The Hidden Knife

PROLOGUE
 
The gargoyles were the first creatures to leave the Netherwhere. They hadn t planned it, and they didn t do it to impress the rest of the things that lived between worlds. They were simply curious.
There was a door. On the other side of it was sky. The air tasted lighter, and the light was gentle. In the Netherwhere, the sky was indigo with streaks of green and purple. Sometimes, there were thick pinks. The new sky was brighter.
One of the eldest gargoyles, a giant-eared wonder called Rupert, stood at the door to the new world and watched as hundreds of his kind took flight. He waited, trying to decide if he wanted to go through the door.
The thought of flying without so much effort was tempting. In the new world s lighter air, even the weightiest among them soared like the faeries could. And as if summoned by the mere thought, one of the faeries darted at Rupert. The faeries vicious teeth couldn t pierce stone, but that never stopped them from trying. The tiny clack of faery teeth was almost their version of a greeting by now.
Rupert shook the beast off as its little teeth scraped his shoulder. Stop that.
All of you? The faery nodded toward the door. All go?
Rupert looked back at the forest. The tree boughs were nearly empty. Maybe they had already left, or maybe they were coming back now. Or later. Time was different to gargoyles. It was forward and backward at once.
For now, Rupert said.
The faery s wings made a whirring sound, beating faster than anything should rightly move, but that was faeries: always too fast, always too excited; really, they were too much of everything.
We will go, too! the faery said.
Rupert nodded slowly. He might have said more, but by the time he d lifted his eyes, the tiny pest was gone. It flew away in a blur of glittering wings and buzzing sounds.
As he watched it go, Rupert understood why some creatures lied. He wished he could lie to the faeries to prevent them from going

Melissa Marr writes fiction for adults, teens, and children. Her books have been translated into 28 languages and been bestsellers in the US (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal) as well as in various countries overseas. She also wrote the best-selling picture book Bunny Roo, I Love You, and she is well-known for the Wicked Lovely series for teens and the Graveminder series for adults. She lives in Arizona with her spouse, children, and many dogs.

Unique and gripping. Tamora Pierce

Marr s splashy offering is packed full of an extensive array of beloved fantasy tropes ranging from mystical creatures like gargoyles and kelpies to a magical boarding school, alchemists, thieves, and portals to other worlds. . . . A crowd pleaser . . . fast-paced chapters, each narrated from a different point of view. . . . This will be popular with a wide swath of readers. . . . A veritable buffet of fantasy conventions. Kirkus Reviews

In narration that shifts focalization among the characters, Marr slowly and lovingly characterizes her magical world and its cast, giving each character a strong backstory and sprinkling in details that will become important later. Through the perspective of the gargoyle Rupert, this fantasy novel has a sweet lesson as well: that little acts are ripples that can lead to great positive change, offering young readers hope that they can make their own impact. The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books

Filled with ley lines and animate gargoyles, Marr s engaging fantasy is primed for magic and mystery. . . . Promising characters and intrigue-laced history. Publishers Weekly