Synopsis: It's a slithery tale... When a suspicious fire destroys everything in ten-year old Wil Wychwood's life, he must leave Toronto to live with his aunts and a cousin he has never met. With nothing but his pet snake Esme and his grandmother's gift of a mysterious black medallion and a gold ring, Wil boards a train destined for adventure. A magical portal reveals that his new home and family live in the hidden city of MiddleGate, where nothing is as it appears. Cousins Wil and Sophie become entangled in a case of serpicide – snake murder – in the ancient caves of Narcisse. They learn to master the magical power of shadows, but will it be enough? Can Wil and Sophie decipher the mystery of the medallion in time to save the snakes—and themselves?