TABETHA BRIGHT (POV) may be the cleverest, most resourceful girl ever to scoot around in a wheelchair. But when pneumonia confines her to the old city hospital, her eighth birthday brings a mysterious gift- a magic marker that's truly magic. With it, she draws herself into the enchanted world of Wrush where a MUNGLING (her mentor) makes an unusual proposition: Come back to the floating city of Etherios to help find the lost Answer, and Tabetha will become the new Empress of Wrush. Tabetha is reluctant, as she considers herself too ill to be useful, and furthermore needs her medicine each day at noon. The Mungling insists, explaining that an evil sorcerer named MORLAC (antagonist), along with his army of Gwybies, has imperiled the kingdom. Only the new Empress can restore peace with the Answer.Riding saddled upon his back, Tabetha and the Mungling embark on a magical adventure. They encounter dragons, giants, poisonous rivers and a forest of laughter-drinking Grimpkins.Once Etherios is reached, Tabetha sets a boy-wizard free from an enchanted prison only to discover his name is ANSWER (becomes closest friend). She is crowned Empress of Wrush and encouraged to take up the battle against Morlac. Though eager to help, she is forced to return home to the hospital for her medicine. There, she encounters one last surprise. In the bed across from her is a new roommate: A boy, roughly ten years old, whose name is THOMAS M. (later proves to be Morlac). And he has a set of markers just like her own.