AN: Sorry, I'm a bit late! I've had a busy last couple of days.

"How was work?" Mom asked on the car ride back.

"Eh, it was OK," I began. "The customers were better than usual. Only one of them made a remark about my age." I groaned.

"Oh, Rebecca, I completely understand. But you mustn't let them tear you down."

"I try not to, but it's super hard, Mom," I sighed.

We continued the rest of the car ride in silence. Soon we pulled into the driveway.

"Well, here we are, Rebecca," Mom announced.

I snatched my phone, clutching it tightly. I couldn't let it get hurt or damaged. As soon as I stepped into my room, I tried to intentionally search for the directions to Eternalia, keeping my fingers crossed that I could find them again. After a few seconds, the results popped up on my screen. The directions really existed!

"The directions really DO exist, and they really ARE taking us to the Elvin capital!" I wrote excitedly, making sure to add a shocked emoji.

This time, Nora was the first to reply. "If Eternalia exists, then the rest of the Lost Cities do. And if the Lost Cities exist, then all the characters exist! That means Sophie and Co. exist! They aren't fictional characters! I KNEW it!"

I grinned. "But that would mean we'd have to master the art of NOT fangirling in public. After all, if we can't control our fangirling, then what's the point in hoping to meet the characters?"

I turned my phone on silent and picked up Nightfall. A contented sigh escaped my lips as I relived Sophie Foster and her friends' exciting adventures.

So if this isn't a cruel hoax—which it very well may be—the events of this book really happened. But if KotLC is real, then WHY IN THE WORLD DOES IT TAKE SHANNON A YEAR PER BOOK?! I thought.

My mind conjured an image of Shannon chasing after a bunch of teens—plus one adult—trying to make sure she was telling the story correctly. Yup, that definitely was the reason it took her so long. Shoving that thought into the depths of my mind, I let myself be carried away into the fantasy world of Keeper of the Lost Cities.