Bree Despain - The Lost Saint: A Dark Divine Novel

So many people deserve my immense gratitude for helping make this book a realityand for keeping me from losing it during the process:

You, my awesome readers, because without your enthusiasm this book wouldnt have had a chance to exist. Thank you for all the love.

The agents at Upstart Crow Literary, namely Ted Malawer and Michael Stearns. Thank you for believing in me and helping to share my books with the world.

The amazing folks at Egmont USA. I am often surprised by how many people think Im responsible for everything that goes into creating my books, from the cover design, the editing, and even all the way down to the choice of the typeface. This couldnt be further from the truth. I write the stories, but an entire team helps turn those stories into books: Doug Pocock, Elizabeth Law, Mary Albi, Regina Griffin, Nico Medina, Robert Guzman, Alison Weiss, Katie Halata. And especially my intrepid editor Greg Ferguson, who not only puts up with, but embraces, my crazy antics and the Jimmy Olsen nickname Ive inflicted upon him. And who also isnt afraid to push me until things are as great as they can beor to whip out his super-editor cape and come to the rescue of a hopelessly stranded author on the streets of NYC. This ones for you, Greg: Spunkgate! (Yep, I just worked that reference into a book.)

JDRIFT DESIGN , I didnt know it was possible to create a cover even more beautiful than the one for The Dark Divine. Wow, just, wow.

My enthusiastic publicist, Virginia Anagnos.

Noreen Gibbons, for never failing to offer helpeven when its completely inconvenient to her.

Whitney, for being an eager mothers helper.

My mom, Nancy Biesinger, for bringing over bags of groceries on the deadline days, and for helping out in hundreds of other ways.

Sara Zarr, who gave me just the right advice at just the moment I needed to hear it.

Mathew J. Kirby, for his ongoing friendship and supportand free psychological guidance, of course.

The SIXthe best critique group and posse of friends an author could have: Brodi Ashton, Emily Wing Smith, Valynne Maetani Nagamatsu, Kimberly Webb Reid, and Sara Bolton. If it werent for the suggestion of adding a Bedazzled stake to this book by Brodi Ashton at a hilarious lunch on an otherwise no good, very bad dayThe Lost Saint may have never come together the way it did. And if it werent for the daily input and understanding of The SIX, I may have succumbed to the writer crazies a long time ago. (Or more so than I already have!)

The rest of my friends, siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and Dad, who help out in so many ways, from entertaining my boys, to just being a listening ear, or a shoulder to lean on. I feel way too lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.

My boys, who I couldnt love moreeven when theyre jumping on top of me and pretending to fire-bend lightning bolts at my laptop while Im working. Nothing makes me prouder than when they ask if they can tell me a story. (Just you wait, publishing world, these boys have got it going on!)

And most especially Brick, who held on tight during the insane roller coaster that was this last year. Thank you for never letting go. You are my inspiration, my love, my saint. I know youre not perfect, but youre the perfect man for me. I.L.Y.R.U.T.T.M.A.B.A.

is the author of The Dark Divine. She rediscovered her childhood love for creating stories when she took a semester off college to write and direct plays for at-risk, inner-city teens from Philadelphia and New York. Bree currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband, two young sons, and her beloved TiVo. You can visit her online at www.breedespain.com.

THURSDAY NIGHT, SESSION #82

You can do this, Grace, Daniel said between sharp breaths. You know you can.

Im trying. My fingers trembled as I tightened them into fists.

It was the pain of the transition that always surprised meno matter how prepared I thought I was. It started as an aching sensation deep inside my body. Pooling in my muscles, making my shoulders shake and my legs throb. My biceps felt like they were on fire.

Come on, Grace. Dont quit on me now.

Shut up! I said, and took another swing.

Daniel laughed and countered to the left. My blow missed his mitt entirely.

Agh! I stumbled forward, but Daniel caught me before I fell and pushed me back up. I gritted my teeth and rocked back on my heels in the grass. I was supposed to be more agile than this. Stop moving around.

Your opponentDaniel pantedisnt going to stand still and just let you hit him. He held his boxing mitts out in front of him, welcoming a new attack.

He would if he knew what was good for him. I jutted forward with a combination of a hook and a jab, which Daniel deflected with his mitts. He spun out of my way, and my next swing went wildly into the air.

Gah. I shook my head. My moonstone necklace bounced against my chest. It felt warm against my already flushed skin, pulsing with heat.

Youre pushing your punches too much. Save your energy. Quick jabs. Send your arm out with a snap and then bring it back immediately.

Im trying. The pain in my muscles mounted. But it wasnt from fatigue. It was my powers. My abilities, as Daniel called them. They were always lingering there, just out of reach, whenever we trained. And if I could just push through the wall of fire that stood between them and me, I could grab on to my powers and use them. Own them.

I cringed as the crescent-shaped scar on my arm throbbed and flared. I dropped my arm and tried to shake out the pain.

Arms up, Daniel said. Rule number one: Never drop your guard. He smacked me lightly on the shoulder. It was meant to be a playful hit, but the pain in my scar shot through my arm like electricity.

I glared at him.

Youre getting annoyed, Daniel said. That wry grin of his played on his lips.

You think? I sent another combination into his mitts. Three jabs and a hook. I felt a surge of power through my bodyfinallyand the last punch flew faster and harder than I expected. Daniel missed deflecting it, and my fist slammed into his shoulder.

Whoa! He jumped back and shook out his shoulders. Rein it in, Grace. Dont let your emotions have too much control.

Then why are you trying to annoy me?

His smile edged from wry to devious. So you can practice balance. He smacked his mitts together and gestured for me to attack him again.

I could feel my powers pulsing through mefinally in my grasp. I laughed and bounced back several feet. Hows this for balance? I asked with a smile, and faster than I could think, my body went into a spin kick that landed squarely in one of Daniels outstretched mitts.

Daniel grunted and stumbled back. His knee wobbled and gave out from under him, and he went flying backward toward the ground.

Oh no! I lunged for him and caught him by the arm. But it was too late to stop him from falling, and I toppled with him onto the grass.

We landed side by side on the lawn. I was momentarily stunnedhitting the ground had knocked the wind, and my powers, right out of me. Daniel rolled onto his side and moaned, startling me back into reality.

Oh no, Im sorry! I sat up. I wasnt thinking. My powers kicked in and I Are you okay?