Take me far, far away,
Faster than a wink of an eye I pray,
To the land where the Darach roam,
To the land of the magical stones,
To the peoples of the mountain,
Forest, bog, hill, and river,
Great Everything, bring me thither.
This fantasy novel, the second in the Darach Tales series, continues the story of Golden, a young girl from the prairies who found an amulet in her late grandfather's study and was magically transported back in time to a fantastical, alternate version of Saskatchewan in the 1500s. After finishing Grade 6, she heads back to the Darach kingdom to meet up with her dear friend and partner in adventure, Button. Golden is happy to be back, enjoying tranquil days helping him on his farm, but soon finds out that not all is well in the Darach realm. There have been a series of vicious and bloody killings by an unknown assailant, leaving the locals in a state of peril. Left alone, Golden is attacked by an enormous creature, half man, half beast. She is protected by her amulet and survives. Golden and Button are commissioned by the Great Prince to investigate the killings in the Hills clan territory, along with their trusted companions Naed the Wise and Robert the Historian. They must do whatever it takes to figure out what monster, earthly or otherworldly, is attacking and killing these innocent Darach citizens.
What's more, the previous year's war with the Ivarians left many people struggling and destitute, and Golden finds her heart breaking at the sight of the poor children on the streets of Raon and the surrounding villages. So many great warriors died in the Great Battle and their estates, now abandoned and in ruins, previously provided food, lodging, and wages for dozens of families. As a result, many children had no place to go and were forced into the streets to look for work or beg for food. At Button's suggestion, Golden uses her sewing talents to help the poor and needy children in Raon and the neighbouring areas by sewing them tunics.
In the meantime, new clues unfold about the deadly creature, with help from Naed the Wise and his powers of deductive reasoning, but none point to the origin of the unknown intruder. The attacks continue, all leads are followed but to no avail, when Golden stumbles upon a mysterious blue bottle. This mystical relic shows her things in the past and things to come including the identity of the lethal aggressor. Golden and her three friends jump into action to formulate a plan to kill the beast.
Inspired by theories about portals to other worlds and Saskatchewan's natural wonders, such as the Mystery Rocks outside of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Karen began writing The Darach Tales series to highlight amazing places in the province. The Deadly Intruder: A Kingdom in Terror, rich with gorgeous illustrations and Celtic mythology, is an imaginative tale about the importance of friendship and doing good for others against the backdrop of a medieval setting.
