In my bones, Tane rested content.
“They are due north,” Sam murmured. He had the distant expression he wore when he was half in the Dark Water and half in the mortal world, a look I’d come to recognize well. I slipped my hand into his, keeping him rooted with me. “Past the border into Mereish waters.”
“Then that’s where we go.” I squeezed his hand, released it, and began to sing low and steady.
The wind curled up from the south, bringing with it pale clouds of fog. It crept across the waves and slipped into my lungs—heady and sweet, bold and bracing. It tickled my cheeks and reminded me of how the leaves of the ghisten yew once rustled in a lilting, child’s song.
SONGS REFERENCED
“The Female Smuggler,” a traditional English ballad
“One for Sorrow,” a traditional English nursery rhyme
“A Tree Song” by Rudyard Kipling
“Seal Lullaby” by Rudyard Kipling
“The Way through the Woods” by Rudyard Kipling
“The Holy Ground,” a traditional Irish song
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dark Water Daughter and I have a long history. It was conceived long before my debut—in fact, it was one of the first novels I wrote, as a child. It has had many names and plots and settings, various versions that have come and gone over some twenty years. In total, I believe I rewrote this book five times before I found the right tone, shape, and structure.
Dark Water Daughter is the story I could not give up on, even though I shelved it for years at a time. Very little remains of those original versions—a nautical setting, a lost fleet, and the core cast of characters （Mary, Sam, Demery, Grant, Anne and Lirr）。 But I still see those other versions when I look at this book, and there’s something so powerful about finally getting Mary and Sam’s story out in the world.
Given how long this book’s journey has been, acknowledging all those who’ve played a role in this story is no easy thing. But I will try!
A heartfelt thank you to my agent Naomi Davis for championing me and my stories. To my wonderful editors George Sandison and Elora Hartway, thank you so much for working on my books with me, teaching me so much, and helping me make these stories the very best they can be.
Thank you so much to Katharine Carroll, Lydia Gittins and Kabriya Coghlan for getting my books out into the world, and to Julia Lloyd, for creating Dark Water Daughter’s lush, watery cover.
Thank you to my Mum, who read Dark Water Daughter at every stage, gently critiqued, and pointed me in the right direction, who helped me write query letters at fifteen, took me to writing conferences, and giggled with me over endless typos. To my Dad, who drove me to South Carolina so I could explore the setting of the original Dark Water Daughter （back when it was a historical fiction）， who arranged for American stamps for my SASE, and encouraged his teenage daughter to fight toward her goals. To my Grama Janet, who has shared her love for this story for so many long years, and for whose support I’m endlessly grateful for. To my brother, Eric, and my favorite human Marco—thank you for always pushing me not to give up.
To my beta readers Loie, Jean, Cheryl, Stephanie, Jenny, Gabby, Robyn, and Susanna—I hope you can see the influence you had on this this book, and know how incredibly valuable your feedback, patience, care and creativity have been! Cheryl Bowman, thank you so much for your extra work on the gorgeous map!
Thank you to my debut buddies and my agent-siblings of the SFF Powerhouse for your endless encouragement, listening ears, and wisdom. You take the loneliness out of this author life, and I’m so grateful for you.
Finally, a sincere thanks to all my readers. YOU make this possible, and worth it. Know that I see your likes, your shares, your comments and your messages, and they mean the world to me. Thank you for giving my books your time, for treasuring them, for sharing them and supporting me. I sincerely hope you’ve loved Dark Water Daughter, and that we’ll share many, many more stories to come.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
H. M. Long is a Canadian fantasy writer, author of Hall of Smoke, Temple of No God, Barrow of Winter, and Pillar of Ash, who loves history, hiking, and exploring the world. She lives in Ontario, but can often be spotted snooping about European museums or wandering the Alps with her husband.