Finding a rare treasure brings trouble and transformation to a coming-of-age Cherokee boy.

Thirteen-year-old Sam lives on a reservation in North Carolina with his beloved grandmother who teaches him the Cherokee ways. To honor his ancestors, Sam hikes to a nearby sacred mountain where he encounters a red-tailed hawk and has a life-threatening fall off a steep trail. Bruised and shaken, he lands at the roots of an ancient oak tree where he discovers, tangled in the roots, an extremely rare star ruby.

When news of the ruby gets out, he confronts bullies and thieves before connecting with a renowned gemstone expert to determine the ruby's value. In the meantime, Sam calls on his circle of ancestors to help him decide the fate of his treasure. Their message takes him far beyond the boundaries of his home where he will discover if the ruby is a blessing or a curse.