Roy, who is new to his small Florida community, becomes involved in another boy's attempts to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed constructions site.

Tag the owl, Skyla the squirrel, and Blaze the newly hatched firehawk journey north to the Crystal Caverns, searching for the next piece of the magical Ember Stone--but the evil vulture Thorn is also after the stone, and his ice leopards are close behind the heroes.

While traveling on the train to San Francisco with his cousin Olivia's owl, Nate the Great and his dog Sludge must use all of their detective skills when the owl suddenly disappears.

Now that Tag and Skyla have found Blaze's firehawk family they would like to return home to Perodia, even if it means leaving their friend behind; but in order to find the magic that will open a new portal they must first brave a mysterious underground maze where the walls are constantly shifting--and when they do find their way home there is a deadly surprise waiting for them.

"When Blaze is captured by giant birds, Tag and Skyla search the Cloud Kingdom for her, including the dangerous Silver Swamp, with only their magical map as a guide"--Verso page.

"Their magical map is leading Tag, Skyla, and Blaze closer and closer to The Shadowlands, Thorn's territory--but now the Ember Stone has fallen into the well-named Lullaby Lake, which is defended by fairies who sing intruders to sleep, and the friends must figure out a way to convince the "nixies" to help them retrieve it before Thorn gets his claws on it" --Back cover.