If You Loved “The Sunbearer Trial”s, Get Ready for “Celestial Monsters”: Read an Excerpt Here! (Exclusive)

PEOPLE has a sneak peek of the latest from Aiden Thomas, just in time for Pride Month

The Sunbearer Duology book series is coming to a close, and PEOPLE has the first look at how the story ends.

Fans may know author Aiden Thomas for his 2020 debut novel Cemetery Boys, which made history as the first fiction book by an openly trans author centering a trans character to make the fiction New York Times bestseller list. The book was also long listed for the National Book Award in YA Literature, and earned positive reviews from The New York Times, NPR and Teen Vogue.

Thomas followed that success with Lost in the Never Woods and duology starter The Sunbearer Trials — both instant NYT bestsellers. Now, the duology wraps up this fall with Celestial Monsters, due out Sept. 3 from Feiwel & Friends.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

The Sunbearer Trials introduced readers to a queer-normative, Mexican-inspired fantasy world in which teen semidioses competed in a series of challenges to replenish the sun's power. Its winner carries light and life to all the temples, and its loser gets sacrificed to Sol.

Celestial Monsters picks up right where book one left off, in which three young semidioses travel through a dark, monster-infested world in a quest to save their friends and return the sun to the sky — with a little unexpected romance along the way.

Hooked yet? Read on for an exclusive sneak peek — which comes just in time for Pride Month.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

“Anyone know how to steer a trajinera?” Teo asked as they stood on the dock, staring at the flat-bottomed boat.

Aurelio sighed. “I do,” he said, cautiously stepping on board. Teo was pretty sure the last thing Aurelio wanted right now was to be surrounded by water, but he didn’t complain. Instead, he turned back to Teo and held out a hand. “Are you ready?” Aurelio asked, his steady, smoldering gaze on Teo.

Teo’s heart clenched, the sudden gesture leaving him lightheaded. A grin tugged Teo’s lips at the flush creeping into Aurelio’s cheeks.

“Thanks!”

Aurelio started as Niya took his hand and pulled herself onto the boat.

“Come on, Teo!” She turned, grabbed him by the front of his shirt and unceremoniously dragged him onto the boat. “The sooner we get going, the sooner you can get a nap!” Niya added affectionately.

“Thanks, Niya,” Teo said sarcastically as he got his footing. He glanced in Aurelio’s direction and rolled his eyes. Aurelio exhaled a soft laugh. Maybe this mission wouldn’t be entirely awful. Aurelio took up steering from the back of the trajinera, expertly using the pole to move away from the dock and toward the enchanted waterfalls to make their exit from Sol Temple.

Related: PEOPLE’s Picks for the Best LGBTQ+ Kids Books for Pride Month

Teo and Niya sat at the long table, the empty chairs around them an eerie presence. Usually, boarding the trajineras meant fanfare and flamboyance, but now it was just the three of them.

All three took refuge under the curved roof as they slid through the first waterfall, plunging into darkness as they entered the cave. With a snap of Aurelio’s flint-tipped glove, fire sparked to life in his hand, dousing them in a warm glow.

At the end of the cave, the waterfall split open. Without the shelter of the thundering water and echoing caves, screams and the sound of distant somethings rumbled through the air. Reino del Sol stretched out before them. Fires flickered in distant streets, reflecting in the dark water as plumes of smoke twisted into the inky sky.

“Whoa,” Niya breathed, her eyes wide.

Even Aurelio’s voice quaked, barely above a whisper. “It’s chaos.”

Teo swallowed the panic rising in his throat. “It’s the end of the world.”

The boat pitched, knocking Teo off-balance as Aurelio rushed to the bow.

“What happened?!” Teo asked, tripping over himself to catch up.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer , from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Aurelio stood rigid, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. Copper eyes bulging and lips falling open, Aurelio’s expression caught somewhere between shock and horror.

“What is it?!” Teo pressed. He tugged on Aurelio’s arm, but the other boy didn’t even react.

“Oh no.” Niya had appeared at Teo’s side, her fingers pressed to her mouth. “It’s San Fuego.”

Teo followed their gazes. On the eastern shore, a large Gold city rose into the night sky. Fires licked up the sides of glass buildings, poured from broken windows and flared in the streets below, spewing smoke into the air. A cacophony of shouts, crumbling stone and monstrous shrieks echoed across the water.

San Fuego, Aurelio’s home, was under attack.

Courtesy of Feiwel & Friends, an Imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group

Celestial Monsters by Aiden Thomas will hit shelves September 3, and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.