An Ember in the Ashes (36 page)

For now, Helene can cover for us. But when order is restored at Blackcliff, Serra’s ports will shut down, the legionnaires will bar the city gates, and the streets and tunnels will be flooded with soldiers. The drums will beat from here to Antium, alerting every guardhouse and garrison that I’ve
escaped. Rewards will be offered; hunting parties will form; ships, wagons, caravans will all be searched. I know Marcus and I know my mother. Neither will stop until they have my head.

“Elias?” Laia doesn’t sound afraid, just wary.

The catacombs are tomb-black, but I know where we are: in a burial chamber that hasn’t been patrolled in years. Ahead of us are three entrances, two that are blocked and one that just looks blocked.

“I’m with you, Laia.” I reach out and take her hand. She squeezes it.

I take a step, Laia close beside me. Then another. My mind ranges out, planning our next moves: Escape Serra. Survive the road north. Break into Kauf. Save Laia’s brother.

There will be so much more in between. So much uncertainty. I don’t know if we’ll survive the catacombs, let alone the rest of it.

But it doesn’t matter. For now, these steps are enough. These first few precious steps into darkness. Into the unknown.

Into
freedom.

My fervent thanks, first and always, to my parents: My mother, my north star, my safe place, for being the exact opposite of the Commandant; and my father, who taught me the meaning of perseverance and faith, and who never once doubted me.

My husband, Kashi, is my greatest defender and the most fearless man I know. Thank you for convincing me to climb this mountain and for carrying me when I fell. To my boys, my inspirations: Here’s hoping you grow up to have Elias’s courage, Laia’s determination, and Helene’s capacity to love.

Haroon, trailblazer and purveyor of fine music, thank you for having my back like no one else, and for reminding me what it means to be family. Amer, personal Gandalf and perfect human, thank you for a thousand things, but most of all for teaching me to believe in myself.

My deepest appreciation to: Alexandra Machinist—ninja-agent, slayer of doubt, and answerer of 32,101 questions—I’m in awe of you. Thank you for your unshakeable belief in this book; Cathy Yardley, whose guidance has changed my life—I’m honored to have you as a mentor and a friend; Stephanie Koven, my tireless international champion—thank you for helping me share my book with the world; and Kathleen Miller, whose friendship is a most precious gift.

I couldn’t imagine a better publishing home than Penguin. My thanks to Don Weisberg, Ben Schrank, Gillian Levinson (who loves me, even when I send her fourteen emails in one day), Shanta Newlin, Erin Berger, Emily Romero, Felicia Frazier, Emily Osborne, Casey McIntyre, Jessica Shoffel,
Lindsay Boggs, and the remarkable people in sales, marketing, and publicity who championed this book.

For their steadfast faith in me, I owe a debt of gratitude to my family: Uncle and Auntie Tahir; Heelah, Imaan, and Armaan Saleem; Tala Abbasi; and Lilly, Zoey, and Bobby.

My heartfelt thanks to Saul Jaeger, Stacey LaFreniere, Connor Nunley, and Jason Roldan for their service to their country and for showing me what it means to have the soul of a warrior.

The maps you see in this book are by Jonathan Roberts, cartographer extraordinaire. Thank you, Jonathan, for bringing Blackcliff and the Empire to life so beautifully.

For their encouragement and general awesomeness, great thanks to: Andrea Walker, Sarah Balkin, Elizabeth Ward, Mark Johnson, Holly Goldberg Sloan, Tom Williams, Sally Wilcox, Kathy Wenner, Jeff Miller, Shannon Casey, Abigail Wen, Stacey Lee, Kelly Loy Gilbert, Renee Ahdieh, and the Writer Unboxed community.

Sincere thanks to Angels and Airwaves for “The Adventure,” Sea Wolf for “Wicked Blood,” and M83 for “Outro.” Without those songs, this book wouldn’t exist.

Last (but only because I know He doesn’t mind), I thank the one who has been with me from the beginning. I look for your 7s everywhere. Without you, I am
nothing.

SABAA TAHIR
grew up in California’s Mojave Desert at her family’s eighteen-room motel. There, she spent her time devouring fantasy novels, raiding her brother’s comic book stash, and playing guitar badly. She began writing
An Ember in the Ashes
while working nights as a newspaper editor. She likes thunderous indie rock, garish socks, and all things nerd. Sabaa currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family.

• • •

For more information, please visit Sabaa at

SabaaTahir.com

AnEmberintheAshesBook.com

Or follow her on Twitter

@SabaaTahir

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