The Tiger at Midnight (The Tiger at Midnight Trilogy #1)(111)

It was only midmorning, but Kunal recalled the fable of the tiger at midnight, of the two friends at a crossroads, choosing between virtue and vice. He glanced at Esha, whose eyes locked on to his. He didn’t back down from her intense gaze.

It was clear what he had to do.

He stepped forward, taking her hand.





Acknowledgments


Bringing a book to life isn’t a solitary endeavor, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of a number of incredible people. They have my eternal gratitude.

First, to Amma and Nanna. When I said I was going to become an author, you never questioned me. Not when I was five and not when I was twenty-five. Your constant support and love is a gift I have and will always cherish. To Nidhi and Neelima, you both are the best sisters (and cheerleaders!) a girl could ask for. Your encouragement gave me the conviction to keep working hard and to never give up.

To my agent, Kristin Nelson. I’m so lucky to have you on my team. Thank you for being one of the first people to believe in this book and to never waver. I’m continuously grateful that I have you in my corner. And thank you to the wonderful and patient staff at Nelson Literary Agency: Brian Nelson, Angie Hodapp, Lori Bennett, James Persichetti.

To my wise and sharp-eyed editor, Alex Arnold, who saw something in this book and worked tirelessly with me to bring it to life. Thank you for helping me shape and polish this story into a real book. To the phenomenal team at Katherine Tegen Books and HarperCollins, I couldn’t have asked for a better publishing home. Thank you to Katherine Tegen, Ebony LaDelle, David Curtis, Jon Howard, Tanu Srivastava, Rebecca Aronson, and all the tireless sales, marketing, and publicity people who have worked on my book.

To Aakash, for spending hours discussing royal lineages, plot holes, fantasy geography and linguistics, and so much more with me. Thank you for being my rock and for always seeing the best in me.

To my Wildcats, for not only being incredible critique partners but for becoming my friends. Thank you to Rosie Brown, who was the first to read this story and see a spark of brightness among all the first-draft rubble. Thank you to Chelsea Beam, Tanvi Berwah, Nikhi Prabhakar, and Crystal Seitz for being there through everything.

To Nikki, Mayura, and Meghana, my best friends. Thank you for not only reading my drafts but for loving me throughout the years.

To Axie Oh, my mentor. Thank you for nurturing me as a baby writer and always being there throughout my publishing journey.

To Meg Kohlmann, inimitable friend and fearless champion of this book. Thank you all for spending your weekends with me, ensconced in coffee shops.

To the wonderful people I met through writing: June Tan, Elizabeth Lim, Kat Cho, Christine Herman, Katy Pool, Akshaya Raman, Claribel Ortega, Ashley Burdin, Alex Castellanos. I’ve loved our adventures in (and outside of) New York and I’m so grateful to have met all of you.

Lastly, to all the young writers out there, imagining their stories. Don’t give up. I believe in you.