Hm! Thanks for your thoughts, NoSkis.
This is very important to me as, though the story itself is meant to be sort of convoluted, I very much like it to be expressed in a straightforward way.
I'll be having a big reread and rethink about the chapter.
Chapter 29.
Seventeen proud Panthers, their minds awash with the elevated guardianship responsibilities relayed from Ranevargar, stood guard while Pelnor and the other Lake Grove hosts rushed to ready everything for the race to the Realm Boundary. Rhys had his arms wrapped rather awkwardly round George's neck for a fond farewell and Kieran watched Manon and Deltor clip the last of the extra water skins to Krol's harness.
"Our thoughts are with you for this strange journey, Kieran. Krol h
Yes, you've picked up that the Opal is very much an enigma. Even Ranevargar, who's looked at it closely, is baffled.
The next foray? - The Dragon quest, as Rhys terms it, surely ... Hmm?
Thank you, Philippe, for your enjoyable exhortation and your encouraging words.
So many interesting conjectures!
I wish I'd thought of using the Realm breaches strategically like that. Analysis like this makes me aware of the possibilities I haven't considered.
Chapter 28.
Kieran toppled, along with everyone else, and his mind registered a snapshot of countless Spooks and people with strange golden heads. A jolt of pain when his face slammed against the grass passed and was forgotten as his mind raced with shock and attempts at understanding. A terrifying scream of defiance and rage paralysed his thoughts till the sudden cut off built an extra thread of fear that Krol had just been wounded or disabled. Helplessness surged. His body was useless. The
Oh my! You sure got that right.
Poor old Ranevargar - what a day he's had - what with a wonderful gift of healing from Rhys and Keiran, a whirlwind tour of many of his Groves, concentrated teaching sessions with Keiran, the huge decision to awaken his Dragon construct, and now suddenly stricken with paralysis - Did Keiran's portal effort malfunction, or is it something even more serious? - 'sidetracked' has to be an understement.