Arcana (Arcana Series by So-Young Lee

After Inez and Yulan leave the cradle of civilization, they enter uncharted territory, where they meet many strange and beautiful creatures: Mong, a cute, harmless Nyama with boundless curiosity; Kyrette, a mysterious figure that Inez finds strangely alluring; and a half-elf named Ariel, who has been gravely wounded...Inez discovers that she possesses a great gift--she can communicate with both the Nyamas and the elfs alike... moreAfter Inez and Yulan leave the cradle of civilization, they enter uncharted territory, where they meet many strange and beautiful creatures: Mong, a cute, harmless Nyama with boundless curiosity; Kyrette, a mysterious figure that Inez finds strangely alluring; and a half-elf named Ariel, who has been gravely wounded...Inez discovers that she possesses a great gift--she can communicate with both the Nyamas and the elfs alike. But the more she speaks with Ariel, the more she realizes that he may be in terrible danger! less

When Mong is captured and frozen in a cage, Inez and the gang begin an intense rescue mission. Salvation rests in the form of a magic key for which Inez searches in the hope of releasing Mong. But black magic is in the air as the group fights a villainous elf. Just as victory seems near, another danger looms in the horizon!