Life for twelve-year-old Alex has always been black and white: life, death, good, evil, tangible, intangible. As a Texas ranch girl trying to keep herself entertained, she often flies off on imaginary adventures-safe adventures that she can control. But all that changes one day when, riding her horse on the back trails of her family's ranch, she suffers a nasty accident, and everything goes dark. Alex wakes up in a strange place, where she meets a mysterious Phoenix who tells her about three worlds in dire need of her help, and urges her to save them before it's too late. At first, all she can think about is getting home. But soon Alex realizes why she needs to save them, and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime-while thoughts of going home constantly threaten to pull her away. To save the three worlds-and stay alive-Alex must battle many fierce enemies: an evil dragon with magic powers, a conniving Heart, backstabbing nobles, and ruthless pagan tribes. To make matters worse, she is slowly fading into a ghost. With time running out, and fear dogging her every move, Alex races to save the worlds before it's too late...for them and for herself.