hey!” Brock said, taking a step back though he was nowhere near the shards of glass. “How about some warning next—”
He stopped, the words failing him as he watched the viscous liquid drip over the stone boy’s brow, off his nose, pattering on his shoulders and his outstretched hand. Wherever the liquid touched stone, veins stretched out, a patchwork web of blue upon gray. But those veins were not liquid and they were not webs. They were cracks.
The statue was coming apart.
Brock saw the worry on Frond’s face, and he feared that this was some strange mercy—that the boy who’d been turned to stone would now crumble to ash before them. When the stone fell away, though, there was something behind it: Cloth. Flesh. Terrified eyes. The boy was still there, whole beneath the stone, and he was alive.
He collapsed into Frond’s outstretched arms, trembling and weak. “Brock, water!” she barked. He snapped out of his trance and brought a pitcher forward.
The boy gaped. “How—? Where?”
“You’re safe,” Frond said, lowering him gently to the ground, but keeping one hand at the back of his head, the other lightly touching his shoulder. “You’re home, Nirav.”
Nirav appeared delirious; his hair and skin were covered with powdered stone, but he made no effort to wipe it away. He blinked as if blinded by the low light, and his voice was weak and raw.
“Drink,” Frond said, holding the pitcher to his lips.
Nirav drank, and then he fell into sleep. Brock stood there for a long time in silence while Frond held the unconscious boy. When at last he turned to leave, Frond spoke.
“This is how we save the world, Brock,” she said. “This is how we win it back. One life at a time.”
If writing a book is an adventure, then writing a series is an epic quest—one that would be impossible without the support of an extraordinary cast of supernatural helpers. We are immensely grateful to our family and our friends: those who have cheered us on, challenged us, and inspired us—and, we suspect, cast a spell or two to guide us along the way. There’s no other explanation for how fortunate we are; it must be magic.
A special round of thank-yous is due to the amazing Disney Hyperion team, the true heroes behind these books. Thanks to editorial warriors Kieran and Mary, design wizard Mary Claire, and that gallery of rogues, Cassie, Seale, Dina, and Kevin. And to the dozens of others across the company, those unsung heroes whose labors get these books into the hands of readers worldwide: Thank you. We couldn’t ask for better guildmates.
Thanks once again to Manuel Sumberac and Virginia Allyn for lending their enormous talents to the creation of the book’s cover and map, respectively. These are gorgeous works of art, and we’re humbled to see the world we imagined come to life in so stunning a fashion.
Our agents, Ammi-Joan Paquette and Josh & Tracey Adams, possess the wisdom of the ages. We are so very lucky for their guidance and their faith.
We’re especially grateful for the insights of our sensitivity readers, Kati Gardner and Natasha Razi, as well as our indispensable early reader (and Frond’s #1 fan), Laura Bisberg. And thanks to Damien Mittlefehldt for lending us his video-making skills—and for finding the last quiet corner of New York City.
Our deepest appreciation goes to the teachers, librarians, parents, and booksellers who coordinated our many school visits. Your generosity, positivity, and commitment left an unforgettable impression on us, and we’re honored to have joined such a passionate community of book lovers and literacy advocates.
In fact, far and away our favorite part of this entire experience has been the opportunity to interact with our young readers. So a special, wholehearted thanks to all the kids out there who have joined the guild—especially to the self-identified nerds among you. You were our inspiration on days when the writing was difficult—and we can’t wait to see the stories that you go on to write in the future.
Finally, to Zack and Andrew: You make the entire journey worthwhile. This one’s for you.
ZACK LORAN CLARK AND NICK ELIOPULOS are best friends living in New York. They have been playing Dungeons & Dragons every week for more than a decade. Zack secretly wishes that he were an elf; Nick publicly denies that he is a dragon. Twilight of the Elves is the second book in the Adventurers Guild trilogy. You can learn more at www.theadventurersguildbooks.com.
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