When twelve-year-old Charlie Crumple’s summer takes a sharp turn, he’s sent to Oregon for a “character-building” job at his late father’s workplace—Talisman, Incorporated, where magic isn’t just real, it’s made to order. Flying carpets, talking mastheads, and enchanted wands are only the beginning. But the factory is under siege: machines are failing, trust is crumbling, and the ruthless rival Merlin Tech is circling. With new friend Tess and a ragtag crew of magical craftsmen, Charlie must unmask a traitor, finish his father’s most dangerous invention, and stop a takeover that could unravel the story worlds themselves.

The clock is ticking—and failure could erase happily-ever-after for good.