thousands, and yet nothing intimidated him more than this audience of three. Most of whom couldn’t stand the sight of him, all things considered.
“Now, before we get started, first things first.” The journalist rose from her seat, pulling a curious item from her pocket. All they could see were the smooth white edges peeking out from her hand before she placed it on the empty stage.
A mask.
“Does the name Hellfire House mean anything to you?”
The assistant nodded. The entertainer raised her brow. And the magician wordlessly reached for the mask, tracing his fingers over the white, pearlescent exterior before turning it over.
The other side was lined not in pearl, but in mirrored glass. Flashes of his face caught in the dips and bends of the mask’s shape. Bloodshot eyes, disheveled hair, a hollowed gaze that cleared the instant he met it.
He would not turn away. Not anymore.
As the others talked over him, the magician stared at his fragmented reflection without fearing it for once.
Without knowing that, on the other side of the mirror, another magician stared back.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
One fact about me is that I love reading the acknowledgments of a book first. I love seeing how many people stood behind one storyteller, how many names went into the creation of this book aside from the one along the spine. To see such gratitude and happiness for reaching this stage from the help of many is why I always turn to the acknowledgments.
It’s an honor to now be writing my own.
To my brilliant agent, Thao Le, who is truly the best in the business. We’ve seen as many publishing lows as highs together ever since you plucked me out of the slush pile, and even when I doubted everything, not once did you give up on me. This is not our first book together even though it’s the first we’ve published, and I’m happy it won’t be the last, either. You’ve made me a better writer in more ways than I can count. I always feel so lucky to have you in my corner, along with the rest of the fabulous SDLA team who all together form the fantastic literary agency I’m proud to be represented by.
To my spectacular editor, Vicki Lame, who gave this author and book their wings and believed in us so much, even when the story felt like nothing more than a glimmer of a song. You heard what it could be, and took a chance on me. I’ll always be grateful you did, as well as grateful for your enthusiasm and incredible editorial insights that helped strengthen the book so beautifully. Kallia, Demarco, Jack, and I would be lost without you, the one who got us all through the door and kept us sane during this wild journey.
Endless thanks to my remarkable publishing team at Wednesday Books—including Jennie Conway, DJ DeSmyter, Jessica Preeg, Meghan Harrington, Kerri Resnick, Anna Gorovoy, NaNá V. Stoelzle, Elizabeth R. Curione, Micaela Alcaino, Alexis Neuville, Natalie Tsay, Kim Ludlam, Tom Thompson, Michael Criscitelli, Dylan Helstein, Lance Ehlers, Rhys Davies, and all the people who’ve worked on this book in any way. I’m lucky to be working with you. You have infused so much life into this book and ushered it out in the world with a spotlight. It’s wild to think that just years ago, Kallia was still dancing alone in my head; thanks to your excitement and hard work, she now has an audience and a much bigger, grander stage to tell her story.
To my incredible writing cult, my support group of amazingly talented writers, it would be cheesy to call you my found family but it’s the truth. We found each other on the internet, which, as we all know, is always the best place to make friends. Thank you, Akshaya Raman and Maddy Colis, my bat signal pals from the beginning, even when my writing was just simile soup—look at us now. To Katy Rose Pool (publishing twin!!), Ashley Burdin, Alexis Castellanos, Kat Cho, Mara Fitzgerald (salt and Shrek buddy!), Amanda Foody, Christine Lynn Herman, Tara Sim, Claribel Ortega, Melody Simpson, Ella Dyson, and Meg Kohlmann (my first writing friend/CP EVER). To Axie Oh, beloved James to my Jessie, there is no one I’d rather dominate the writing world with than you. To Amanda Haas, for your invaluable pep talks and just for being the light that you are. And to Erin Bay, my one and only CO-G and fellow Phan, you’ve been excited about this book as soon as