In their second adventure, Thomas Hawkins and his brother Porter are faced with unraveling a dark map, one not made by their father's hands, and they are about to find out that there is a thin line between good and evil that is not always clearly defined. Thomas is up to his old pranks again at the Lost Academy when he is whisked back to the Beyond, engaging in a wild adventure with Umbrey, Porter, Mudge, and Willa to save Aquat and the Five Kingdoms from Salamaine's Curse. Facing scavengers, undertoads, impenetrable ships, and the evil Keegan, will the Sword of Five Kingdoms and Thomas's skill to make maps come alive save them this time, or will they run out of time? This fantasy thrill ride for boys (and girls!) shows how relationships can grow strong despite differences and how nothing is accomplished alone, especially when on a quest to save the world!

Reveling in mysterious destinies and dangerous adventure, this novel for middle schoolers follows Thomas Hawkins, a student no different from his peers at the Lost Preparatory Academy for Boys, until a man with a wooden leg appears and Thomas must leave the life he knows or chance not reaching his next birthday, which is only days away. After years of scaling the school's rooftops, engaging in swordplay and treasure hunts with his friends, and fighting-off blood thirsty pirates, this imaginary world suddenly becomes all too real. And as if a close encounter with a pirate isn't enough, Thomas discovers a brother he never knew and a gift that will eventually save both their lives: he can make maps come alive.