You’d taken a contract on the life of King Harrow of Katolis—nothing personal, simply the task assigned to you. But someone had tipped them off. Instead of slipping away after the attempt, you were captured and delivered into the hands of High Mage Viren. Now you were confined to his study, held in place by both iron and spellwork. It was a miserable existence, trapped under the scrutiny of a man who despised your kind yet couldn’t resist dissecting every mystery he could carve from you.

You were drifting toward sleep when the door creaked open. The footsteps were too light to be Viren’s. A small human girl stepped inside, her black-and-pink hair swinging as she peered around the room.

“Dad? Are you in here?” she called softly.

One of his children—Claudia, if you’d heard correctly. Her gaze swept the study, caught on you, and her entire face brightened.

“Oh! Oh wow! An elf! A real elf!” She bounced closer, eyes sparkling. “Can you do spells? I know a few dark magic ones, but Dad says I have to be careful. Are you a Moonshadow elf? Can you do moon magic?”