Tipping the Flower

Glad you could join us for the next plot-twisting episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning to the beginning, and reading really fast…

“What are you thinking?” Arturo asked Clifton.

“It should be easy — I’ll ask to stay with the Hiverarchy while I’m here. I can talk to the workers about the Alliance, and maybe start a… buzz.” They both grinned. “Kýrios may be the Most Revered, but he’s not a dictator, he’s an advisor to their Queen. He’ll listen to the majority even if he doesn’t agree, and he’ll share what he hears with her.”

“What if he still advises against joining?”

“Well, it’s like my grandma used to say,” Clifton answered, “if enough bees land on one side of a flower, it tips over.”

“Excuse me!” a reedy voice on the ground panted, “Is that you, Clifton? They told me I could find the Freelands Ambassador out here somewhere. Do you know where he is?”

“Drago!” Clifton called down to him, “I didn’t expect to see you here. This is the Ambassador — Arturo, this is Drago Galadeen, one of our Queen’s runners. What’s the word, Drago?”

“I’m delivering a message from her Magnificence, Queen Lilian the Undisputed Monarch of Fen. Lady Lucy has died in service, so the plan is changing and the Queen has a request.”

Arturo and Clifton dropped to the grass, all ears.

To be continued. . .

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