Category: Uncategorized

New Arrival

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

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Image credit: Jose Amorin / O. Gargominy / Anthony Quek / S.T. Ranscht

“Ohh… help me!” Cassandra writhed on the mat, panting, sweat seeping from her forehead to drip with her tears onto the floor.

Arturo moved the cup from Elliot’s lips. “Do you need me over there?”

Miranda looked from the baby in her arms to the Princess, and turned back to place the infant next to the Prince. “No, Ambassador. The Prince needs you here. Clark? Are you all right?”

Clark peeked over Elliot’s shell. “Yes, Mama. Uncle Elliot needs me here, too.”

Elliot’s tentacles shook as he reached to pull his daughter close. His face ashen from blood loss, his voice was dry and shriveled. “Please…” he asked the midwife, “help her…”

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Delivery

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

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Image credit: rafflethazzle / S.T. Ranscht

Trevor lay face-up in the mud, peering through the deluge splattering in his eyes at the scaly, barbed creature holding him down.

Bending his knees, muck squelching at his heels, the Knight jabbed the stinger into the belly hanging over his face while he thrust his hips up, flipping the attacker over his head. As he sprang to his feet, another electrifying bolt gleamed off each scale of the spiky creature scrambling to right himself. If they’d had fur, it would have been standing on end. Blood dripped from the fang’s gash.

For a heartbeat, their eyes locked. “What happens to me matters not,” the Knight’s foe declared. “We are many and we are here.” He lunged at Trevor and grabbed his arm, twisting till it popped, as he spun to slice across it with the barb at his elbow, tearing at muscle.

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Pushing It

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

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Image credit: Schnäggli / DP BotaNESIA / depositphotos / S.T. Ranscht

Lying in wait for the next contraction, Cassandra stretched her eyestalks to see around Miranda. “What’s wrong with my husband?” Miranda and Arturo exchanged looks, but neither answered. “Tell me.” The Princess bit back tears. “Why hasn’t he moved?”

Arturo touched her shoulder. “He’s still alive, Cassandra, but he’s very badly injured. The Assassin’s stinger went through his shell, into his body. He’s still bleeding.”

The Princess turned to Miranda. “You have to help him. Please,” she begged.

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Short on Time

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

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Photo credit: Elvis Kennedy

“But, Mother,” Andre implored, “what was I supposed to do? Samantha’s team wouldn’t leave her alone with us, and when she took us to the front, I watched her kill two wasps with a single move — like it was nothing.” He stared hard at her as if that would communicate the full horror of what he’d witnessed. “There’s no way I could have forced her to do anything.”

Covering her face, Queen Madalena tried not to begrudge her son the senseless deaths and injury his friends had suffered. She tried not to blame him for the head-strong willfulness of his sister, even as anger, disappointment, and remorse tried to tear her heart apart. Her silence lasted longer than she knew.

“Mother?” Andre pressed.

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Second Wave

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

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Image credit: nac-nud

Late afternoon scents of mint and lavender drifting from the cup Miranda held, resisted mixing with earthy undertones of rainy dirt and blood. The Bower’s mushrooms lit the raging storm’s false night, glinting green on tears Vernon wiped from his cheeks. Standing behind Arturo didn’t shield his heart from the sight of Cyrus sponging away the blood still flowing from the gash beneath the jagged breach in the Prince’s shell.

The Princess, unconscious at her husband’s side, stirred and moaned a growing growl. A glimmer touched the emptiness in Cassandra’s mind like a child’s hand warming a frozen rock. It grew into a vice grip forcing a web of cracks from its center, leaking her last waking memories into the once merciful oblivion: the Assassin falling at her foot… his bulging eye… his burbled dying breath… his legs scrabbling in the dirt… Arturo struggling to shove the spasming Stinger off him… throwing herself past them, trying to get to Elliot, falling instead into an abyss of nothingness that now squeezed her toward its surface, extruding her insides out.

The first contraction since her collapse flooded panic through her, straining her eyes open, heaving her lungs, and pushing her to her foot. Elliot! Where am I? The room began to spin.

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No Escape

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

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Photo credit: Shutterstock.com

Arturo strained to talk as he flew. “A Hive Elite team found us… when they saw Lieutenant Terrance’s body… I had them carry the Prince and Princess… back to the Bower, and deliver… the body to the Queen.”

“What about the Assassin’s?” Vernon asked. “It was your triumph. How do you wish to dispose of it?”

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Volunteers

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

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Photo credit: Alamy

“Fine!” Andre agreed, rolling his eyes. “Where are we going?”

“To the front,” Captain Sam tossed over her shoulder as she took off.

Reuben dashed to catch up with her. “You mean we’re gonna see some action?”

Bouncing in the air, Bram called, “Do we get to fight?”

“Knock it off!” Andre yelled. “This has nothing to do with us, that’s why we’re supposed to bring her home.”

Sam somersaulted backward to drop into the midst of her half-brother’s little gang. “You’re welcome to enlist. I can assign you a training officer so you’d have some hope of surviving.”

“What?” Reuben sneered. “We can already fight.”

“We’ve developed some advanced techniques,” Clifton pointed out. “You’d really need instruction.”

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Taking the Meeting

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

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Photo credit: itchydogimages

In a foreign Kingdom, news travels faster than bees. Clifton intercepted Andre and his pals before they reached the camp.

“Welcome, Andre! We’re glad you’re here,” Clifton called. “Is it true you’re signing up to serve?”

“Well, if it isn’t Sa-man-tha’s little shadow.” Lee tapped Andre on the back. Andre ignored him. “So what’s your job —” he asked Clifton, “camp clown?” Lee tapped him again. Harder. “What? Can’t you see I’m talkin’ to–” He followed his pal’s point.

Captain Sam’s entire squadron of Stinging Flyers had gathered behind them.

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Welcome to Fen

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

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Photo credit: K.R. Deepak

Patience is the most precious jewel in Virtue’s crown. Surrounded by a pavé of sparkling anticipation, its light enhances all other virtues and gleams in the hearts of high and low alike.

Andre had never been patient. Conniving, yes, and sneaky. Buzzing ahead of his pack, he anticipated only snatching his half-sister’s glory for himself. This time, I’ll finally win.

His little gang was almost sober when it crossed into Fen, so the four Freelands bees slipped undetected through one of the wide spaces between the few remaining southern border Guards. In fact, they reached Central Fen before anyone stopped them.

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Blood Oath

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

Image credit: S.T. Ranscht

Sam led Clifton to a secluded blind. Facing him, she took his hands in hers. “I want you to promise me something.”

“Anything,” he answered.

Sam laughed, “Don’t you want to know what it is first?”

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