Silk Ghosts, An Archer Adventure, Book 10

By Katharine Giles

The Moria’s nests, source of Skye’s shining metallic thread, are being stolen and the thieves must be stopped. Archer and Aradia travel through a nearby jungle to find and return the precious thread but instead are kidnapped and escorted to a city of impossible illusions.

After an unbelievable canoe ride through white water, Archer and Aradia meet the master of the illusions and his wife, people from Archer’s youth. Not only is the reunion a happy surprise, Archer discovers the missing thread isn’t the reason for the journey ... he's come to find a precious gift from his father and grandfather.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Katharine Giles
• Release date: Jun 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370445547

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

SILK GHOSTS

An Archer Adventure

Book X

Katharine Giles

Copyright © 2018 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.

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.

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

Cover Design: ©2018 Katharine Giles

Cover Image: ©2018 Shutterstock #704565706

Distributed by Smashwords

Ebook formatting by www.ebooklaunch.com

Visit the author website: http://www.thearcheradventures.com

Digitally created in the United States of America

Version: SL20180523

To the memory of

William Lamar Giles,

a wonderful father

and a Wyoming cowboy,

who sang the country songs

and broke the wild broncs.

Table of Contents

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One: Thieves In The Night

Chapter Two: Kingdom of Manyika

Chapter Three: The Mystery

Chapter Four: The Nesting Tree

Chapter Five: Land of The Mist

Chapter Six: White Water

Chapter Seven: These Goggles Do What?

Chapter Eight: Finding The Past

Chapter Nine: Aradia’s Destiny

Chapter Ten: Welcome Home

More Books by this Author

About the Author

Glossary and Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Amethina (Am-eth-ee-nuh): Archer’s Birth Mother

Aradia (Uh-ray-dee-uh): Archer’s Teacher, Damani’s Daughter

Archer (Are-chur): Son of Ichos & Amethina

Bill Montgomery (Bill): Archer’s Earth Father

Boja (Boh-juh): Red Feather Snake

Bur (Burr): Landoori Guide

Carpin (Car-pin): Half Horse, Half Fish Steed

Damani (Duh-mahn-ee): Crystal Master of Skye, Aradia’s Father

Daori (Door-ee): Velda’s Crystal Master

Grace Montgomery (Grace): Archer’s Earth Mother

Ichos (Eye-kohs): Ruler of Water, Archer’s Birth Father

Keeri (Kear-ee): Sundari’s Crystal Master

Koji (Koh-jee): Manyika’s Crystal Master

Kiki (Key-Key): Manyikan Child

Landoori (Land-or-ee): Jungle Kingdom near Manyika

Manyika (Man-yee-kuh): Third Earth Kingdom of Skye

Manto (Man-toe): Archer’s Carpin Steed

Moi (Moh-ee): Landoori’s Queen, Spirit People Leader

Moria (More-Eye-uh): Dragonflies With 30-Foot Wingspans

Mycan (My-can): The Garden Planet

Pharis (Fair-us): Aradia’s Carpin Steed

Racqui (Rack-ee): Manyika’s Queen

Sono (Soh-noh): Mycan’s Crystal Master

Tantai (Tan-Tie): Elite Guard Member and Manyika’s Greeter

Lu (Loo): Queen Moi’s Adopted Son

Vadia (Vay-dee-uh): Saphra’s Crystal Master, Aradia’s Twin Sister

Velda (Vell-duh): Land of Giants

Zirco (Zer-koh): Skye’s Ruler, Archer’s Grandfather

Zora (Zor-uh): City in Landoori

Zondo (Zahn-doe): Moray Eel

Chapter One

Thieves in the Night

After Manyika’s crystal master pulled up an image of Skye in her crystal ball and showed Kiki the people in their metallic fabric robes, she taught Kiki how to call an image from the crystal’s depths.

Your turn to show me what you can do, Koji instructed. Your first lesson is to look into the crystal ball and bring an image through the mist. After you do that, I’ll know you understand the procedures I’ve described.

Kiki’s excitement ruled the moment, but her perplexed expression told Koji she didn't know what to ask the crystal ball. As it turned out, it didn't matter. While she gazed into the crystal’s core, her thoughts crystallized on her life-long dream of becoming a member of the Elite Guard and riding the Moria through Manyika’s sky. She’d loved the Moria since the first day she’d seen them soaring among the clouds and the beautiful creatures filled her thoughts every day of her life.

From the time she was 6-years old, Kiki awoke each morning and told her mom and dad the only thing she wanted to do with her life was become a member of the Elite Guard. Every day she watched the beautiful Moria soar through the sky and looked forward to the day she’d wear the uniform that told the city she was a member of that elite group.

Kiki nearly fainted when the mist in the crystal ball cleared and revealed the image that had filled her dreams for as long as she could remember. To her surprise and delight, she not only captured an image in Koji’s crystal ball, she’d captured her favorite image of all, the beautiful Moria.

It's the Elite Guard and the Moria! Kiki squealed to Koji’s delight. Did I do that?

The crystal ball responded to your thoughts, Koji told her. You must have been thinking about them.

I'm always thinking about them, Kiki confessed. I can hardly wait to complete my lessons, pass the exams and wear the Elite Guard uniform.

Kiki’s eyes sparkled with excitement when she told Koji, "I'll never forget the day Mother told me that I was lucky to be a privileged child. I didn't know what she meant until she explained how the children of teachers are allowed to choose any profession in the kingdom. Even though I was told I’d have to pass special training before I could become an Elite Guard, I’ve always known that’s what I wanted to do.

How did your mom and dad feel about that? Koji asked.

"They weren’t thrilled and didn't encourage my dream. They believed I’d be crushed if I failed the tests and didn’t want me to be disappointed. Because I was confident that was my destiny, they promised to send my career choice to Queen Racqui and let her decide. They did, however, caution me that I had to abide by the queen’s decision and told me that she might tell me to train me for something else.

I'll never forget the day Queen Racqui sent one of the Elite Guard to bring me to the palace. Mom told me the queen called me to the palace to tell me her decision and I was worried. But Queen Racqui smiled and told me that she’d reviewed my work and was pleased with my reviews. She announced to everyone that I was the newest Elite Guard recruit and told me you would be my first teacher."

Koji smiled and told her, "Queen Racqui told me about your dream. It's good that you can communicate with the crystal ball even though you don't know how it happened. While we go through your lessons, I’ll discover your strengths and weaknesses but there’s one thing you have to remember. The fact that Queen Racqui sent you to me doesn’t mean you’ll realize your dream.

What are you telling me?

That you have to study hard and remember everything you’re taught. Everything I teach is important to the work of the Elite Guard and could save your life.

Oh, Kiki told her. I didn’t know that.

Now I’m going to reward you with an image in my crystal ball that you didn’t expect.

Are you going to show me more pictures of Skye?

Not now, Koji told her, If you recall, I mentioned a young man called Archer earlier and told you about some of his adventures. Because you’re about his age, I thought you might like to see where he lives.

How did you know I wanted to know more about him? asked Kiki.

I didn't, Koji replied. But you and Archer have much in common.

What do you mean?

Archer loves to travel and visit new places, Koji told her. His guardian and teacher prepares him for his travels by helping him develop his skills. You need the same dedication and curiosity to be a successful member of Manyika’s Elite Guard.

I want to join the guard more than anything, Kiki assured her.

The Moria are difficult to train and once trained they respond best to the same person, Koji continued. Did you know Queen Racqui sends the guard to distant kingdoms to assist others? You have to be strong and courageous to survive what you might find on other planets. That's one of the reasons Queen Racqui sent you to me. She told me to make sure you have the necessary skills before she gives her final approval for that demanding career.

Does that mean you're going to test me?

Koji smiled. I’ll test you after every lesson. You'll be happy to know that when the Elite Guard riding the Moria through Manyika’s sky appeared in the crystal ball, you passed the crystal ball test.

Kiki's eyes sparkled with excitement. I like to visit and explore new places like Archer! I want to find a dragon and be a hero too.

Koji smiled at Kiki’s enthusiasm. If you're hoping to save Manyika from a dragon, that won't happen. There are no dragons here.

Koji faced the crystal ball and told Kiki, Now that you've shown us that the Elite Guard is busy on patrol, let's see what Archer and his teacher are doing.

Kiki's eyes widened. You’re going to show me Archer?

That’s your reward for passing the crystal ball test, Koji replied.

Kiki could barely conceal her excitement while she stared at the mist swirling in the crystal's depths. The mist cleared and revealed two people swimming through a tropical sea on the outskirts of a white marble city.

Is that Archer? Kiki asked. Who’s with him?

It’s Archer and his teacher, Aradia, Koji told her. It looks like they’re exploring the sea around Archer's home.

While they watched the images of Archer and Aradia flow through the crystal ball, Kiki asked dozens of questions and Manyika’s sun slid beneath the horizon. It was only after Koji noticed the moon shining through the ceiling that she let the crystal’s image fade and reached for Kiki's hand.

What are you doing? Kiki asked.

I lost track of time, Koji told her. I didn’t realize I’d extended your lesson into the night. Koji grabbed Kiki’s hand and told her. The lesson is finished and I'm taking you home.

Before Koji could close her eyes and transport them across the city, the crystal ball glowed and filled with mist.

Oh, my. I wonder who’s calling at this hour? Koji exclaimed and released Kiki’s hand.

The mist cleared and Damani’s image appeared.

Greetings, Koji, he told her.

Greetings, Damani, Koji replied.

Who’s that with you? Damani asked.

My newest student, Koji told him. We were watching Archer and Aradia and now I’m late getting Kiki home.

Damani grinned and told her, Archer does that to me too.

Koji looked at Kiki and said, I'm sure this won't take long. Wait beside me and I’ll take you home.

That's okay, Kiki replied. You don’t have to take me home. I can find my way.

Koji nodded permission and said, Be careful.

Goodbye, Koji. I’ll see you soon, Kiki replied. That was so much fun.

I’ll open the doors for you, Koji told her and turned to continue her conversation with Damani.

After Kiki ran out the door, she muttered beneath her breath, Mom’s going to be worried I'm getting home this late. I’d better hurry.

True to her promise, Koji had opened the inner doors and when Kiki reached the outer door, she found it open as well. The instant she exited the pyramid, the door slid shut behind her and Kiki stopped to look at the moon. Because she always hurried home after work at the Nesting Tree, she’d never seen the moon this high in Manyika’s sky. It flooded the city with its glow and Kiki turned to run into the night.

Kiki remembered how upset her mom got when she stopped to chat with her friends at the Nesting Tree after work because it made her late getting home. Although she frequently arrived home after the sun left the sky, her mom didn’t worry about her because she could watch for her from her kitchen window. But that was before everything changed and Queen Racqui told everyone to stay in after dark so the guard could catch the thieves stealing the Moria’s empty nests.

I’ve never been this later before, Kiki muttered aloud. I'm surprised Mom didn't send someone to the pyramid to get me.

Oblivious to the lanterns that had magically appeared beneath the dock while she gazed at the images in Koji’s crystal ball, Kiki broke into a run. The night air, thick with moisture, covered the dock with dew and, in her haste to get home, her foot hit a slick spot and she went flying. A flailing arm caught the top of a dock post, broke her fall, and she pulled herself upright to catch her breath.

"I shouldn’t have stayed this late. I should have told Koji when I noticed it was getting dark but I couldn’t tear myself away from watching Archer and Aradia in the crystal ball.

Kiki shook her head and mused aloud.

I’m glad Koji showed me her homeland in Skye and I’m glad I got to see it during my first lesson. I can’t believe how beautiful everything is. I forgot Queen Racqui ordered everyone to stay inside after dark until the guard caught the thieves coming to the city, Kiki muttered aloud. I wish I’d remembered. If the guard catches me out after dark, I’ll be in trouble. I should have waited for Koji.

Kiki shook her head and wondered what she would do if the guard stopped her. Because the dock circled the city, there were no shortcuts unless she entered the water and swam home. Although an excellent swimmer, Kiki never considered the idea of swimming because of the stories she’d heard about the water people who lived in the lake. Who were the water people anyway? And why did they live in Manyika’s lake? Kiki had never heard any stories about them bothering anyone and wondered why everyone feared them.

Kiki sighed and spoke aloud. I should have waited. Koji would have held my hand, closed her eyes and I’d be home by now.

Because she wasn’t paying attention to where she was going, Kiki caught her toe on a loose reed, lost her balance, and hit the dock hard. Her forward motion sent her flying and she flung out her arms to stop the slide. Before she fell off the dock and into the lake, she grabbed a ladder post and stopped her fall.

She climbed onto the dock, lay still to catch her breath and that’s when she saw the lanterns. Her eyes widened and she gaped in awe at the light reflecting off the water from hundreds of calippa flower lanterns hanging from hooks beneath the dock.

I missed the Lantern Hanging Ceremony! she cried. "I was so excited about my