by Cindy Pon
“She’d be so proud of you,” Lingyi replied.
Arun raised his face and wiped the tears from his eyes. “She’d be proud of all of us.”
We sat in silence for some time, gazing out at the moon. Lingyi then leaned forward and cleared her throat, saying, “To Jany.” We all lifted our glasses. “I was the only one who knew her, but she would have fit right in with us. I’m grateful her legacy lives on.” Jany’s catalyst had revolutionized the air filtration market overnight and made her family very wealthy very fast. They would never want for anything again. Lingyi clinked her glass with Daiyu’s. “Thank you, especially, for securing the loan to make this happen. You took a huge risk—in everything that you did.”
Daiyu smiled, appearing almost shy. “I was happy to help, in every way.”
“How are you doing, boss?” I asked in a soft voice. Lingyi looked good, more like herself again. That eternal crease of worry between her eyebrows hadn’t appeared all night.
“Yeah, how’s it going, boss?” Arun asked.
“I’m doing better,” Lingyi replied. “I’ve been seeing someone—talking through things—it’s helping.”
After a pause, Iris raised her glass filled with iced jasmine tea. “And to Victor—”
We clinked our glasses one more time.
“Charmer,” I said.
“Suavest,” Arun added.
“Most dapper person I ever heisted with,” Iris said.
Lingyi clinked her glass with ours last, not bothering to wipe away her own tears. “Sweet talker,” she murmured. “And the most loyal friend.”
We all nodded, and Daiyu drew closer to brush her lips against my cheek. I didn’t realize until then that my own face was wet. I got up and retreated into the kitchen, grabbing more drinks for everyone as an excuse to disappear briefly.
It should have been me.
The thought always came unbidden: accusatory, filled with sadness and rage. But they weren’t Victor’s words; it was something he’d never say to me. I understood that tonight, sharing this moment of remembrance with my friends. Victor forgave those he loved—it was what made him such a great friend. And I needed to learn to forgive myself.
I felt arms slide around my waist. Daiyu took care not to put pressure on where I had been shot, although the wound had healed already. “Hey.” She hugged me from behind, and I felt her warmth against my back. “Do you need help?”
Shifting, I wrapped an arm around her and slipped my other hand behind the smooth nape of her neck. She shivered, then ran both palms up my back, drawing me closer. We kissed, taking our time, making unspoken promises with our hands and our mouths. Forgetting everything, we got to the point where we’d usually be stumbling toward my unmade bed as we clumsily undressed each other. Instead, Arun shouted from the other room, “What’s a bro gotta do to get a drink around here?”
We broke apart, and Daiyu pressed the back of her hand against her lips, unable to hide her grin. She ran her fingers through her hair and straightened her dress. “Uh, we’ll be right out”—she stuttered, sounding as guilty as we actually were—“with more drinks.”
My friends did nothing to disguise their titters and guffaws as I grabbed more drinks from the refrigerator and Daiyu set them on a tray before she swept back into the main living area and I followed.
The night had grown full dark, and I was greeted with the image of my friends with their backs to us, leaning against one another, their attention caught by the shimmering lights below as our city came to life. The moon had risen, growing smaller but brighter—a goddess in the sky. No, I could never take this view for granted.
Shanghai had been a stunning city, but Taipei was ours.
We joined our friends on the short, carved stools and passed more drinks around, fielding both their chatter and teasing all the while.
I glanced out the window and drew in a breath, feeling the city take me by the heart.
It was good to be home again.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Ruse is the completion of my third published duology, and a novel I’m proud of and love, but it’s also probably one of the hardest books I’ve ever had to write. I lost my father this January, and it never felt like I recovered from that, scrambling my way through the entirety of 2018, trying to keep my head above water. I know for many of us, 2018 was a challenging and difficult year.
It’s why I especially feel for my crew in Ruse. They are left to deal with hard choices they have made as they grieve, wondering if the path they are choosing now is the right one—if anything they are trying to do to make their world better matters. I believe we are all unique and special and everything that we do to effect change, no matter how big or small, truly does make a difference. I believe in holding on to hope. This is a theme that I kept returning to personally this year, and that also arises in Ruse, though these kids are much more badass than I’ll ever be.
This book would not have made it into your hands if not for precious friends who helped me tremendously along the way with plotting, with hugs, by offering literal refuge, or by lending an ear. I adore you, and I’m thankful for you, Malinda Lo, Holly Black, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassie Clare, Shveta Thakrar, Kate Elliott, and Leigh Bardugo.
Much gratitude to Shenwei Chang for their pinyin help in Want, but more so for being insightful, smart, and witty and always brightening my day when our paths cross in virtual or real space. I look forward to reading their stories in the future!
Thank you to Andrea Horbinski, Joseph C. Chen, Dr. Natalie Grunkemeier, and Dr. Marcus Doane for their help in research for this book.
Eternal /bootay shakes! for my purglets!
Hugs for writing friends near and far, some I have been lucky enough to meet, some I look forward to meeting. Thank you for the commiseration and also the plans for world domination, Zen, Tade, Mia, Aliette, Alessa, Vida, Victor, Nene, and Rochita.
I owe so very much to my amazing critique group: Mark McDonough, Amy Mair, Morgan Blythe, and John Atcheson. Thank you for seeing me through so much plotting that it almost broke my brain. Special shout-out to John, who always gives me great ideas and lends his knowledge to these titles!
I feel so very lucky to have worked on Ruse with my wonderful editor, Jennifer Ung, who is so encouraging, warm, and incisive. This book will always hold a special place in my heart, and you are part of that! Thank you to the amazing team at Simon Pulse. I am gobsmacked to have another stunning cover by Jason Chan. Thank you, Jason!
This year, 2018, marks my ten-year anniversary with my delightful agent, Bill Contardi. More anon, Bill!
As ever, love to my m, sweet pea, and munchkin. And to my best friend since junior high, Jany Tsai, who kindly let me murder her in this novel.
Finally, I wanted to thank all the readers, librarians, and booksellers who championed Want. I know for a fact that Want would never have had the reach it did if not for your enthusiasm, and I feel so lucky and heart-full for those who have connected with Zhou and his friends. Ruse is for you. <3
November 14, 2018
San Diego, CA
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CINDY PON is the author of Silver Phoenix, which was named one of the Top Ten Science Fiction and Fantasy Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist and one of 2009’s Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror choices by VOYA; Serpentine and Sacrifice, which were both Junior Library Guild selections and received starred reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, respectively; and Want, which received a Freeman Book Award Honorable Mention. She is the cofounder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and is on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush-painting student. Learn more about her books and art at cindypon.com.
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This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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First Simon Pulse hardcover edition March 2019
Text copyright © 2019 by Cindy Pon
Jacket illustration copyright © 2019 by Jason Chan (front panel) and Thinkstock (back panel and flaps)
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Designed by Steve Scott
Author photograph copyright © 2019 by Vania Stoyanova Photography
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Pon, Cindy, author.
Title: Ruse / Cindy Pon.
Description: First Simon Pulse hardcover edition. | New York : Simon Pulse, 2019. | Sequel to: Want. | Summary: “Jason Zhou, his friends, and Daiyu play a treacherous cat and mouse game in the labyrinthine streets of Shanghai, determined on taking back what Jin had stolen”—Provided by publisher.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018041435 | ISBN 9781534419926 (hardcover)
Subjects: | CYAC: Pollution—Fiction. | Virus diseases—Fiction. | Survival—Fiction. | Shanghai (China)—Fiction. | China—Fiction. | Science fiction.
Classification: LCC PZ7.P77215 Rus 2019 | DDC [Fic]—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018041435
ISBN 9781534419940 (eBook)
