Whitney, her mom, and their unique cat live on a sandy bluff overlooking Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Whitney has enjoyed a normal childhood, unaware of the unique gifts lying dormant deep inside her. But the summer of her thirteenth birthday changes everything! Strange new talents surface that can't be ignored or explained. On top of all that, she suddenly misses a father she never knew. A Chicago fireman, her father died tragically on the night she was born.

Whitney loses sleep over frequent and frightening nightmares, and her disturbing new skills are baffling her. She needs help, and her mom, Susan, seems like the perfect confidant. They're very close and never keep secrets from each other. Yet a sudden instinct warns Whitney not to say anything. Doing so might put Whitney's mom in grave danger. Realizing she must find a way to deal with everything by herself, Whitney feels lost and alone.

Powerful and strange new allies arrive without warning and in the nick of time. These new friends help Whitney cope with her nightmares and guide her toward understanding, and even welcoming, her unique abilities.