The Lost Kingdom, An Archer Adventure, Book 4

THE LOST KINGDOM

An Archer Adventure

Book IV

Katharine Giles

Copyright 2017 © 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 or 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 author is illegal and punishable by law. Please do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

The publisher does not have any 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 the products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locations is not necessarily substantiated by fact.

Cover Image: Copyright ©Shutterstock: 419288539

Cover Design: Copyright © Katharine Giles

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Paperback Published by Telemachus Press, LLC

www.telemachuspress.com

ISBN: 978-1-940745-79-4

eBook Published By Soul Attitude Press

www.soulattitudepress.com

ASIN: B01N4PD9DM (Amazon.com)

Author Website: www.thearcheradventures.com

Version 2017.08.05

Digitally created in the United States of America

Dedicated with love to my sister, Ardis,

who pushed, shoved and tugged

The Archer Adventures forward.

Table of Contents

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Chapter One: Ancient Mystery

Chapter Two: The Ruins

Chapter Three: Shape Shifter

Chapter Four: Whirlpool

Chapter Five: The Survivors

Chapter Six: An Evil Queen

Chapter Seven: Dragon's Lair

Chapter Eight: Fire Fish

Chapter Nine: Purple Gemstone Trident

Chapter Ten: Ancient Treachery

Chapter Eleven: Hail The Queen

Preview of Book V: The Desert Sun

An Archer Adventure

More Books by This Author

About The Author

Glossary & Phonic Pronunciation Guide

Amethina (Am-eth-ee-nuh): Archer’s Mother, Queen of Water

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

Archer (Are-chur): Prince of Water, Heir to Skye

Balycon (B-owlie-con): King Ichos’ Kingdom in Earth’s Sea

Carpidor (Car-pid-or): King Ichos’ Pet Dragon

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

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

Ekonia (Ee-cone-ee-uh): Former Earth Kingdom of Skye and Water

Equinos (Eh-key-nohs): Keeper of Balycon’s Communicator Trident

Fire Fish (Fire Fish): Poisonous Black Octopus

Halo (Hay-low): Keeper of New Ekonia’s Communicator Trident

Heron (Hair-un): The name of the Kunjo

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

Queen Kara (Care-uh): Ruler of New Ekonia

Kunjo (Coon-joe): Carnivorous Shape Shifter

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

Mika (My-kuh): Queen Kara's Teacher, New Ekonia

Palikor (Pal-uh-core): King Ichos Kingdom in the Frozen Sea

Paragon (Pair-uh-gone): Captain of the Enforcers

Sotto (Sought-oh): Son of Marcoli, Ruler of Palikor

Skye (Sky): Planet in Galaxy of the Immortals

Water (Water): Planet in Galaxy of the Immortals

Yarlo (Yar-low): King Ichos’ Ichonaut Messenger

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

Zoran (Zore-an): Captain of New Ekonia Sea Guard

Archer’s adventures recorded by Korina, Story Teller of Skye

Chapter One

Ancient Mystery

While the carpin carried Archer through Water’s remarkable pink sea, he marveled at his unusual mount. With the head of a horse and tail of a dolphin, the carpin reminded him of the horses at the riding stable where his earth father taught him to ride. Ever since Aradia accompanied him to Balycon to teach him his alien skills, he often asked about Water's creatures and gardens and had looked forward to this visit to his birth parents' home.

The carpins’ skin glistened white on the Earth Star but a layer of pink flowers on Water's surface gave everything in his father's kingdom a pink cast. If Archer had bothered to think about it, he would have laughed at the idea of a pink horse. The carpins weren't the largest animals here nor were they the most unusual. The abundance of odd and colorful creatures he’d seen so far would be at home in an aquarium filled with rare sea life.

Fish the size of whales with black tusks jutting from their upper jaws circled a coral garden in the distance. A never-ending variety of dragons, most of which resembled miniature dinosaurs, were everywhere he looked. Black dragons with green and yellow splotches across their bodies casually strolled across the sea floor while raising and lowering transparent dorsal fins like signal flags. Skinny dragons slid through the water with tiny webbed feet clasped tight against their bodies. When he'd asked Marcoli why Water had so many dragons, Marcoli told him that his father had been collecting them since childhood.

I'm sure that's true, said Aradia in response to his thoughts.

What are you talking about? asked Archer.

Your father's dragon collection, she replied. While I lived here, I learned he collected every different kind of dragon he could find.

There are lots of odd creatures here, but it’s easy to see Father likes dragons best. Do you know why they're his favorite?

I wondered the same thing until your mother told me that his father gave him a dragon egg when he was a boy. After it hatched, he loved his unusual pet so much that he never wanted to be without a dragon.

Will I get to see his pet dragon while I'm here?

I'm afraid not, Aradia told him.

Why not?

After Carpidor grew too large for Water, your father moved him to another planet. Maybe one day you’ll get to see him. I’ve heard stories about him and I'd like to see him too. He's supposed to be the largest dragon in the galaxy.

Marcoli told me that you'd tell me how to recognize the dangerous dragons so I can watch out for them.

It isn’t difficult, she replied. Most of your father’s dragons are small and harmless. Watch out for the big ones with horns and scaled armor. Some of them are aggressive and attack without provocation.

That makes sense, Archer told her. An armored dragon probably gets in lots of fights. That reminds me of something else. I noticed Father doesn’t wear the collar that lets air breathers live underwater. How can he live here?

I wondered when you’d think to ask that question, Aradia replied. I asked your mother how to answer it and she told me to tell you the truth even though it might be difficult for you to accept.

I don’t understand.

King Ichos isn’t an air breather.

What are you talking about? Of course he’s an air breather. Not sure he wanted to know the answer to his question, Archer asked, If he’s not an air breather, what is he?

This is difficult to explain, Aradia replied.

I don't understand.

Your father's a shape shifter.

What! Isn’t that a creature that can become another creature?

Before you get upset, you need to know there are different kinds of shape shifters.

I’m not upset. What is he when he isn’t an air breather?

When he leaves the palace to tour his kingdom, he likes to become an Ichonaut but that doesn’t mean he’s an Ichonaut either. A shape shifter is a shape shifter and your father can be anything he wants.

Does that mean I’m a shape shifter?

No, Archer. You’re an air breather and you’ll always be an air breather.

But my gemstone charm lets me change shape, he persisted.

You have the power to change shape by using the colors in the fire stone but you can’t change shape if you don’t have the charm with you, she explained. That’s not the most important power in your fire stone but it’s one of the reasons you need to keep it near you.

Archer leaned down and pressed his head against the carpin’s mane to think about Aradia’s answer to his question. He didn’t know what to think or how to react to the knowledge that his father, King Ichos, the ruler of Water, is a shape shifter. What did that mean? Of all the creatures on Water, his father had to be the most unusual, a creature who could assume the appearance and identity of another creature.

Trusting Aradia to keep them safe from armored dragons, Archer closed his eyes to recall his recent meeting with his mother. He wished he’d asked her why his father didn’t wear a collar.

* * * * * *

A glow filled the blackness beneath his lids and parted to reveal an image of his mother sitting on a purple cushion inside an open clam shell. Her blonde hair floated around her head in the gentle current and the metallic fabric of her purple swimsuit shone like mercury in Water's light. A fist-sized purple gem hung to her waist on a twisted gold chain and flashed purple and red fire around her. Her violet eyes welcomed him with love and Archer shook his head in wonder. Before he'd met her and his grandfather, he'd believed he was the only person in the world with blonde hair and violet eyes.

Hello, he'd said and swam to join her.

Hello, my son, Amethina greeted. I wanted to see you before you go home. Do you have any questions about your birthright?

I'd like to know more about Father and Grandfather, he'd told her.

Your father has always ruled Water and your grandfather has always ruled Skye, she replied. When your grandfather arranged the match between Water and Skye, our marriage created a union between the stars. Although you're a child of Water and Skye, your roots are Earth.

I hope that means you and Father want me to live in Balycon because I don’t want to leave my friends.

While I prefer you live here, your father and grandfather have several earth kingdoms and need someone on the Earth Star to handle problems that occur from time to time. Every journey will help develop your skills, many of which you know nothing about. Aradia will stay at your side to teach you everything you need to know about your heritage.

Did you send her to protect me?

I chose her to be your teacher because your travels will take you into danger. Her skills will keep you safe until you learn to depend on your own. It’s important you remember that she's a child of Skye and has no knowledge of the Earth Star or your earthling skills. You must be vigilant for there may be times when she can't help you.

* * * * * *

While the carpin carried him through the sea, Archer thought about his mother's words. What did she mean when she said Aradia couldn’t always help him? Surely Aradia's father, the crystal master of Skye, could help her solve any problem and find the answer to any question. That reminded him of something else. Why did Aradia limit their conversations to answering his questions? Although he didn't know much about her, he enjoyed her company. He caught a motion out of the corner of his eye and glanced to his right. Aradia's blue eyes sparkled and he realized she had listened to his thoughts.

I'll race you to that coral tree, she challenged and pointed into the distance at a red coral tree that towered above everything on the sea floor.

Before Archer could reply, Aradia threw her arms around her carpin's neck and leaned forward. The carpin responded to her body language with a downward thrust of its tail and lunged. Caught in the surging current, Aradia’s long black hair and red gemstone charm flew behind her. A beam of light hit the faceted gem and sparks of red fire flashed through the sea.

Archer's carpin bolted after Aradia's mount and, unprepared for his carpin’s lunge, he nearly toppled over its back when a wall of water hit him in the face. He leaned forward, grabbed a handful of mane and jammed his knees into the carpin's sides while he struggled to hang on.

The carpins raced side by side at breakneck speed and the water flowing across their bodies threatened to topple both riders. To keep from being thrown, Archer closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the carpin’s neck, unaware his action transmitted a command for more speed. The carpin’s muscles convulsed beneath him and its next lunge almost tore him loose. Before he could ask Aradia to slow their flight, an image of a killer wave crashing down from above appeared in the blackness beneath his lids.

Archer's eyes snapped open and he froze in terror at the sight of an armored dragon perched on a nearby boulder poised to attack. Its blue-gray scales glistened like burnished metal and a double row of teeth flashed behind the forked tongue that flicked through the water. Archer saw the four horns on its head and panicked!

The dragon opened its mouth, curled back its upper lip and exposed its teeth before it sprang. The carpin threw down its tail, vaulted upward and to the right. Archer pressed his face against the carpin’s neck, held his breath and ducked when the dragon flew by and missed him by inches. Archer glanced back in time to see it slam into a coral tree and follow it to the sea floor. While the dragon struggled to free itself from the coral branches, Archer hugged his carpin’s neck and listened to his pounding heart.

Aradia brought her carpin alongside and asked, Are you okay?

I don’t know what scared me the most, the vision of the killer wave or the attacking dragon, he told her. That was close. Why didn’t you warn me about the dragon?

You weren’t paying attention to where you were going and I made sure it couldn’t harm you, she told him.

What do you mean? It planned to have me for dinner! My carpin dodged just in time!

The dragon missed you because it slid off the force field shield I placed in front of you, she told him.

Oh, was Archer’s startled response. I was too scared to think of that. But that doesn’t explain why you sent the image of the killer wave. Were you afraid I’d win the race or did you just want to scare me?

I didn't mean to frighten you, Aradia told him. Your mother asked me to tell you how she brought you home. I was thinking about how you came to Balycon and forgot to block my thoughts.

Before Archer could think of an appropriate reply, Aradia pointed ahead. We’ve reached the tree, she announced. Let’s call the race a tie.

That’s amazing! Archer remarked when they approached what had to be the largest coral tree he’d ever seen. That tree must be 50 feet high!

It’s the largest coral on Water, Aradia told him. I wanted you to see it before I show you my favorite garden. I have something important to tell you.

When his carpin carried him beneath the majestic tree, Archer looked up and stared in wonder. He’d seen the black clumps in the tree's branches from a distance but couldn’t identify the jellyfish until now. With