Page 73 of Starlight and Storm
I sigh and lean into him. ‘All I want is peace now. For Rosevear and my people. For all of us to be safe.’
He draws his arm round me. ‘And you have it. I am keeping a careful watch. What happened before will not happen again in Arnhem.’
‘But on the continent?’
He hesitates. ‘You know as well as I the hearts of man and witch. Which brings me to something … Lowri has been researching. Hillary granted her access to the coven libraries in Highborn and she believes she may have found a counter spell. For the binding placed on your memories.’
My heart stops in my chest. ‘My … my father?’
‘Yes,’ Eli breathes. ‘She needs to research a little longer, but there might be a way to restore your memories of him.’
I choke, turning to meet his gaze. ‘I haven’t dared to dream, dared to hope …’
‘Too much was taken from you. We cannot bring back those we love, but, if she can find a way, we will restore this one thing.’
‘Thank you,’ I whisper, sinking once more into his arms. Hope flickers suddenly in my heart, the embers of a dying fire I had believed were long since lost.
We watch as the sun sets, a rosy haze drifting over the sea, and I burrow deeper into his warmth. Whatever comes next, I realise, I have this. Him. Us. Two souls created from the same imperfect whole. Someone to hold my hand amid the night and stars, someone to return to. My anchor in a storm. We will face it all together.
They say we are reckless,
That we fought and plundered and killed.
And yes, it’s true, what they say.
But I ask you to search deeper.
To uncover the tale beneath.
And when you search the horizon, when the salt breeze keens, when your heart fills with calm and hope for tomorrow, know what it is.
That you’ve found what we fought for.
Freedom.
Completing this series has been so full of joy. A whole fantasy series, written, published and in the hands of readers! This has always been my dream and there are so many people that have supported me in making this a reality. Firstly, to you, the reader. Thank you for following Mira, Brielle and Lowri’s journey over the course of these books. Receiving your messages and meeting readers in person remains one of the best things about publishing my stories.
To the librarians, booksellers, bloggers, influencers and social media darlings, thank you for pressing my books into readers’ hands. Thank you for championing them and caring so very much about the world of books and reading. Without you, none of this would be possible, you keep the literary world spinning.
To my wonderful Mads, thank you. Your enthusiasm, care, you-ness is infectious, I am so incredibly proud to have you as my agent. I was so nervous all those years ago, pitching this series to you, but you didn’t hesitate.You’ve been my greatest champion and advocate from day one and never wavered. I wish every author had a Mads in their corner. And to my team at DHA, you’re all the very best. Thank you for your time, your diligence, your patience.
To Megan Reid, editor extraordinaire, thank you for being my creative partner. For instantly loving this series and fighting for it, again and again. To the team at Harper Fire, what a brilliant journey it’s been. From influencer boxes with items sourced from local creators on the Isles of Scilly, to events bursting with enthusiastic readers, it’s been a dream experience publishing these books with you. Particular thanks go to Cally Poplak, Nick Lake, Charlotte Winstone, Rosie Catcheside, Aisling O’Mahony, Iona Richards, Matthew Kelly and to Nico Delort for another stunning cover illustration.
To my US publishing team at HarperCollins, thank you for bringing this series to readers on the other side of the Atlantic. Particular thanks go to; Karen Chaplin for swooping in and ensuring this series was published with such fanfare, Rosemary Brosnan, Lisa Calcasola, Anna Ravenelle, Tim Smith, Shona McCarthy, Erin DeSalvatore, Allison Wientraub, Andrea Vandergrift and David Curtis. You’re all integral and I cannot thank you enough.
Thanks go to my translation publishers for picking up this series and publishing it with such passion and dedication. Seeing this series translated in different languages has been a real highlight.
And last but certainly never the least, to my family. Rosie and Izzy, this whole series is for you. And to Joe for always being the very best partner in every way, I love you all so completely. And to my wider family and friends, for supporting us, for your love and enthusiasm for my books, I am so incredibly lucky and thankful. What a dream team.
