Jack's late again, his mum is ill, Tom turns nasty and Meena's fed up. Jack's scientific, but life isn't, though their friendship gets tested in the lab. They discover a whole new world, and he wishes they hadn't. Even in his dreams he's no hero. He's only there because Meena followed the strange boy - who knows about Jack's father and his crystal. Black flowers are bringing plague to medieval Macron. On the prince's birthday, a tyrant takes over. But a demon has got into him, his beast and shadowhawks. What can Hakeema and three children do? Target age: 9-13 -- suitable for children who think; unsuitable for adults who don't think