Timothy Griffin never felt like luck was in his favour. At the age of eight, his parents died in a fire and he went to live with his great-uncle John Griffin, a retired doctor who had no way with children. But just when he managed to become fond of him, his uncle fell ill, leaving him completely inconsolable. After his death, Tim had no choice but to go to an orphanage. It belonged to an old friend of his uncle, but the place was far from ordinary: it was an orphanage only for children with special abilities, a sanctuary to protect them from the world. At first, Tim wasn't happy staying there, he was counting the days until he was old enough to leave, but the more time passed, the more curious he became about that place, especially about a strange girl who he found walking through its flowery gardens.