Before the beginning of Time, they were Three in One. From the empty expanse of space they spoke into existence the Realms of Tresia; a home, but no family. So they created children. All her life Winifred Dalen has heard fantastic stories passed down from her grandmother and aunt about a mysterious universe and a secret family gift. But are the stories real? Now that Winny has turned twelve, it's time for her to choose to believe or not. If she accepts them as truth, Winny has been told she will begin an amazing and magical journey. But she will also face wicked adversaries who want to steal her gift and keep her from the final destination. Who, or what, will win her heart and mind? And how can Winny fight an evil enemy alone, especially when she can't even conquer her own schoolwork? To help her decide what to do, Winny enlists two faithful companions; her sometimes too brilliant friend, Vince, and Ginny, her talented and semi-mystic Samoyed dog. When Rita moves next door to Vince, Winny soon realizes that this girl revels in making her jealous. Rita stalks them, determined to discover why Vince and Winny keep sneaking off alone to look for some strange gift. But would following them be more dangerous than Rita could imagine? However, none of it matters because in the Dalen family, before the journey can begin, each daughter must discover the gift for herself. And Winny still hasn't found it.