and barren, grass waves in a light breeze, birds sing in trees lush with

rain-damp leaves, and night flowers lift pale faces to the darkening sky.

Soon, the stars will come out and Isra and I will sleep beneath them,

our first night together in the new world. I will hold her tightly and tell her I

love her, last thing before she closes her eyes, and first thing when she

wakes in the morning. I will tell her every day for the rest of our lives, and

more important, I will show her.

I will show her that loving her is my greatest truth, and the most

beautiful thing I have ever known.

IN THE BEGINNING

IN the beginning was the new world and hope brighter than the

stars.

The broken were made whole, the Banished were welcomed home,

and all people—Smooth Skin and Monstrous—were transformed by the

planet that loved them.

There were, of course, those who feared the sudden changes in their

world, who cursed their new skins and their old enemies, but there were

far more who celebrated, who were grateful and eager to live in peace.

In this particular beginning, there were also a girl and a boy whose

love had saved the world, and who refused to let the world slip back into

darkness. Together they became the king and queen of a new nation, and

led their people as wisely as they could. Sometimes that meant leading

them into hiding. Sometimes it meant leading them into battle, and when it

did, the boy and the girl fought their enemies fiercely. But when the battle

was won, they remembered to be merciful, to begin again with love for

their enemies as well as their friends.

Love was the gift they gave their world. Love made them happy for

many, many years, until it was time for yet another beginning.

On the night their souls slipped away—within moments of each

other, surrounded by children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren

and the first great-great-grandchild with green eyes like the queen’s—the

Summer Star split down the middle, leaving two stars in its place.

One was white and as pale as Queen Isra’s skin when she was a girl,

the other a luminous orange like King Gem’s scales when he sat before the

fire. They were celebrated and named Beauty and Beast, but none of the

king or queen’s people would ever say which star was which. They would

only look kindly on the stranger who’d asked and say, “Beauty is wherever

you find it, and Beast is there when you need to defend it.”

Centuries passed and cities rose and fell, wars were fought and lives

were lost, but every summer, when Beauty and Beast appeared in the night

sky, somehow the people remembered to love a little harder, and never

again did their planet fall into darkness.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped in the birthing of this

book. To my agent, Ginger Clark; my editors, Michelle Poploff and Rebecca

Short; and to the entire team at Delacorte Press, who are amazing at all

they do. Thanks to Julie Linker and her daughter, Annabelle, my awesome

friends and beta readers. Thanks to my family for their unfailing support

and encouragement, and to my husband for bearing with me through my

typical drafting angst (you have my fret cycle down to a science now, my

love, and always help me through it). Last, but not least, thank you to my

readers. Every email and letter means so much. I am honored to have the

chance to tell you stories.

STACEY JAY is the author of Juliet Immortal and Romeo Redeemed

and many other books for young adults. She lives in a gently haunted house

in California wine country with her husband, their two sons, and her

beloved Janome sewing machine. Learn more at staceyjay.com.