Lumenaria: The original castle at Lumenaria—which proudly stood in the center of its small, rocky island for millennia—was recently destroyed in a tragic (and deadly) attack by the Neverseen (who also freed one of the prisoners from the dungeon). But the gnomes and dwarves helped the elves rebuild, and the new castle (once again built from lumenite) is even more magnificent. Access to Lumenaria is currently restricted (until the final security measures can be put into place), but someday soon it will again be a fortress where all of the intelligent species (gnomes, dwarves, ogres, goblins, trolls, and elves) can come together for Peace Summits and treaty negotiations. It’s unclear whether the castle’s dungeon was rebuilt, or whether any remaining diplomatic prisoners (those with too much value to be locked away in Exile) were moved elsewhere. But the main courtyard still contains the Four Seasons Tree—a silent testimony to a darker part of the Lost Cities’ history.

Sterling Gables: The Hekses’ private residence is far better known as a unicorn preserve than an estate—though its silver-and-crystal mansion has a uniquely “homey” feel. The pastures are always filled with unicorns under the Hekses’ care, and the outbuildings have an abundance of equine supplies. Thanks to the Heks family, the unicorn species is slowly repopulating—though there is still a great deal more work ahead.

Ravagog (OR SADLITZAGVATKA IN OGREISH): Previously called Serenvale (when the land served as the gnomes’ homeland—before the ogres stole it), the ogres’ capital city is not considered a welcoming place for other species. Ravagog is tucked among dark, jagged mountains and protected by force fields and massive gates, and King Dimitar has made it clear that anyone who enters the city without his permission will face consequences. Half of the city is carved into the side of a mountain (in a network of ledges and staircases built around misty waterfalls), and the other half is underground (in a huge swampy cavern). Other notable features include the King’s Path and main palace, the Eventide River (which glows green from a special enzyme), a recently rebuilt dark metal bridge lined with arched towers, the Triad (where King Dimitar holds court), the Armorgate (the ogres’ military university), and the Spateswale River (which provides the most direct path into Ravagog). Much of Ravagog was damaged or destroyed after King Dimitar made the cruel decision to unleash a plague upon the gnomes. Sophie Foster and her friends infiltrated the city in order to find the cure and were forced to cause a flood in order to escape. The ogres were punished for their crime, and the city has been largely rebuilt—as has the relationship between the elves and the ogres.

Loamnore (OR NYMTYRANYTH IN DWARVEN): The dwarven capital is an enormous underground maze of intricately woven tunnels that snake deep into the earth and lead to marketplaces, plazas, and even bubble-shapped living quarters. Visitors unable to tunnel into the city must wade to the middle of a muddy quagmire and sink down through the muck into a cavern known as the Visitor Center. Two paths are available from there: one narrow but bright enough to see (for those heading toward the main city), and the other a wide, black void of nothingness previously called the King’s Path. (The name will likely be changed to the Queen’s Path in light of the dwarves’ new leader.) The path can be a disturbing journey and should not be braved unless a visit to the ruler of the dwarves is both approved and absolutely necessary. Parts of Loamnore were recently rebuilt after King Enki’s betrayal (and the battle that followed), and residents of the city hope that Queen Nubiti’s rule will bring a new era of peace and prosperity.

Choralmere: Quan and Mai Song’s stunning beachfront estate is tucked between a pristine cove and the edge of a rainforest. Choralmere’s massive, elegant house has a series of courtyards crowned with golden roofs and framed by amber and garnet walls. Golden lanterns light the residence, and hundreds of wind chimes create a peaceful ambiance—much like the compositions that Mai Song is famous for creating (most of which are composed in her studio at the property). Their children (Tam and Linh) left Choralmere after Linh was banished—and Tam has long contended that Linh would’ve been spared such harsh punishment had Quan and Mai been willing to move her farther from water. As a result, even though Tam and Linh have returned to the Lost Cities, they choose not to live with their parents—though Linh temporarily agreed to stay with them (at Tam’s request) while Tam was trapped with the Neverseen.

Rimeshire: The Dizznees are known for being quirky and untraditional, so many are surprised by the refined beauty of their family home. Rimeshire resembles an ice castle with its blue cut-glass walls and swirling towers that look like upside-down icicles. It’s located in the Gloaming Valley (near the Alenon River, where the wild kelpies live), surrounded by snow-capped mountains and twisted evergreen trees—which makes Rimeshire one of the colder places in the Lost Cities. But the temperature is still pleasant—and it’s also fitting, given that Juline Dizznee is a Froster. Part of her garden even includes a collection of shockingly lifelike ice sculptures, which she creates as a compromise with her rambunctious triplets, who would prefer to have a pet, but are willing to settle for new ice creatures every day (which is much easier for their already overwhelmed parents to manage).

Riverdrift: When King Dimitar refused to let Lady Cadence Talle set up a permanent residence in Ravagog, she built Riverdrift as a solution. The craft was primarily docked along the Eventide River, but it’s capable of journeying across any body of water thanks to the massive paddle wheels mounted to the back of the steel barge. Riverdrift is as large as any of the other elvin manors but is comprised of a wide variety of structures built from different metals, as well as a small glass pyramid and several chimneys spewing multicolored mist. The design may not be as aesthetically appealing as the Lost Cities’ usual architecture, but it was built to be practical rather than beautiful. Riverdrift allowed Lady Cadence to spend years researching the ogres, and she still lives there—despite being forced to return to the Lost Cities to serve as a Mentor to Sophie—in the hope that someday she’ll be allowed to sail back to Ravagog to properly continue her research.

Portraits

AUTHOR’S NOTE

WHEN MY PUBLISHER APPROVED MY plan for including a series guide in this book, my first question was, CAN WE HAVE ILLUSTRATIONS? And I happy-danced around my house when the answer was, Absolutely!

But then I was left with the NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE task of deciding which pieces to include.

(When it comes to Keeper art, imagine me like Silveny: MORE! MORE! MORE! )

In the end, I picked characters, locations, and moments we haven’t gotten to see yet—and it all turned out so much more amazing than I ever could’ve hoped!

And so, without further ado, I present a selection of awesome Keeper portraits, and they are as follows:

A PORTRAIT OF SANDOR AND GRIZEL

(standing outside of Everglen)

A PORTRAIT OF BO AND RO

(standing outside of Candleshade)

A PORTRAIT OF FLORI

(under Calla’s Panakes tree)

THE TWELVE ORIGINAL COUNCILLORS

(seated on their thrones in Tribunal Hall)

A PORTRAIT OF SOPHIE WITH HER HUMAN FAMILY