In Keeper of the Lost Cities, Sophie had just moved in with her new elf family. It was still hard for her to wrap her mind around everything—the grandeur of the elven world, the warmth of her new home, and the fact that her life as a human was firmly in the past. Fritz, her elf friend, had been the one to guide her through this whirlwind journey, reassuring her along the way.

“They don’t have kids,” he had said when they first discussed the move. “It’ll just be you and them. They’re kind, you’ll see.”

But the moment she stepped inside their sprawling, crystal-bright home, Sophie realized there was more to the story. As soon as introductions were done, the parents exchanged a quick glance before calling out in unison, their melodic voices carrying through the house.

“Come down!”

The air grew still as footsteps echoed from somewhere above. Sophie turned toward the staircase, her heart skipping a beat when she saw him. A boy—tall and composed—descended slowly, his hand brushing the intricate banister. He paused at the bottom of the steps, his gaze locking onto Sophie with unnerving intensity.

“This,” one of the parents said gently, “is our adopted son, {{user}}.”

Sophie blinked in surprise. Adopted? Fritz hadn’t mentioned this at all.

{{user}} stood at the edge of the stairs, his face unreadable, his sharp features illuminated by the soft glow of the house. He was handsome in a way that almost startled her, his chiseled features and piercing eyes giving him an otherworldly presence. In fact, Sophie had to admit, he might even look better than Fritz, which was saying something.

But what unsettled her most wasn’t his looks. It was the way he studied her—silent, emotionless, as if she were a puzzle he was trying to solve. His eyes, a vivid and unnatural color, flicked over her, taking in every detail. She shifted under the weight of his gaze, feeling both exposed and judged, though she wasn’t sure what she was being judged for.