Timothy Hunter is just like any other thirteenyear-old boy in London...except for the tiny fact that he might be the most powerful magician of his time.

An enigmatic man named Tamlin has decided that Tim is the key to saving the dying world of Faerie.But exactly how Tim is supposed to do that--and who Tamlin really is--remains to be seen...

Tim twisted and swerved into the park. He quickly arrived at a thickly wooded section, leaping over heavy roots and ducking under bare branches. There were dead leaves on the ground,and Tim could hear the crunching of his pursuers'feet behind him.

He put on speed. In fact, he pumped his feet so fast he never saw the net that was stretched between two bushes before it had snagged him.

"Oofi" he cried out as he tripped and stumbled, caught in his midsection by the net. He saw that two burly men in identical hats and overcoats were gripping the edges of the strong net. When he was just inches from landing facedown on the ground, a powerful hand jerked Tim's head back by his hair and held him upright. Tim gulped. He felt the cold blade of a knife at his throat.

Keep your voice to a whisper if you know what's good for you," a deep voice said.