Matilda is a curious, clever and courageous young teenager. She finds adventure when she moves into a new home with her eccentric family and disobeys her parents by climbing up to the attic. There she finds herself in a dangerous situation which turns out to be a test of her courage and cleverness. When she passes the test, she meets Maximilian, Noble Protector of the Other Worlds, and is introduced to the magical Story Mat which can transport her into stories. In "The Secret Jewel" she enters and takes part in five of her favorite fairy stories. She is also given the challenge of identifying the Secret Jewel during her travels. Her success prompts Maximilian to allow her to use the Story Mat again - but this time the stories will develop on their own, according to how Matilda responds to each situation. The deceptions and dangers that she faces in the next two stories, "The Zithium War" and "Neptune's Chest",test her character to its limits as she tries to sort out truth from fiction - and receives help from the most unlikely sources.