Tears gathered in my eyes. "And I promise to not annoy you."
"I don't think you should make promises you can't keep."
He gathered me into his arms, and I lifted my face to meet his kiss. A warmth rushed over me, and I no longer felt cold. I would make a million promises for Bastien. And it didn't matter what world we ended up living in. Because I knew when things got bad, Bastien would jump into a trap with me, and I'd do the same for him.
"This is just the beginning," he said, his lips hovering over mine.
It was the beginning, all right: the beginning of my new life in the human world and the beginning of a beautiful relationship that never would have happened if I hadn't been sucked into that damn book. I pulled back to look into his beautiful blue eyes-and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Acknowledgments
Finishing a series is such an amazing feeling. I am both thrilled to have finished and sad to be leaving the Library Jumpers world and the characters I love so dearly. This journey through the most beautiful libraries in the world and through the magical Mystik world wouldn't have happened without the help of many special people along the way.
I want to thank my agent, Peter Knapp, for guiding me through this daunting process. Your kindness and care is always appreciated.
Thank you to my publisher and editor, Liz Pelletier, for giving this series a chance and for helping to make it so much better than how it started. A special thank you to Stacy Abrams for all the rounds of edits on this book. It was a great experience working with you and having you push me to delve deeper into the characters.
And many thanks to the entire Entangled Publishing team that worked on this book from editing to cover design to marketing and everything in between. Thank you for making my books pretty and getting them into readers' hands.
A gigantic thank you to Pintip Dunn for being so hard on me with the critique of this book. I'm in awe of your talent. Our daily phone calls are the brightest moments of my day. To Heather Cashman for helping get the first draft in shape and for working with me on Pitch Wars so that I could get this book done. You are simply the best!
To my writer friends here in Albuquerque who meet for coffee whenever we can, to the wonderful Pitch Wars community, and my online friends-thank you for keeping me company on this journey.
Thank you to my family and friends for all your support and for understanding when I have to pass on things because I have a deadline or some other pressing matter.
And to my husband and desk mate, Richard Drake, for all your support so I can chase after my dreams. I'd jump through any gateway book with you no matter how dark and scary it is.
I dedicated this novel to my beautiful son, Jacob Maez. He was my inspiration for Nick. When Jacob was five, he conquered cancer and during the final edits of this book, he's now fighting liver disease. He has always been a warrior and keeps his humor through some of the toughest battles of his life. I am truly blessed to be his mother.
And finally, to you, dear reader, thank you for going along with me on Gia's journey. I hope you enjoy the series as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Interview with the Author
Pintip Dunn: Hi Brenda! Thanks so much for agreeing to let me torture … ehr, interview you! I've been dying to get the answers to some of these questions.
Brenda Drake: This is sort of scaring me. Ha! But really, thank you for doing this!
PD: Don't be scared. Much. *rubs hands together* Okay, let's start with a question that all writers get. And I know I'm a writer myself, but I have to ask it anyway-
BD: No, Pintip, this book is *not* based on you.
PD: *pouts* Really? But I kinda thought Gia was inspired by me! You know, kick-ass girl, super-cool magical powers, has two hot guys fighting over her …
BD: Actually, Gia was based on a combination of my nieces. I was hanging out with them a lot at the time. One is an athlete and the other is a bookworm.
PD: Now the *real* question I wanted to ask you-the one all writers get-is about your amazing imagination. I'm always so impressed with all your creative details. How do you come up with your ideas?
BD: Thank you! This has to be the hardest question for a writer to answer. The ideas just pop into my head. But seriously, I think our surroundings and experiences influences our imagination. For me, it can be an object or some other visual that spurs an idea. A coffee table book on the most beautiful libraries in the world was the inspiration behind the Library Jumpers series.
PD: Do you have a favorite library? Did you spend a lot of time in libraries as you were growing up?
BD: My favorite library has to be the Boston Athenæum. The first time I had visited, I was about ten. It was spacious and awe-inspiring with its beautiful artwork and balcony bookcases.
PD: Let's talk about cute boys instead. I have to ask: Are you Team Bastien or Team Arik? Did you know Gia's perfect match all along, or did you change your mind during the writing of this series?
BD: Ha! This is tricky. I'm Team Nick all the way! But seriously, I can't choose between Bastien and Arik. I love them both for different reasons. Bastien for his empathy and his flirty arrogance and Arik for his loyalty and protectiveness. My feelings about whom Gia should end up with vacillated between the two so many times. In the end, I believe she makes the right choice.
PD: You don't hesitate to put your characters into difficult situations. In fact, you kill quite a few characters in this book. Why did you feel like they had to die?
BD: In a world where there is magic, swords, and epic battles, someone has to die. I tend to choose characters who sacrifice themselves out of love. I never set out to kill my characters. It just feels right for the story when it happens. If it doesn't, I spare them. There are a few characters I wish I could bring back to life. I miss them.
PD: I miss them, too! But so long as you leave my favorites alone, I'll give you a pass. Did you hide any secrets in your books? Meaning, are there any details with special significance that only you and a few close friends understand?
BD: There are many secrets in all three books. Things I've pulled from my life that my family and friends will recognize. It could be a conversation or an item. Gia's cat, Cleo, and a ferret named Momo in Book 2 represent my real pets.
PD: I want to meet Momo! Was it harder to write the second book in a series? What's the difference between writing a Book 1 and a Book 2 (or a Book 3, for that matter)?
BD: The hard part about writing Book 2 was doing it on a deadline. When I wrote Book 1, I didn't have that pressure. But with Book 2, I already had the world established and could delve deeper into the characters. Book 3 was difficult to write. Ending a series is tough. You have to make sure you tie everything up in a neat bow. I cried several times while writing it.
PD: And I cried several times while reading it!
BD: I'm still crying …
PD: Aw, we have to end this interview on a happy note! What was your favorite scene in this book and why?
BD: Fight scenes are my favorite ones to write. But I will surprise you and say it's a scene where one of the characters makes a huge sacrifice for Gia.
PD: Ooh, I love that scene! I bet that scene is probably all of your readers' favorite, too. Well, I am looking forward to reading many more heart-melting scenes from you. Thanks so much for answering my questions, Brenda! As always, it was a blast to hang out with you!
BD: It's always a wonderful time talking with you, Pintip! Thank you for going on this journey with me. It wouldn't be as fun without you!
Pintip Dunn is the New York Times bestselling and RITA ® award-winning author of the Forget Tomorrow series as well as the upcoming Star-Crossed and Malice. Visit her online at