Eli Mercer and the Unbound (The Aethelite Chronicles)

Seventeen-year-old Eli Mercer has spent years wondering what happened to his father. Then a strange pocket watch changes everything. Hidden beneath the surface of the modern world lies a society of mages, scholars, and secrets older than history itself. As Eli is drawn into this world, he discovers that his father's disappearance may be connected to mysteries no one wants uncovered. With the help of new friends, Eli begins following a trail of clues that leads through forgotten archives, forbidden places, and dangerous truths. But the deeper he digs, the more he realizes that some secrets have remained hidden for a reason. Because someone is protecting an ancient secret. And they'll do anything to keep it buried. Eli Mercer and the Unbound is the thrilling first installment of The Aethelite Chronicles... a fantasy adventure filled with mystery, magic, and the discovery that the truth can be far more dangerous than any lie.