The Endless Skies
Page 26
This, I realize. This was missing. Not only Callen himself but a feeling of peace. Callen brings a lifetime of shared memories with him. Shirene is gone, and we’ve lost so many friends. But this? This I refuse to lose.
I deserve to wear my warrior blues after everything I’ve been through. I am still my own person, still Rowan An’Talla, still my father’s daughter. But Callen is like a sunrise—his light makes every part of my life warmer, brighter. Better.
“Stay here tonight,” I say.
His breath catches. “Already bolder than usual, warrior.”
“Skies. You know what I mean.”
He laughs. “I do, and I’ll stay.”
The study door opens, and I jump, heat rising to my cheeks as my mother enters. She looks from Callen to me, then gives us a knowing smile.
“Welcome home,” she says.
And we are home—the both of us.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Endless Skies first came to me in a dream: the image of a winged lion in a secluded grotto, a lion that dream-me knew to be a prince. Though the plot changed ten times over, the messages of loyalty and love never wavered. This is my oldest story, and my most dear. To hold this book in my hands as an actual, finished creation is a feeling beyond words. And I definitely did not get here alone.
A huge debt of gratitude to Diana Gill, who saw everything this story could be and who gave me time to perfect it. To my kick-ass editor Rachel Bass, who is as much of a fan of this adventure as I am: thank you for the wise (and often hilarious) notes, and for keeping me sane as we revised during a global crisis. To everyone at Tor Teen who made this book a reality: Anneliese Merz, Laura Etzkorn, Saraciea Fennell, Andrew King, Heather Saunders, Kristin Temple, and every one of the book-making champions I have yet to know by name. You are my heroes.
A standing ovation to cover artist Larry Rostant, cover designer Lesley Worrell, model Carrie Kseniia, and make-up artist Rebecca Clare for bringing my girl Rowan to life. You created the exact kind of cover that I have dreamed of having since I was a kid. It’s perfect, and I am so grateful.
None of this would be possible without my agent-extraordinaire, Elana Roth Parker, who puts up with my panicked, late-night emails and never complains. Thank you for taking a chance on me, all those emails ago. Much love to #TeamElana, who have rooted for me from the start. Cheers to us and our matching team mugs! A special shout-out to Lily Meade, who made me so many gorgeous promo graphics; and to Anna Bright, for being the tulle-skirt-wearing book cheerleader that everyone deserves.
Thank you to the many friends who I have been lucky to make over the course of this book’s journey, including Grace Li, Rachel Griffin, Kristin Dwyer, Adrienne Young, and every wonderful person who I am accidentally forgetting. Thank you to the inaugural cohort of Writing with the Soul. I am so humbled by your talent and perseverance.
To all who blurbed this book, though I won’t know who you are until after I send in these acknowledgments: thank you for your time, support, and immeasurable kindness. I promise to pay it forward wherever I can.
Huge thanks to all the readers, bloggers, booksellers, librarians, and educators who fell in love with this book and shared it with friends. I get to have my dream job because of you—and I’m so grateful.
Endless love to Joss Diaz and Kalyn Josephson, my virtual writing date buddies, who endured a draft of this that included the sentence “the warm was warm” and somehow still want to hang out with me. I’ll see you on Sunday … but give me two minutes to make my coffee.
I could never forget the 5quad: thank you for being the kind of friends who not only send me encouraging IG messages and are flexible around my deadlines, but who also sit me down to have a lengthy talk on happiness and career when I really need one. I love and appreciate all of you so much.
Thank you always to my family, whose support for my books gives my heart purpose. To my mama, who never sent me home with anything less than five frozen meals so I’d have more time to write. To my dad, whose excitement over each and every publishing milestone makes them all the more meaningful. To my sister, for reading a very ugly version of this and giving me line edits when I didn’t ask for (but very much needed) them. Special shout-out to the Moos, who are never more than a text and a virtual cheers away; and to Richard, for always asking me how writing is going and being genuinely interested to hear the answer.
Finally, to Gaston, who not only deserves the dedication, but also a space here. I legitimately don’t know how we did puppyhood, pandemic, and book deadlines all in the same few months, but we did. You are the reason I didn’t give up on myself. I love you. You are everything.
ALSO BY SHANNON PRICE
A Thousand Fires
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SHANNON PRICE believes in good bread, good wine, and good books. She lives in California, where she dreams of one day living in a house by the sea. You can sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Map
Prologue: Shirene
1. Rowan
2. Shirene
3. Callen
4. Rowan
5. Shirene
6. Rowan
7. Callen
8. Rowan
9. Callen
10. Rowan
11. Callen
12. Callen
13. Rowan
14. Shirene
15. Rowan
16. Rowan
17. Shirene
18. Rowan
19. Callen
20. Rowan
21. Callen
22. Rowan
23. Callen
24. Shirene
25. Rowan
26. Callen
27. Rowan
28. Callen
29. Rowan
30. Callen
31. Rowan
32. Callen
33. Rowan
34. Callen
35. Rowan
36. Callen
37. Rowan
38. Callen
39. Shirene
40. Rowan
41. Callen
42. Rowan
43. Shirene
44. Callen
45. Rowan
46. Rowan
47. Callen
48. Rowan
Epilogue: Rowan
Acknowledgments
Also by Shannon Price
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE ENDLESS SKIES
Copyright © 2021 by Shannon Price
All rights reserved.
Map by Jennifer Hanover
Cover art by Larry Rostant
Cover design by Lesley Worrell
A Tor Teen Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates
120 Broadway
New York, NY 10271
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Price, Shannon, author.
The endless skies / Shannon Price.—First edition.
p. cm.
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
ISBN 978-1-250-30201-4 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-250-30200-7 (ebook)
1. Fantasy—Fiction. 2. Soldiers—Fiction. 3. Shapeshifting—Fiction. I. Title.
/>
PZ7.1.P7529
[Fic]—dc23
2021009115
eISBN 9781250302007
Our ebooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension 5442, or by email at MacmillanSpecialMarkets@macmillan.com.
First Edition: 2021