The Princess of Skye, An Archer Adventure, Book 3, Second Edition

By Katharine Giles

After a dream helps Archer regain his memory, he can’t decide whether to go home or stay with his newfound friends. Cautioned he has a limited amount of time to make up his mind, fate intervenes. A stranger arrives in Balycon and brings an odd request from the Ruler of Skye. The princess of Skye has been kidnapped by Water's ruler and King Zirco, Skye's ruler, sent his messenger to ask Archer to rescue her.

If Archer agrees to help King Zirco, he may not get back in time to go home and expresses his concern. Pacion tells Archer to make his decision with his heart while Skye's messenger assures Archer that King Zirco has confidence he can perform the task. It sounds like a grand adventure and Archer loves adventure more than anything. Without more details of the task, he agrees to accompany the messenger to Skye. What can possibly go wrong?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katharine Giles
• Release date: Jul 18, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370335770

Katharine Giles

Her many adventures gave Katharine an advantage when she wrote The Archer Adventure Series. Born in Wyoming, her family moved to the West Coast so early in her life that she barely remembered days on the dude ranch where her grandfather worked as foreman and her cowboy father sang Western songs to the dudes around evening campfires.Katharine's parents loved to travel America's highways and always explored side roads when an interesting sign coaxed them off the Interstate. This is how she discovered getting lost could be an adventure. She learned to fly and toured the Western states with her pilot husband to attend small airport Fly-Ins that hosted everything from Barbecues to Pancake Breakfasts.She's been salmon fishing over the Columbia River Bar in Oregon, deep sea fishing at San Pedro, California, and Mazatlan, Mexico. She's traveled East to West across Mexico on the famous Copper Canyon train, visited the dolphins in Topolobampo Bay and toured Santa Catalina Island (the Channel Islands West of Los Angeles) by boat, seaplane and twin-engine plane that landed at the airport in the sky.She later took scuba lessons and became a PADI Certified Diver. A passion for cooking prompted her to write three cookbooks and compete in a Pace Picante Sauce cooking contest where she won $1,000 First Place prize with a creative soup recipe. After obtaining a Diamond Certificate from The Gemological Institute of America and completing their Colored Stone Course, she became a silver smith so she could design and create custom jewelry for family and friends. Along the way, Katharine added roller skating, bowling, sailing, ballroom dancing, and competition shooting to her list of interests.A few memorable adventures as a solo long-haul driver across America include picking up a load of Christmas trees on a mountain top, dropping a load of tires in a cow pasture where the cattle surrounded her truck before she made it through the gate because they were expecting a hay delivery, and frantically searching for a police escort when she got her big truck lost in the middle of New York City. Getting lost in the big city turned out to be more traumatic than the time she drove her 18-wheeler, with its 53-foot trailer, to the end of a dead-end road.Katharine's many travels by air, land and sea took her down America's Interstates from Victoria, B.C., to Key West, Florida, and from Montreal, Canada, to Tijuana, Mexico, and she's visited every state except Alaska. While she continues her passion for writing, she enjoys painting acrylics on canvas and daily walks with her dog, Jasper.

Book preview

THE PRINCESS OF SKYE

Archer Adventure

Book III

Second Edition

An

Katharine Giles

Copyright © 2018, 2020 by Katharine Giles.

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical without the express written permission of the author. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

The author has no control over, and does not assume any responsibility for, author or third-party websites or their content.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Image: Copyright 2020 Shutterstock #329604569

Cover Design: Copyright 2020 Katharine Giles

Author website: www.thearcheradventures.com

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

First Edition: Telemachus Press LLC

ISBN: 978-1-946338-03-7 (eBook)

ISBN: 978-1-939927-79-8 (Paperback)

Version 2020.06.13

For my son John,

a man of many talents.

Table of Contents

Glossary and Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One: Intragalactic Visitor

Chapter Two: Kingdom of Skye

Chapter Three: The Maps

Chapter Four: Land of Fire

Chapter Five: Land of Giants

Chapter Six: Frozen Planet

Chapter Seven: A Most Unusual Invitation

Chapter Eight: Jungle Planet

Chapter Nine: Garden Planet

Chapter Ten: Ichos, The Tyrant King

Chapter Eleven: Water & Skye

Preview of Book IV: The Lost Kingdom,

An Archer Adventure, Second Edition

More Books by this Author

About the Author

Glossary and Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Aradia(Uh-ray-dee-uh): Daughter of Damani

Akro (Ack-row): Ice Planet in Skye's Galaxy

Amethina (Am-eth-ee-nuh):Princess of Skye

Archer (Arch-her): 14-Year Old Adventurer

Argo (Are-go): Messenger from Skye

Skye (Sk-eye): Center of Skye's Galaxy

Baccio (Botch-ee-oh): Crystal Master of Lemandia

Balycon (B-owl-ee-kahn): Archer’s Undersea Home

Damani (Duh-mahn-ee): Crystal Master of Skye

Equinos (Eck-ee-nohs): Keeper of The Crystal Trident

Fandette (Fan-debt): Giant Yellow Spider

Ferro (Fair-oh): Fire Planet in Skye's Galaxy

Ichos (Eye-kohs): Ruler of Water

Lemandia (Lem-and-ee-uh): Ancient City by the Sea

Lackwanna (Lack-wahn-uh): Jungle Planet in Skye's Galaxy

Marcoli (Mar-coal-ee): Crystal Master of Water

Merado (Mer-ah-doh): Lad of Skye

Mican (My-can): Garden Planet in Skye's Galaxy

Pacion (Pass-ee-own): Keeper of the Balycon’s Crystal Ball

Pazia (Pah-zee-uh): Maiden of Skye

Pheeno (Fee-noh): Lad of Skye

Tundrox (Tun-drocks): Lord of Mican

Velda (Vel-duh): Planet of Giants in Skye's Galaxy

Water (Watt-er): Planet in Skye's Galaxy

Zirco (Zer-koh): Ruler of Skye

Chapter One

Intragalactic Visitor

Archer kicked at the fish nibbling his toes. The nibbles began again. He pulled his foot beneath the kelp blanket and rolled on his side. Sandwiched between two silky brown leaves, he reveled in their softness against his skin.

A fish nibbled his nose and he gave it a swat. A tail brushed his cheek.

Archer gave up trying to sleep and opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through an open window. A school of fish swam past his head, flashed their sides to the sun and sparkled like stars.

This isn’t the Pearl Grotto! Where am I?

And then he remembered! He’d traveled into the past, brought the Crystal of All Time back to Balycon and moved to a house in the white stone city!

I’m really here!

Archer snuggled in the kelp and relived his adventures over the past few days. After he put the Crystal of all Time on the pedestal beneath the plaza, he and Pacion watched the air breathers leave their homes in the coral gardens and return to their ancestral home. The city sprang to life in a celebration that lasted the rest of the day. When the sun dropped to the horizon and shadows crept across the sea floor, Myra pulled him away from the crowd. Archer waved goodbye to Pacion and followed her to a white stone house at the edge of the city.

Blue foliage formed a low border against the walls and two gardens, one of pearl fish and the other of pona leaves, occupied either side of the front door. A red coral tree added a splash of color against a corner of the house and a yawning giant clam, filled to the brim with pearls from the Pearl Grotto, sat in the yard.

When Archer asked Myra why she'd brought him to the house, he’d been surprised and delighted when she told him how everyone worked to give him a home of his own and pitched in to create the gardens. What a homecoming! He couldn’t wait to add his personal touch and materialized his favorite plants and coral trees throughout the house.

Archer sat up, scanned the room and discovered the mess he’d made the night before.

What a mess! Why did I put this stuff in here? I have to get rid of everything and use something other than plants to decorate my home. Maybe I can materialize a few pieces of stone furniture and add pictures to the walls. I'll think about it and figure how to make it comfortable.

A school of red fish darted through the window and swarmed his bed. Archer poked a foot out from under the kelp and let them nibble his toes.

Before he could rise and get rid of the foliage, Pacion's voice rang in his ear.

Meet me at the Crystal of All Time. I have important news.

What's going on this early? Archer muttered and closed his eyes to join Pacion.

He pictured the room beneath the city in the blackness beneath his lids and when Pacion's image appeared, he pictured himself beside him. Archer opened his eyes and found himself suspended between the room’s ceiling and its mirrored glass floor and embraced in swirls of moving color.

While he'd slept, Pacion decorated his new home with thousands of crystal points and transformed the communication chamber into a copy of the Rainbow Cave. A school of fish darted through the room, flashed their sides to the sun shining through a slit in the ceiling. In the morning light, they sparkled like stars. It was almost too much. Archer's eyes crossed and a wave of dizziness washed over him.

I’m glad you came promptly, Pacion greeted. Do you like what I’ve done to the communication chamber?

It looks like the Rainbow Cave and is making me dizzy, Archer told him. What's going on? Why did you call me this early? Is it time to tell you what I've decided?

That’s not why I called you, Pacion replied. Something happened that you need to know about because it affects you.

You don’t look worried so it can’t be bad news, Archer responded. So what’s important enough to get me out of bed?

A stranger arrived in Balycon this morning.

Why do I need to know that?

He came to see you.

Archer looked around the room and remarked, I don’t see anyone.

He’s with the council. He told me to call you because he’ll join us shortly.

I don’t know anyone who would come here to see me.

It's not someone you know. It's someone who knows you. Or maybe I should say, it's someone who knows about you.

Where did this guy come from? What does he want?

I don’t know the answer to your questions, Pacion told him. You can ask our visitor after he gets here.

Why are you smiling? Archer asked. What’s really going on?

Before Pacion could reply, a man appeared across the room from them. Shoulder-length dark hair framed his angular features and heightened the pallor of his skin. The light, airy fabric of his blue robe floated around him and shimmered like liquid metal beneath the fist-sized blue gemstone dangling from a twisted gold chain. Archer stared in awe when the gem reflected the moving light and shot darts of blue fire around the man.

Stunned at the stranger’s appearance, Archer looked at Pacion and asked, Who is this guy? I've never known anyone who wears clothes like that!

The man looked at Archer, smiled and asked, You find my clothing unusual?

Most people don’t swim with their clothes on, Archer told him.

Oh, my! the man replied. I left in a hurry. I’ll fix it.

In the blink of an eye, his robe disappeared and he’d changed into a tank top and trunks made from the shimmering blue metallic fabric.

I'll remember that neat trick next time I need clothes! Archer told him. Who are you? Where are you from?

Your blonde hair and violet eyes tell me you must be Archer, the man replied. My name is Argo and my home is Skye. I’ve traveled through time and space to meet you.

Surprised the man knew his name, Archer asked, How do you know me? I’ve never heard of a place called Skye. Where is it?

Argo nodded at the Crystal of All Time. I believe Pacion introduced you to some of the powers in the crystal ball and shown you how it lets you view distant locations,

Does that have anything to do with why you’ve come to see me?

If you’ll stop interrupting, I’ll explain, Argo told him.

As you’ve never heard of the Kingdom of Skye, you’ve never heard of a planet called Water. The Crystal Masters of Skye and Water have watched you since you found your way to this underwater kingdom. This crystal ball is the Crystal of All Time and one of many created by Skye's crystal makers.

Archer reached out, touched the sparkling globe and replied, The crystal balls are amazing. Pacion is teaching me how to ask them questions when I need help with something.

Argo ignored the interruption and continued. Then you must know the crystal balls in Water and Skye allow King Ichos, the Ruler of Water, and King Zirco, the Ruler of Skye, to watch events on the Earth Star.

Why are you telling me that? Archer asked. What does it have to do with why you’ve come to Balycon?

You’re living in a city that once stood on an island above the sea, Argo told him.

You’re talking about the ancient city of Lemandia, Archer responded.

Argo nodded at Archer before he looked at Pacion and said, You lived in Lemandia before the earthquake and tidal wave sent it to the sea floor. Do you remember your life in those ancient times?

My memories have dimmed through the centuries, Pacion told him. The fabric and style of your clothing remind me of my former home. I remember a monument that honored a hero from a distant land who wore the shining cloth. Please tell us who you are and why you’ve come.

Argo looked at Archer and said, I've come to tell Archer about the creation of Lemandia. The story will explain my visit.

His curiosity aroused, Archer replied, I’d like to hear that story. I’ve often wondered who built the city.

In the long ago past, before the shaking earth split Lemandia apart and sent it beneath the waves, half of the city belonged to King Zirco, the Ruler of Skye.

I met Baccio, the crystal master of Lemandia, Archer interrupted. He told me he could have saved the city. Are you going to tell me why its ruler let it die?

I’ll tell you enough to explain why King Zirco sent me here to ask for your help, Argo told him.

Why would a king need my help? Doesn’t he know I’m just a kid?

If you’ll stop interrupting, I’ll explain the reason for my visit.

Sorry.

In the long ago past, King Ichos and King Zirco shared a desire to rule land settlements on the Earth Star. This posed a problem for King Ichos because there was no one on the planet Water who could build a city or live on land. King Zirco had a different problem. His people had the skills to build a city but couldn't survive in earth’s atmosphere.

Then how could they build an earth kingdom? Archer asked.

Please let me finish, Argo scolded.

I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.

While they looked for a way to solve these problems, King Zirco captured a few earthlings and brought them to Skye. He abandoned his idea to bring them under his rule when he learned they had no skills and no desire to build a city. Their lack of skills didn’t bother King Ichos and he set out to learn more about them. When the earthlings harvested food from the sea, King Ichos sent Ichonauts to capture them and bring them to Water.

Why did he do that?

To conduct experiments on them.

What kind of experiments?

Argo reached up and touched the flesh-colored collar around his neck. Experiments that let him create the collar that allows air breathers to live beneath the sea.

So that’s where my collar came from! Archer exclaimed and touched the collar Myra placed around his neck when he arrived in Balycon.

Argo smiled at Archer and continued, King Zirco knew if King Ichos found a way to rule the land dwellers, they might be able to work together. After King Ichos perfected the collar that let the air breathers live beneath the sea. The collar bound the earthlings to King Ichos and gave him his land dwellers.

You already said King Zirco couldn't teach them that skill.

King Ichos didn’t want to work with King Zirco. After he discovered the earthlings had no skills to build a city, he believed the collar might enhance their abilities. He asked King Zirco to send builders to Water to test his theory. After they agreed to work together to build the city, King Ichos sent collars to Skye so King Zirco’s builders could train the earthlings on Water.

Did the people King Ichos captured get to come home? Archer asked.

Most of them perished because they couldn’t survive on Water, Argo replied. Enough of them survived to allow King Ichos to perfect the collar that transformed the earthlings into sea creatures that could live on land.

After King Zirco’s builders took King Ichos’ new subjects to the Earth Star, they discovered the collar let Skye’s people survive in earth’s atmosphere.

That must have made King Zirco happy.

It created tensions in the relationship, Argo explained. Although King Ichos needed Skye's builders, he didn't want King Zirco to have the collar he’d developed. But because he had settlements beneath earth’s seas, he no choice. He needed Skye’s builders so he could rule the land as well.

Did they have a war?

No. But King Zirco wanted an earth settlement badly enough to make a deal with King Ichos. He offered to give him communication crystals for each of his kingdoms on the Earth Star in return for an unlimited supply of the collars. King Ichos knew the value of the gift and accepted the offer.

Is that when they built the city?

It took a long time before they agreed on the details. In the end, King Ichos provided the collars and King Zirco sent builders and teachers to the Earth Star. King Zirco’s people traveled to the new settlement wearing the collar that allowed them to live here. But King Zirco’s contributions didn’t allow him to rule the city. King Ichos insisted the city be built near the shore because the powers