Fifteen-year-oldTomasTorres,thesonofanimmigrantfamilywhoarejustbarelymakingit,getspickedupbythepolicefordoingsomeworkforthelocalpadrone(collector).Forthiswork,Tomashasmade$1000aweek,alotofmoneybyanyone'scount.Butwhatisthework?WhatisTomasarrestedfor?Arson,butarsonthatcannotbeexplained.Tomashasamostunusualgift:heisafire-starter--hecanstartfireswithsheerforceofwillthatflamefromthetipsofhisfingers.More,hecanwillfireballstohurlathisenemiesoropponents,andhecanincinerateanyevidence.ButthecourtsdecidetheyhaveenoughtoconvictyoungTomasandsendhimofftoaschool(whichTomasbelievestobeakindofjail):St.Rhiannon'sSchoolfortheGiftedandExceptionalStudent.tSt.Rhiannon's,Tomassoonfindsthatheisnotalone.St.Rhia's,astheycallit,isaschoolforstudentsofallageswith"gifts"likeTomas's:studentswhoarepre-cogs,storm-callers,witches,healers,wizards,techno-shamans,psionics,firestarters,teleporters,psychics,sensitivesandmuch,muchmore.ThingshecouldneverhaveimaginedhappenatSt.Rhia's,andintimeTomascomestofeellessalone.Hebeginstobelieveinwhatheactuallysees(astralwarriors,forexample)andallthatheistaughtbyhisattractiveyoungmentor,VeeVee.llstudentsatSt.Rhia'sareattemptingtolearntocontroltheirgifts.Tomas,too,mustlearnabouttheethicsandthelawsofmagic(ofwhichheknowsnothing)andmore,howtocontrolthestrengthandforceofhisfire.JoinTomasandhisfriendsastheyjourneythroughSt.Rhia'sandbeyond,boththroughtheoutsideworldandthroughmagicalGatestothemagicalworldsofChaosandotherkingdomswheretheirgiftswillbetested.Iftheysucceed,theirpowerswilltakeonnewrelevanceandmeaning.