Dawn Meetings

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

The Golden Hour of morning was Lilian’s favorite time of day. “Vernon, my love, do you want to go with me to the Field for breakfast?”

Rolling out of bed, Vernon took her hand. “Nothing would please me more, my beautiful Lili, but the Alliance army trainers are coming home tomorrow and the Captain of the Hive Elite requested a dawn meeting this morning to coordinate our land and air forces’ next move. Then there’s a Runner’s report. How about brunch immediately afterward?”

“How is it the Queen’s Liaison is busier than the Queen?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

Vernon leaned toward her and whispered, “You deserve a respite.”

She stood on tiptoe and put her hands on his thorax.

He stroked her face and said, “It won’t be long before these moments are crushed by stress. Take a breath while you can.”

Grinning, she kissed him lightly on the lips. “Thank you, Dr. Vernon!” she called over her shoulder as she flew out the door.

Everywhere, blazing colors popped through saturated shadows giving greater depth to the world than at any other time of day. Lilian felt lit up from the inside.

Meandering from one blossom to the next, she was sipping from an orange sunburst when a swelling buzz cut to silence next to her ear.

“Queen Lilian?” The stranger peered at her as if trying to see who might be living behind her eyes.

“Yes?”

“You don’t remember me?”

Searching the face before her, Lilian recalled a dim sadness touched by shame. “Maddie?” she whispered.

To be continued. . .

Previously, on Elliot’s Adventures ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Next time . . .

Author: Sue Ranscht

Having survived valve repair surgery and an experimental cardiac bypass at age 5, three years before it was an accepted medical procedure, Susan grew into the size of her overworked and enlarged heart. Maybe she thought she had enough to give it away -- twice. Both times, she had to retrieve the shattered pieces and puzzle them back together. She thanks her Dad for the only advice of his she ever followed to the letter: "Never get married. Learn to take care of yourself." So of course she is a writer. Susan has co-written a YA SciFi novel, and has three more novels in various stages of evolution. She's had several short stories published in other people's anthologies, some of which were contest-related. Let her tell you a story... View all posts by Sue Ranscht