Nightbirds

CHAPTER 1
Jewel, Star, and Sea

Matilde is a thousand layers of secrets. Some sit against her skin, there for anyone who knows how to read them. Others are tucked into a rarefied language only a few girls can speak. Still others have wings, and they are hidden inside her.

She smiles to herself behind her mask.

As Matilde descends the stairs into the ballroom, heads swivel. This is precisely why she made her family wait for over an hour before leaving for Leta s Season-opening ball. Grand entrances, she finds, are the only kind worth making. Especially during the summer season, when Simta floods with people from all over the Eudean Republic, come to make matches, deals, and fortunes in the City of Tides.

The room is full of finely dressed people, talking and swaying to a tasteful string quartet. It s clear that many of them have been to Simta s best trickster tailors, who have outdone themselves enchanting their outfits for the evening. The seed pearls at one girl s neckline unfurl into flowers. A boy s evening coat sparks every time someone touches it. Masks smoke, lapels bloom, gloves glow. Matilde is sure there are alchemical potions she can t see, hidden inside watch fobs and hollowed-out canes. Leta s added some to her candles so they flame cerulean and emerald and black, her House colors.

Standing here, you would never know that magic is illegal. In the circles Matilde swims in, such laws barely apply.

Her brother, Samson, gazes longingly at Æsa, their pretty housemate, but she is busy staring wide-eyed at the room. After a sidelong glance to make sure their dame isn t watching, Samson snags a few drinks from a passing waiter and holds one out to her. Æsa shakes her head the newest Nightbird seems too nervous to enjoy her first proper Great House party. Matilde will have to work on that.

I wish you had worn what I laid out for you, Matilde, her dame says.

A dress with frothy skirts, like Æsa s, and a

Kate J. Armstrong is a former high school teacher and book editor. She’s also the creator of The Exploress, a podcast about women in history. Originally from Virginia, she now calls Melbourne, Australia home.

Praise for Nightbirds:

A 2024 Rise: Feminist Book Project YA Pick!

In this sumptuous fantasy, the magic wielded by girls is outlawed, but the Nightbirds share it secretly through kissing. A lush adventure. People

Lush settings, careful worldbuilding, and taut exposition [make for] . . . an electrifying, high-stakes series opener grounded in feminist themes. Kirkus Reviews, starred review

In this dazzling, fiercely feminist novel . . . debut author Armstrong uses lush, seamlessly incorporated worldbuilding, kaleidoscopic third-person-present narration told via realistically rendered characters, and fraught queer and straight romantic subplots to explore issues of classism and misogyny. With a pace that never flags and a harrowing, high-stakes plot, this distinguished read boasts texture, heft, and heart." Publishers Weekly, starred review

  Armstrong s intricate debut novel . . . is packed with memorable characters . . . [and a] riveting plot. Booklist, starred review

"The plot is full of secrets, betrayals, and twists that will make readers reluctant to set the book down for any length of time. The characters are all believable and relatable, with strengths and weaknesses to boot, and the story is laced with just enough romance. With refreshingly original characters and lush language, this debut fantasy will leave readers clamoring for the sequel. School Library Journal

This richly developed world with Prohibition-era flair and a fast-paced, character-driven narrative make for a strong showing from debut author Armstrong, and the layered plot offers readers plenty of action, intrigues, romance, and betrayal. . . Give this book to readers who enjoy Leigh Bardugo or Maggie Tokuda-Hall s The Mermaid, the Witch, & the Sea The Bulletin of the Center for