Mox fumbled in one of the bags for something. When he was hunched over, Sloane looked at the bumps of his vertebrae. The spine siphon had come loose as Nero died, he had told her. It was at the bottom of the Chicago River.
He produced a CD from the bag. Pet Sounds.
Sloane smiled.
As the first song came on, Mox said, “I think I know why you really did it.”
“Why I did what?”
“Killed Nero.”
“Oh.” Sloane glanced at him. “Why did I really do it?”
“Because he was going to force me to do it,” Mox said. “You decided that if one of us was going to have to bear the burden of it, it would be you. So in the end . . . it wasn’t revenge, or inevitability, or some other dark purpose. It was a kind of . . . small mercy.”
“There was definitely revenge in it,” she said.
“Yeah, of course,” Mox said. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes. “But there was kindness in it too.”
He reached across the gearshift and took her hand.
They drove along Lake Michigan, and the water glittered in the sun.
Acknowledgments
Thank you.
First, to three people I absolutely could not have written this book without: John Joseph Adams, for being unflappable, funny, and wise, and for helping me to shape this story from the start. (Even if I didn’t use that one excellent zombie joke.) Joanna Volpe, for ten years of friendship and fearless advocacy (!!!) and for never doubting me, even when I doubted myself. Nelson Fitch, for many days of agonizing over world-building with me and reading early drafts and doing everything possible to facilitate my writing and mental health. It’s just you and me, buddy.
At HMH: Jaime Levine, the other half of the dynamic duo that made this book work, for being so lovely to work with at every stage. And to everyone else at my HMH home, especially Ellen Archer, Bruce Nichols, Helen Atsma, Fariza Hawke, Lori Glazer, Taryn Roeder, Matt Schweitzer, Hannah Harlow, Becky Saikia-Wilson, Jill Lazer, Katie Kimmerer, Jenny Freilach, Tracy Roe, Diana Coe, Chloe Foster, Emily Snyder, Rita Cullen, Christopher Moisan, Jim Tierney, Ed Spade, Colleen Murphy, Candace Finn, and all the names I surely missed from Editorial, Managing Editorial, Publicity, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Legal, and Subrights—thank you for your tireless work for this book and beyond. And to my audio team at Audible, specifically Kristin Lang, Rena Ayer, and Dan Battaglia, the same goes to you!
At New Leaf Literary: Jordan Hill and Abigail Donoghue, whose patience with me never fails; bless you. Mia Roman and Veronica Grijalva, who are absolutely killing it with foreign rights. Hilary Pecheone and Meredith Barnes, for keeping an eye on all the things that would otherwise completely escape my mind. Pouya Shahbazian, for your continued enthusiasm for each new story and wisdom in all matters film. Everyone else at New Leaf, for doing such fine work day after day, year after year.
Rawles Lumumba, for your invaluable feedback. Katherine Tegen, for always cheering me on.
Courtney Summers, Somaiya Daud, Maurene Goo, and Sarah Enni, you were particularly helpful and generous and fucking hilarious while I was writing this book; I will always strive to be for you what you were for me this year. Amy Lukavics, Kaitlin Ward, Kate Hart, Michelle Krys, Kara Thomas, Laurie Devore, Diya Mishra, Aminah Mae Safi, Zan Romanoff, and Elissa Sussman, for your support in the world of writing and for showing me all the many weird and wonderful things of the internet. Margaret Stohl, for being my emotional soulmate even when things go bananas for a while. These are just a few of the writers who buoy me when I’m sinking—what wealth I have; thank you all.
My family—Barb, Frank, Ingrid, Karl, Frank IV, Candice, Beth, Roger, Tyler, Rachel, Trevor, Tera, Darby, Andrew, Billie, Fred, Chase, Sha, and my three nieces—for bearing with me as I disappear into work and for reminding me I am loved beyond what I make. My friends who are not writers, for the same.
My readers, for taking a chance on each new story.
About the Author
© Nelson Fitch
Veronica Roth is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Divergent series (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, and Four: A Divergent Collection), the Carve the Mark duology (Carve the Mark, The Fates Divide), and many short stories and essays. She lives in Chicago.
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