World War II has been over for many years. But no one has forgotten Lilith's Abode, where the fires raged and the chimneys touched the sky.
Eleven-year-old Ada encounters some of the survivors when she visits her grandfather for the summer. These "lost souls" live in a
manoir
under the watchful eye of the Keeper of Spinka, who is a friend of her grandfather's.
The keeper is an old man now, but Ada can still see the numbers that were branded on his arm during the war. She can also see his magical powers, which include talking to animals and communicating with spirits.
As the keeper gets to know Ada, he reveals the source of his magic and the prophecy that will utterly transform Ada's life. She is burdened and uncertain whether she can shoulder the enormous responsibility with which she is entrusted. And then she's called upon to embark on an important and dangerous mission-to travel back in time to try to right a wrong. But the journey is perilous. Is she really up to the challenge?