In a blaze of light, a rush of wind, and a scrabble of claws, Rachel and Eric are ripped through the cellar wall and hurtled to another world. Like thousands of other children before them, they have been snatched away by the witch and brought to a cold, dark, dangerous place called Ithrea.

But has the Witch finally met her match? Rachel eventually discovers that she has an extraordinary gift: She can fly and transform herself into many shapes, just as the witch can. The Witch is excited—she has found someone to use for her own evil purposes. And yet for the many children enslaved by the witch, Rachel is their only hope, if she can learn to control her magical gifts on her own. Meanwhile, her brother, Eric, has a special kind of power not even the witch could anticipate...