waves against the hull, and the sweep of wind over her skin.
Was this a dream, a memory…or something more?
She inhaled the salt air. A beautiful day.
She crossed to the ship’s rail and stared out at the blue expanse. Green islands dotted the distance. A few clouds drifted. She heard the tread of feet on the stairs leading up from the cabin.
As she turned, he climbed into view, pulling up with his arms, dressed in shorts and an Ocean Pacific T-shirt. He spotted her, with a startled expression.
Then he smiled. “Oh, there you are.”
Susan rushed to Gregg, wrapping her arms around her husband.
Downstairs, Oscar barked. A grumpy voice yelled back at the old dog.
Susan snugged against her husband, listening to the beat of his heart.
He hugged her back. “What is it, Susan?”
She stared up into Gregg’s face, raised a finger to the three-day stubble on his chin. Then tipped up on her toes to reach his lips.
He bent down to meet her.
And she knew she was home.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Once again, thanks for accompanying me on this journey! As usual, I thought I’d use these last pages to perform a postmortem on the novel, to separate fact from fiction. I’ve divided the postmortem by general topics:
MARCO POLO: The forward to this novel raised the central mystery concerning the fate of Polo’s fleet during his return trip to Venice. What happened to the ships and men still remains a mystery. As to Marco’s potential love affair with Princess Kokejin, rumors persist, especially as he died with the princess’s headpiece in his possession. As to Marco’s body after his death, it did indeed vanish out of the Church of San Lorenzo, its whereabouts still unknown.
ANGELIC SCRIPT AND OTHER LANGUAGE ISSUES: Angelic script was first developed by Johannes Trithemius and Heinrich Agrippa, who claimed that by studying these symbols, it was possible to communicate with angels. The script was derived from ancient Hebrew characters. Similarly, adepts of Jewish Kabbalah believe that pathways to inner wisdom can be opened by studying the shapes and curves of its characters. Finally, moving to modern times, we ask the question: Is there a hidden language buried in our genetic code? According to an article in
PLAGUES: Eyam, a village in England, did indeed have an unusual survival rate during the Black Plague, a result of a genetic abnormality in half its populace. Strange but true. As to anthrax, the only difference between the deadly form of this bacterium and its peaceful garden-dwelling cousin are two rings of genetic code called
FAUNA: Christmas Island red land crabs do indeed have a spectacular migration each year, during which millions of the large crabs journey to the sea. Their claws have also been known to puncture tires. Moving on to those pesky liver flukes, the descriptions of their strange and disturbing life cycles are accurate. As to our predatory squids, I based them on the species
CANNIBALS AND PIRATES: Indonesian piracy is still a booming growth industry. Pick up applications at the back of the room. As to cannibals, tribes can still be found among the Indonesian islands, but you’ll have to bring your own seasonings. As to the genetic condition known as Prader-Willi (resulting in insatiable appetites), it is a real and horrible condition, but is in no way related to cannibalism. Were we all once cannibals? Current research into genetics reveals humans carry a specific set of genes against diseases that can be acquired only by eating human flesh.
ANGKOR: All the details of the ruins — from the Churning of the Milk mythology to the two hundred stone bodhisattva faces — are accurate, including how the temples were laid out to mimic star patterns, specifically the constellation of Draco. For more details on this, check out
ALL THINGS BACTERIA: There are indeed milky seas of glowing algae that bloom up periodically. And according to a series of disturbing articles in the
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Too many people, not enough space.
First, to everyone at HarperCollins, I owe you all a long-overdue acknowledgment for the past decade of guidance, hard work, and expertise:
To the big guns, Michael Morrison and Lisa Gallagher, thanks for all the support and confidence. Past, present, and future.
To the art directors, Richard Aquan and Thomas Egner, thanks for making the books stand out so handsomely. I could not be prouder.
To the marketing directors, Adrienne DiPietro and Tavia Kowalchuk, thanks for your ongoing leadership in getting the books out there…and noticed!
To the best PR team in the world, Pam Spengler-Jaffee and Buzzy Porter, thanks for not making me jump out of a bush plane in Alaska.
To a trio of women who put me on the map and in bookstores — Lynn Grady, Liate Stehlik, and Debbie Stier — a huge thank-you (and I’m writing this on bended knee).
To the indomitable force behind national sales and accounts — Carla Parker, Brian Grogan, Brian McSharry, and Mark Gustafson — thanks for all your extra efforts and energies to elbow the novels into stores and onto shelves.
To Mike Spradlin, thanks for both sales and zombies (in no particular order).
And to the hundred and one others whom I’ve failed to mention, but whom I appreciate no less — THANKS!
Moving closer to home, I must acknowledge my dark cabal who tear apart each chapter and reconstruct it into something better: Penny Hill, Steve and Judy Prey, Chris Crowe, Lee Garrett, Michael Gallowglas, Leonard Little, Kathy L’Ecluse, Debbie Nelson, Rita Rippetoe, Dave Murray, Dennis Grayson, Jane O’Riva, and Caroline Williams.
