Ice Dragons — Katharine Giles

While visiting the planet Water, Archer and Aradia learn that Chion, the tyrant king of Palori, has kidnapped Pazia, Balycon's teacher, and Pacion has disappeared. But when King Ichos directs Marcoli to tour Palori with Water's crystal ball to determine why Chion committed the crime, they find a dragon horde lair outside the city. Because of the dragons, it's too dangerous to harvest the gardens beyond the city gates. Chion needs Pazia's skills to provide food to keep him and his loyal subjects alive.

Before King Ichos can act, Chion flees the city and takes refuge in a distant haven. King Ichos sends Archer and Aradia to meet with Chion and tell him they can save the kingdom. Archer and Aradia travel through Water's crystal ball to Chion's haven but things don't go as planned. Chion doesn't believe they didn't come to rescue Pazia and angrily refuses their help.

Palori's tyrant king plans to feed Archer and Aradia to the dragons until Chion's mother intervenes. She remembers Archer and how he saved them from the storm that destroyed their home. She reminds Chion how Archer brought them to the frozen sea in the long ago past and saved his life. Chion relents and orders an escort to take Archer to the city through a sea filled with dragons. Chion tells Archer if he arrives in the city, he can attempt the impossible but Pazia and Aradia will remain with him.

While Chion watches events taking place in the city in his crystal ball, a dragon scout locates his haven. Can Aradia and Pazia save Chion and those who followed him? And can Archer defeat the horde threatening the city without Aradia's help?