There are three known parallel dimensions in the multiverse. Archie and his father have left Old Earth to live and work at Mount Tengi on New Earth in the second parallel. Archie is now in command of a Time Escort Group (TEG) that journeys through spacetime zones to other worlds to return timecrack travellers to their Points of Origin. It's on one such journey to Ireland during the time of the Great Famine in 1849, they return the Irishman, Finbar the Guide, to his home in Donegal. Shortly after they arrive, Archie and his girlfriend, Kristin, the mission artist, encounter Lord Castleforde, a ruthless landlord responsible for the evictions of starving tenants on land he has inherited from his late wife, Lady Jane. Castleforde suffers the curse of being a Varakite, a creature who can only survive by taking energy from other humans, which render him temporarily invisible. When he sees Kristin, he believes her to be the reincarnation of Lady Jane. He abducts her and takes her to the Red House estate, where she learns the terrible truth of what he intends to do with her. Archie's brother, Richard, who has the power to communicate telepathically with people in other worlds, arrives unexpectedly in Donegal from the third parallel universe. He joins Archie and the rebel Ribbonmen in their fight against Castleforde, and their attempt to rescue Kristin. Theta, known as the Widow Cassidy, was taken from Xantara also in the third parallel, by a strange blue cloud into the vortex of a timecrack, and landed in Donegal. She has settled into a farm and uses her skills as a herbalist and healer to help the people survive the cruel persecutions inflicted by Castleforde. Theta helps Archie and Richard, along with the Ribbonmen, to rescue Kristin during the destruction of the Red House. But Castleforde escapes to flee through a timecrack back to Amasia, Kristin's world in the second parallel. The adventure sees Castleforde continue his killings in Amasia. As a Varakite in his efforts to seek energy, he steals valuables from his victims in order to pay for his living expenses. Through his activities he meets the wealthy art collector who buys his spoils, Amelda Beck the Dragon Lady, and learns from her about the art works she buys from Kristin, now a famous artist with her own studio. They strike a bargain for Castleforde to obtain the priceless Immortal Wand she desires, in exchange for Beck to arrange a meeting with Kristin. It has come to the attention of Archie and Richard that the killings are taking place in the city of Sitanga, where Kristin is working on a mural at Beck's home. They suspect Lord Castleforde of being responsible for the murders and go to Sitanga to hunt him down and find Kristin. They are too late. A timecrack has swept Castleforde and Kristin into its swirling vortex, and returned them to Donegal. The story ends at the Red House - with a surprise for both Archie and Kristin.
