I glanced at my gray body. ‘Good idea.’
Hugo’s hand fell on my shoulder. The gesture was warm and genuine. ‘We’ll figure all this out together. Okay?’
For the first time since I’d become a gargoyle, I felt things were right between us again. I wasn’t in this alone. I folded my wings and leapt off the railing. Hugo and I walked side by side across the bridge. He straddled his bike.
‘Want a ride back to the shop?’ he asked, strapping on his helmet.
‘Actually, I think I’ll walk,’ I replied, taking a deep breath of air. ‘It’s nice out.’
‘Suit yourself.’ He started the engine.
‘Hey, Hugo,’ I said suddenly. He looked up at me. ‘So no more secrets, right?’
The moonlight illuminated my brother’s unreadable face.
‘We’re Outcast Gypsies, Sebastian,’ he said with a grin. ‘We always have secrets.’
The motorcycle lurched ahead, and my brother vanished into the night.
Acknowledgements
Above anything else…Thank you God, for your many blessings and for the gift of your Son Jesus. Thank you for never giving up on me, and for loving me too much to leave me as I am. Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 34:1.
There are so many people in my life I want to thank, and I’m terrified I’ll forget someone. If I do, please forgive me. I’ll send you chocolate.
Thanks…
To my amazing critique group. This never would’ve happened without your advice, your encouragement, and, most of all, your friendship. Thank you Shannon, Tosha, Colleen, Shanda, Kim, Aaron, Vaughan, and Bonnie. You talented people are the absolute best. Go Trail Mix!
To the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) for giving me hope and motivation.
To my earliest readers and loyal fans from the beginning: Kasey, Chad, Emily, Allie, Erica, and others who graciously read scattered pages, roughly-written chapters, or listened to me ramble on the phone about plot frustrations and character woes. You mean the world to me. To Christina Lewis, for being an awesome writing partner and helper. And Patti, for never doubting and for giving me dandelion-themed gifts to remind me.
To all my students from days gone by: my inspiration, always.
To my sweet friends, who always have my back and are spectacular. And like coffee. And tea. And chatting for hours. And are sometimes as socially awkward as I am.
To my rock star agent Jill Corcoran and the Jill Corcoran Literary Agency. Thanks for bringing me into the fold, having faith in my work, and being splendid in all ways.
Thank you to everyone at HarperCollins who has been involved in this process, and particularly to the lovely ladies at HarperVoyager UK: Natasha Bardon and Eleanor Ashfield. Many thanks to my brilliant copyeditor Janette Currie for catching everything with style, and to the talented Cherie Chapman for such a stunning cover. And a very special thank you to my dazzling editor, Rachel Winterbottom. You have been nothing short of gracious and wonderful, and you have made my experience as a debut author one of the best things ever.
To my family. There aren’t words to properly express how much I love and appreciate you. From my parents to my in-laws, and to everyone in between, I am truly blessed. Thank you for always supporting your weird, geeky, artsy girl. I love you all.
Saving the best for last…To my sons, Liam and Justin. My hobbit, you are my joy and have been since the beginning. Man-cub, you are a gift to our family. You boys have my heart.
And finally, to my husband Doug—my very own hero and protector. You are my soul mate, my best friend, and you have always been my biggest fan. I thank God every day that I get to experience life at your side. I love you forever.
About the Author
Christi J. Whitney is a former high school theatre director with a love for the arts. She lives just outside Atlanta with her husband and two sons. When not spending time with them or taking a ridiculous number of trips to Disney World, she can be found directing plays, making costumes for sci-fi and fantasy conventions, obsessing over Doctor Who, watching superhero movies, or pretending she’s just a tad bit British. You can visit her online at www.christijwhitney.com or connect on Twitter @ChristiWhitney
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
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Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London, SE1 9GF, UK
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) Page 30