Chronicles of the Green Dragon: An Unfinished Journey into a New Awareness

By Jen McCracken

On the planet Evan, there is tumultuous change on the wind. The southern continent has been embroiled in a long period of war, and its ruler, Prince Stefan, has long been preoccupied with protecting it from the subversion of his wifes family.

A diverse group of travellerssoldiers, healers, shape-shifters, animals, and extraterrestrial beingsexperience a shift in consciousness as they interact with strange beings and powerful, mystical forces on the Arcadian Plateau who want to teach the travellers how to listen to the songs that play within their own hearts.

Leading the group is Commander Ian Vandos, a battle-hardened warrior who is also a man of great gentleness and principle. His journey across the Plateau opens him to the vulnerability of love and to the stirrings of intuition. His ally, Marconious, a shape-shifter, struggles with the karmic responsibility of his race. When he allows himself to explore the hope offered through his wife, Jardene; their remarkable offspring; and the cleansing power of a new consciousness, Marconious finds a potential path to salvation.

At centre stage is the magnificent green solar dragon, Zineac. Powerful, pithy, and just a tiny bit manipulative, Zineac directs events and individuals while just managing to avoid transgression of their free will. He appears with critical timing to act as their guide, protector, and counsel. Yet, in order to strengthen and transform them, the wise dragon will not hesitate to thrust them into experiences that are provocative and at times terrifying.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Oct 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452502625

Jen McCracken

Jen McCracken is an Australian author from rural Victoria. For thirty years, her passion has been enquiry into the Western mystical traditions and metaphysics, and her writing mirrors her spiritual quest. For relaxation, she gardens. Her background is in nursing and welfare. She is married and has three adult daughters.

Book preview

Map of the Arcadian Plateau

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Chapter 1: The Healer Katri

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There is duty and then there is responsibility;

how confused you are over these words.

They can be so distorted, so misused.

So, are you going to give me a discourse on duty? the woman asked. The dragon was lazing next to her on a rocky platform overlooking the sea, not far from where she lived. He was large, and his scales shimmered gold in the sunlight. Multiple shades of green swirled around him and through him. He was not a being of this physical world. Now, because of him, her life had opened up in ways hardly to be imagined before. She still did not know why he had befriended her. She felt sure he had his reasons; however, when she asked, the only answer he gave was to tell her that in time she would understand. Eventually she had called him the Green Dragon Zineac—he did not belong to her planet or any other. He was a Solar Dragon. He was a very powerful being, though he hid it well.

The Green Dragon surveyed the scene before him and then turned to look at the woman. He could read her mind and communicate telepathically.

Not today, he replied. Though you could think on the subjects of duty and responsibility, how distorted they can become. But I must leave. Follow my journey with your mind’s eye; you have the ability, and it could be important for your future, dear lady. However, I have business in another realm, another reality.

She was used to his ability to move through space and time. Dematerializing and rematerializing in another place was one of his many modes of travel. Zineac, as a Solar Dragon, saw the universe as his home; he sometimes called it his playground.

This time, the Green Dragon rematerialized onto an ancient landscape so old and so arid that its stillness and harsh beauty took one’s breath away. It was as if the land pulsated with ancient knowledge. He stood and spread his giant wings, the sun’s light rippling along the scales on his body, and he appeared to be encased in a halo of green and gold. The air swirled around him as he rose majestically into the sky to fly north. There was a group of riders he wished to make contact with.

Catching sight of the dragon, the contingent of soldiers crossing the Arcadian Plateau on warhorses turned to ride in his direction. The dragon landed on a ridge of granite and waited until they were within easy reach. The party halted; one of the young soldiers came down from his rather skittish horse and bowed in respect to the dragon. The dragon’s eyes gleamed as his tail swished in annoyance across the dust.

You have the healer, Katri, with you, said Zineac. I am very displeased with what has happened to her.

It was not easy for the young soldiers to stand their ground in the face of an angry dragon.

I will have you remember we care deeply for her, dragon, replied a second soldier. It was I who asked the Shape Shifter Marconious to search for her through his contacts in the Northern Continent. And might I remind you, you are quite terrifying to men and horses who do not know you. He was a battered veteran with old, deep wounds to his body and a face aged with pain and fatigue. There was an unwavering look on his face as he stood and stared back at the dragon.

Zineac gazed down at the soldier before him. He did so like this man. Commander Ian Vandos was one of his favourite humans.

Coming to a quick decision, Vandos lifted his co-rider, the healer Katri, down from Kenwyn, his warhorse. This delicate young woman had amazed the soldiers under his command with her healing skills and tenacity of purpose. They held her in great esteem.

Let us find out, Katri, what Zineac wants, though I am surprised he has intervened. He usually leaves us to manage our own affairs Katri. He turned back to the dragon. I expect you have some plan in mind for her care. I do not have to remind you she has been treated badly by some who should have known better.

Zineac stared back at the soldier, his irritation obvious to them all. I will have you know I am close to forgetting that I have been—these many centuries past and across the universe—a civilized dragon. I know you care deeply for her, as well you should. Katri’s healing power has saved many of the soldiers of this land, you included. However, others of your human kind have treated her with abominable contempt. Even yet, my disgust and desire to swallow something whole may overcome me.

Vandos raised his eyes to the heaven; he knew the dragon well.

The healer Katri laughed tiredly, Oh, Zin!—for that is what those who knew him well called him. You told me the taste of humans is not pleasant and their horses even less so. You are all puff and roar.

Today the roar is very close to reality; I am truly annoyed. You need to go to the Great Gorge Garden of Philemon where the old forests and gardens of this plateau still exist in all their beauty, grandeur, and might I add, magic. It is close by; the commander can take you there and then return to his unit. I will be there to meet you. Rest now. You are safe within my care. He said no more and left.

The ride on Kenwyn to the Philemon Gardens had been swift, unexpectedly so, but exhausting; Katri had fallen asleep and woke up as they entered the garden gates.

I must leave at once, Katri, to continue with the young soldiers in my care. Before I leave, I would like to remind you that this plateau is very strange. Though I travel across it regularly, few from our population who live on the Fertile Plains travel here. The Philemon Gardens are even stranger. For some reason known only to him, the Green Dragon wants you here. What you need to know, Katri, is that though you are safe here, some of the trees in this garden are very unusual. They are conscious, intelligent beings of immense power. I have never been able to decide if I am now more aware of the trees’ innate power or if a being emanating from them for some reason decided to live as a tree. Curl up here at the gatehouse on one of its bunks. I am sure you will be guided to where you will need to go. At this time, you need to sleep, and I must leave now.

Commander Vandos may have left her to sleep at the gatehouse, but when she woke up, she found herself in the shade of a giant Speaker Tree. Towering above her, this mighty being, whose presence overwhelmed all that came into his path, was too much. She closed her eyes again, and when she woke, she found she was resting in the arms of a beautiful and ancient Frond Tree. The dragon was watching her, but left when he saw she was safe.

Wisps of a delicate scent relaxed her aching body. Slowly, velvet-like fronds drew her into a deep embrace. She began to cry from exhaustion, despair, and a terrible sense of betrayal. As the Frond Tree held her, it dripped honey-dew into her mouth, and as she swallowed the dew, she realized that the tree was speaking to her.

Yes, said the Frond Tree, as you swallow my essence, you can hear me speak my truth. And as I absorb your tears, all of who you are becomes clear to me. Time passed in a deep silence. Again, the Frond Tree spoke. Now that I know you, I wish to give you a gift. A drop of multi-hued dew slid down onto the healer’s hand. If you choose to drink it, it will give you the gift of understanding the language of the Speaker Tree. Do you think the Speaker Tree’s name is meaningless, as so much speech is meaningless in your human world? I assure you the breadth and depth of the communication of the Speaker Tree is beyond your imagination at this time.

I would be honoured, replied the healer, to understand the Speaker Tree. However, why couldn’t I stay here with you? With all that had happened to her, she did not want to leave this place of deep peace and healing.

Take the gift. It is a true gift to you, but go quickly; much healing has been done for you here, and now you need to leave. Ask that delightfully handsome, wise, and charismatic Green Dragon to explain why I have appeared to be so rude and refused your request, replied the Frond Tree.

As the healer accepted her gift, she turned to thank the Frond Tree, only to find she was standing against a giant limb of the Speaker Tree. She had been instantly transported into the tree’s presence. A deep humming was vibrating from its core. Its power was enormous. Katri realized that if she let herself relax into the sound, she would hear it speak.

I think, droned the Green Dragon from behind her, a few pertinent and pragmatic facts may be needed before we venture into any more of this forest garden’s secret. With that, he whisked her away from the tree, though how she was not sure. It was as if some energy force moved her of its own accord.

Don’t drop me, she called out, oh, delightful, handsome, wise, and charismatic Green Dragon.

The dragon laughed, though Katri had never heard any other laugh like it. The Frond Tree knows me well, don’t you think? Let us eat, he said as they both landed on a rocky ledge where a fire was burning. Eat the food the garden has provided, sleep, and know you are safe. We will speak together presently, my dear Katri, healer par excellence, of this Southern Continent.

Katri ate as she had been commanded and fell into another long, healing sleep. When she awoke, she was determined to discuss what had happened to her and hopefully receive some answers from the dragon. This might be difficult, as Zineac had a way of ignoring any questions he did not want to answer.

Tell me, Zin, why couldn’t I stay there with the Frond Tree? It was so peaceful, so healing.

Katri found her mind churning with unanswered questions as she tried to make sense of the betrayal by Prince Stefan, ruler of the Southern Continent. This betrayal had seen her returned to the country of her birth, a cold, snow-swept land to the far north, of the Northern Continent. She came from a powerful extended family whose only interest in her was to restrain her to the very limited role women were allowed in their culture. She was a useful pawn in their political games. The family saw it as her duty to obey them in all aspects of her life. She had escaped at a very young age to the Southern Continent, where her many skills as a physical and energetic healer had blossomed under the auspices of Professor Phaleon at the medical school. Now an adult, her sense of outrage at the treatment she had been subjected to still traumatized her.

For fifteen years, Zin, I have worked hard to bring my healing art both energetically and physically in service to the Southern Continent. I saw it as my duty in return for the refuge I found here. Especially have I dedicated my life to creating a healing service for the soldiers who suffered such dreadful wounds in that last needless war. I was only a child when I first started my training. At the age of twenty-two, I became a senior surgeon. I established military hospitals with new healing techniques unseen before. It was a huge challenge. Now here I stand betrayed both personally and publicly at the instigation of the prince. Do you know, dear dragon, what is my greatest sorrow? It’s that I believe most of the betrayal has been engendered by spite, jealousy, and arrogance! What has it been all about? Could I have avoided this situation?

Oh yes, replied Zineac. Let me think. Which question do you want me to answer first? Have not all of you humans been plagued, my little healer, by what you could call those ill-used emotions to the detriment of all of you? However, I am not going to answer your question as to why you were betrayed. That question is much more complicated than you realize. It will work itself out in its own time. Do not allow yourself to be a victim to this situation. What I will tell you is why you could not stay with the Frond Tree.

He stared into the horizon as his eyes, flashing with memories, changed to gold, blue, yellow, and then back to emerald.

I know, dear healer, you have met in the Alexandrian Garden near the Prince’s Palace some of the original human inhabitants of this plateau who only exist now in the Great Gardens across the Southern Continent. You have been a positive influence in the prince’s decision to extend, not deplete, the Great Garden of Alexandria, have you not? It was at their request that you interceded for them, explaining to the prince how important the gardens were to the very existence of all beings on this land.

The dragon stopped talking to gaze into the distance, as if seeing a scene from some distant time. They are very shy, these original inhabitants, are they not? They seem to appear or disappear as if by magic. I know whenever possible in your very busy life you have collected much-needed seed for them. They move with such fluidity because they barely exist in the physical world. They have a symbiotic relationship with the Great Gardens and especially with the Frond Tree. They drink from her nectar, to be absorbed into her heart, and then they emerge again to go into the world of the Great Gardens. They expand her world and are her hands; she feeds them and is their heart.

The dragon sighed. Great healing work takes place in this symbiotic relationship, but it was not for you, little one, and the Frond Tree is wise and knew this. She knew that she must not keep you bound to the restricted limits of her world, beautiful as it is. You have the potential to grow much bigger than that. Nor could you expand in the ways her people do. You do not have their biology. Then he smirked. I’m a whisky man myself. Honey-dew can become so cloying, so over sweet!

The healer raised her eyes; she knew the dragon was revitalized by the sun. Please would you tell me about the Speaker Tree?

The dragon sighed again. The Speaker Tree is magnificent, and his consciousness extends to encompass the whole of this planet. His roots speak to the rivers of information and awareness that travel to the very heart of this land. He travels through metal, stone, and soil and then up into the sky through wind and rain. Yet even he wishes to extend himself and has his own agenda, but for you beware. Take him in small doses; he won’t mind. He is so gigantic that he can be overwhelming, yet he is now an important part of your future life—in fact, for the lives of all who live on this land. The dragon continued, You are beginning to wake up to a greater awareness of the depth and breadth of intelligent consciousness on this planet, young Katri. You, as well as many others on this continent, will have to change. You cannot go back to what you used to be without great trauma to your souls. Will you tell Commander Vandos this is one of the reasons I am interfering in the rather messy business of the humans on this planet?

Katri was silent for some time, trying to take in the enormity of what Zineac had said.

I do not want to seem too big for my claws, Katri, but I am a Solar Dragon. I’m much bigger than a planet. Strange and disconcerting as it may sound, my little friend, you and your kind, if you grow in awareness, have the potential to dance among the stars.

We are interstellar travellers already, stated the healer. It is only on the Arcadian Plateau that we have to revert back to the old ways of travel.

That is not quite what I meant. There are many ways to travel into other worlds.

Then why did the Speaker Tree give me two seeds to take with me on my next possible travel into space? The dragon roared with such laughter that Katri thought he would choke. You do have a dilemma. Is it environmentally correct, young Katri, to take those seeds off the planet? The Speaker Tree could have many reasons. He could wish to extend himself physically into space."

You are being too clever, Zineac. I will go back now into the garden.

Yes, please do, though you have been in the garden much longer than you realize—two weeks, not the two days you imagine, replied Zineac.

She looked very surprised at the amount of time that had passed. I know I need to make further contact with the Frond Tree and her people even though I know I cannot stay. I have time now to contemplate my future contact with the Speaker Tree. He nodded. I recognize that there is much more I can glean from these contacts in my development as a healer. Somehow I know it is also connected to my service to this planet. I have much to do, and it feels wonderful. There will come a time when I will have to sort out my problems with the prince and his court. However, I am giving that problem some space; I will need to view it from a different perspective. Do you, Great Green Dragon, have any other suggestions?

Zineac looked very thoughtful for a long moment. You need to return to the mundane. A bath and some clean clothes would not go amiss. Katri laughed. I must depart. There is an interesting conversation I must eavesdrop on at the Obsidian Fortress. I will need to make contact again with both your rescuers, the Shape Shifter Marconious and Ian Vandos, the impeccable commander of the Arcadian Plateau. Zineac bowed to Katri as he took leave of the healer, soaring into the air, and disappeared in an instant.

Chapter 2: Jardene and Bendoit

at the Obsidian Fortress

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Some of you are wired differently;

you have a different way of being.

The Obsidian Fortress, the home of the Shape Shifters, was situated on the eastern side of the Arcadian Plateau. Massive volcanic disturbances had created the obsidian rock from which it was built. Embedded into the cliff face where the plateau dropped to meet the sea, the fortress’s highly polished surface shimmered in the sunlight. Its buildings rose above the plateau’s edge where an observation tower gave a clear view of the desert land to the west. Where the fortress extended down to the sea, the Shape Shifters had created a seaport. It was here the silent black ships of their merchant fleet returned at regular intervals. A safe haven, it had been their home for millennia.

It was of some interest to the Green Dragon Zineac to get a message to Bendoit, an elder of the Shape Shifters at the fortress. It fitted in with his decision to increase his involvement in the affairs of the humans on the continent. An interesting conversation was about to take place that he had every intention of listening to. Jardene, who was not a Shape Shifter, and Bendoit were important to his future plans.

Do not be so frightened, Jardene, Bendoit counselled. He turned suddenly to scan the room. The dragon is about, he muttered to himself as he continued speaking.

Though I am very old, even for a Shape Shifter, I know I have a few more years left to me yet. I will support you as best as I can. You do me an honour to think I am of some great service to you.

Jardene turned as Bendoit spoke to her and looked at her strange friend.

Why shouldn’t I appreciate your service? she replied. "You have been the mainstay of the Obsidian Fortress for so many years and have been a wonderful help to me. When I came here with my new husband, Marconious, over seven years ago, I was just seventeen as years are counted on this planet and very young. He has been gone for nearly a year. I know, Bendoit, that he would not have stayed away so long unless something unforeseen had happened to him. With no news of him, I fear he is dead. I can hardly contain my grief at the thought of his loss or the agitation of not knowing the truth, although in the last few weeks I have sensed that he is safe, even if he is a long way away. I fear to hope too much in case I am wrong. I know you would say I should have more faith in my abilities.

Now this new responsibility has been put upon me. Why did the Sea People choose me, Bendoit? It seems ridiculous given the circumstances. At twenty-four, I am too young. I also have the responsibility for my little ones.

Bendoit gazed at her. His stern old face lightened a little at the thought of her children. "Ah! Yes, your little ones—how we here at the fortress delight in them. They have brought us great joy. You know you need not worry yourself about their well-being, as much as a mother can separate herself from her concern for her children. I am not so old that I cannot understand. You must know by now that they are a delight to us Shape Shifters. It was so unexpected that there would be young ones here again belonging to our kind. They give such hope to the other inhabitants of this fortress, as well as to me. They are the future we did not think we had. They enchant and amuse us. They are the happiness we thought we would never see again.

This new responsibility that has been given to you, added Bendoit, has not been given to you because of any other reason than you are, at this moment, the best person for the post. You are wired correctly for the work. That may sound strange, but we are a strange people here at the Obsidian Fortress. Bendoit paused for a moment to consider his words.

The Sea People of this planet who have contacted you are not in any way—what is the word you say?—sentimental. Emotion plays only a small part, if any, in their lives. Pragmatic would be a better word, but even this does not truly fit. They are alien beings to us land people, and their ways are often inscrutable. The fact that they can and have made contact with you says more about your own genetic makeup. Your own people’s evolutionary process with its ability to interact and have children with other similar species has opened the future up to us again. Why not the Sea People? I fear I am putting this badly. Let me try again. Your people for many generations have had a very rare ability to consciously influence the genetic code of your offspring. This has created children diverse in their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual attributes. Those attributes are what the Sea People are looking for as they wish to make, I believe, contacts with the wider land community at a later date.

Sometimes my attributes are so diverse, Bendoit, that I do not understand them or know how to use them effectively myself.

"Perhaps not, Jardene, yet those gifts have created a great web or link for entities across the planets. Your people have amazing gifts. One of the greatest of these is the ability to sense and then develop an understanding of other alien perceptions that are totally foreign and therefore often incomprehensible to most of us. This gives them a sensitivity and discernment of other species’ behaviour that is extraordinary. To understand other entities’ behaviour is very difficult for us when we find their behaviour atrocious or incomprehensible.

Your people’s benevolence amazes us. Another great gift of your people is their love for their children and the love and continued connectedness the children have to their parents. This is why I cannot believe the man who called you his granddaughter when Marconious met you so many years ago was a true relative of yours. He did not have their attributes. Somehow you became lost and alienated from your own kind, Jardene, which is why you have not been trained in your own people’s ways. Just then the door opened, and Bendoit was called away.

Jardene watched him go and wondered again at the strangeness of the inhabitants of this place. It was time to go in search of her children to see what mischief they had gotten into while she had been busy. The triplets, who were now nearly five, could be called telepathically. The two little boys, Thomas and James, who were basically Shape Shifters, could hear her call. Bethwyn, the little girl, would one day be a powerful telepath. The problem was that they often didn’t choose to respond to her calls. It was so much more fun to keep on with whatever they were doing. She had had to put in some firm boundaries. There were plenty of child minders among the Shape Shifters; that wasn’t the problem.

The Shape Shifters of the fortress lined up to have a turn in looking after the children and then indulged them outrageously. Even those who ran their vast merchant fleet wanted a turn when they came back to their home port at the fortress. In fact, they were worse, for they arrived with gifts from all over the three continents as well as from their intergalactic trade. They had such a satisfied look on their faces when they presented the gifts that she had no heart to refuse them. The first year after the birth of the triplets had been pandemonium. Marconious had been no great help. He was as besotted as the rest of them. It became even worse when the triplets grew to be mobile at an early age. The little Shape Shifters seemed to be able to move themselves into the most awkward situations. If she had not feared for their safety, she would have found it hilarious.

It was then that she appealed to Bendoit, that strange, reclusive old man she was a little afraid of. Intuition had told her he was the one to speak to, although she still had had to build up her courage to do so. She had explained her concerns to him, and he had listened without comment. When she had finished, his only reply had been to tell her he would consider what to do, and then he walked away. After she reported her conversation to Marconious that evening, he had smiled at her. It was something he was learning to do. We find it difficult to show feelings of any kind, Jardene, he had explained. Bendoit had already spoken to him and had told him he had been honoured at Jardene’s request.

Bendoit organized many meetings over the next few months to discuss the issue. Some very weird and wonderful Shape Shifters appeared from all the many levels of the Obsidian Fortress. Some she had never seen before, though the children appeared to know them, laughing and clapping their hands when they ventured into the meetings. She could remember wondering with a great deal of apprehension what in heaven’s name had she started. It all went brilliantly. Within three months, Bendoit had organized a highly effective system of care for the children that took in all the complex needs of these unusual infants.

After this, Jardene remembered she had decided to have two more children. They would be dark like their father. One, a boy, would need to be a Shape Shifter, as it would not be fair if he could not keep up with his brothers. The little girl—well, should she be telepathic like her sister and a Shape Shifter? No, that would be too dangerous. So on her thoughts went. What was that old saying the best laid plans of mice and men can go astray? Well, they had. It was only later she realized she had not taken enough care of her thoughts!

When the twins were born, a little boy and a little girl as she had hoped, Marconious had actually laughed when he saw them. With delight he had cuddled the little redheaded moppet to him and stared into her sea-green eyes. Jardene remembered the conversation well. We are going to have to watch her around water, he’d said enigmatically. We had better call her Annabelle. Picking up the little boy, his face had filled with joy. Thank you, Jardene. Bendoit will be so honoured but far too reticent to tell you. Can we call him Hugh?

Jardene remembered how totally confused she had been by the comments. She had to smile now. When with her mind power she had begun to program the patterns she wanted for these two children, her gratitude for Bendoit’s help had been uppermost in her mind. As for Annabelle, she was not so sure what had happened there. Yes, she remembered now, she had seen Roan, redheaded and dripping with water, sidle into one of the meetings. She had instantly wondered about the Sea People. But there was much more to this little spirit’s entry into the world, she was sure.

They were three years old now. Oh what a merry dance they had led her on. The bigger problem had been Annabelle. Jardene had felt like a mother hen with a duckling. The child’s attraction to water had been phenomenal. Desperate to find a solution to this problem, the childminders produced Roan. He hesitantly appeared again, dripping water. With red hair and green eyes, he looked like an elder brother of Annabelle. He was around twenty-five years in human terms, but as the Shape Shifters reminded her, they could live to around two hundred years. He was seen as a young boy to them. One of the last of their species, he had been found in unusual circumstances. He was cared for but was lonely and isolated. He also looked very different from most of the other Shape Shifters. Jardene wondered if his mother may have been one of her kind; however, who his mother was remained unknown.

Jardene smiled when she remembered how Annabelle and Roan had taken to each other like fish to water. That was the trouble. Annabelle now had a fellow conspirator in the need to swim, especially in the sea. Jardene felt that she was now a hen with two ducklings. Yet it was strange—Roan took wonderful care of the little girl. When their enthusiasm for the sea got the better of his common sense, something always seemed to rescue them from their predicament. If one could put up with all the wet towels draped on furniture, sand and puddles on the carpet, and frequent anxiety attacks, then the situation was manageable.

Hugh was a different matter. He had the black eyes and white skin of his father and was a very handsome little boy. However, from the time he could crawl, he had begun to follow Bendoit around like a puppy dog. He was happiest sitting in Bendoit’s study with pen and paper. He had an avid need to learn, and Bendoit indulged him, teaching him at every opportunity. It was Bendoit who had realized that the children needed to leave the fortress occasionally. They needed to become used to the outside world. Marconious had started to organize these expeditions before he had had to leave suddenly on the mission that caused him to lose contact with the fortress. They feared greatly for his safety. It was strange that they could not reach him telepathically.

She turned to see Bendoit re-enter the room. He was carrying Hugh, and there was a pleased look on his face. A message has just come through. Marconious has been found, Jardene. He is at the prince’s palace. The elder children and Roan need to come with us to meet him.

Jardene quickly gave some thought to the three youngest children. Another set of triplets, her choice, were only six months old. They would need to stay here. They would be well cared for by the child minders at the fortress under the supervision of Essie and May. This all-male establishment had coped very well with Essie and May’s arrival, after they had recovered from the shock. The two women had settled in quickly; they were thoroughly enjoying their new life here.

Turning to leave, Bendoit added, We ride to the Valley of Colours at sunrise to meet Marconious there.

Chapter 3: Commander Ian Vandos

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I am a being of many parts,

and I have a relationship with all of them.