Tag: king

Pierce Steps Up

Glad you could join us for the next skeptical 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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A subdued splash announced Pierce’s arrival.

“The Queen’s buzzy little nephew said you needed help.” A bath had washed away the sour odor of Elliot’s indiscretion, but not the disappointment of the missed mission to Bog.

“Pierce! Yes, we’ve found Vernon, but he’s wounded and sick and he can’t make it back to the Hive on his own. Would you please take him back with you?”

He eyed Elliot. “How sick?”

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Under Pressure

Glad you could join us for the next explosive 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: Imagebase

Elliot tried to press on Vernon’s stitched chest with his tentacles, but instead of compressing, they slid off the hard shell that was the wasp’s skin. After the third attempt, he stared at Clifton.

“You have to do this, Clif.”

“But I don’t know what you’re doing.”

“I’m trying to make his heart work again, but I can’t push hard enough.”

“If I push on him,” Clifton warned, “I’m afraid I’ll break him. Besides, what is that stuff? It looks like he’s leaking.”

“I think his cut is infected — he’s burning up. But if we don’t get his heart started soon, he’s gonna be cold and dead.”

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Water Is Life or Death

Glad you could join us for the next underwater 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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Quivering his way to the spot where Vernon vanished, Clifton tried to ignore the tickle of doubt in his chest. Elliot believes in me.

Taking a deeper breath than his lungs had ever held before, he kicked his chubby back legs as hard as could and dove into oblivion.

Reluctantly, he forced his eyes open.

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Clifton Takes a Dive

Glad you could join us for the next aquatic 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: Michael Johnson

Vernon’s eyes flickered in recognition just before his arms broke through the water and he disappeared beneath the surface.

“Vernon!” Elliot called again.

Only bubbles answered.

“Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh!” Clifton buzzed in swelling panic. “We can’t let the Queen’s Liaison drown!”

“Can you swim?” Elliot asked.

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He’s Back!

Glad you could join us for the next recovered 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: Christian

Accepting that Clifton would be his constant companion for the foreseeable future, Elliot followed him to the Baths. The splashing of ruffled feathers and exuberant bathers triggered memories of deep water panic, and Elliot hesitated entering the pool.

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Pierce

Glad you could join us for the next disgruntled 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: orchardparkway.files

In his dream, Elliot reclined on a bed of rose petals in a field of jasmine. He could feel Cassandra’s kisses on his lips.

He woke on the floor of the bower in Fen to find her wiping the last of his regurgitated breakfast from his mouth. The scent of jasmine drifted in and gagged him. Rolling onto his side coughing more violently than the ancient wasp, he caught a flashing glint of brown surrounded by feathers in the doorway.

Shifting impatiently from foot to foot, Pierce, the hawk who’d brought them back, preened a chunk of glistening, ocher something from his shoulder, and fixed a smoldering one-eyed stare on Elliot.

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Second Breakfast on the Wing

Glad you could join us for the next high-flying 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: Christina Lihani

With a skyward lurch, Elliot’s breakfast threatened to return for lunch. Only the soft comfort of Cassandra pressed against his side kept him from taking his chances and diving for the safety he’d left behind when he climbed onto the hawk’s back.

“Don’t you just love flying?” she asked, her eyestalks waving gently in the slipstream.

Trying to make eye contact put his gut into a spin. He focused on the horizon, the only fixed object in the world, and confessed, “I love you more.”

“Everything is so clear up here,” she effused. “The ground just rolls away and takes every bit of trouble with it.”

He didn’t want to contradict her, but he was sure he’d brought some of the trouble with him, and it was about to erupt.

“Look at that, Elliot, my love — we’re soaring with the majestic Travelers!”

He looked. The sky and earth blurred just before they went black.

To be continued. . .

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

The Verdict and Breakfast, Too

Glad you could join us for the next liberating 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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“Arturo, son of Miguel and Valeria, regarding the charges that you are responsible for the return of the rebels and the devastation they spread throughout our people’s homes in the Freelands, we find it is possible the rebels would not have come back if they had achieved their goal to begin with. Therefore, we find you are inextricably connected to the massacre.”

Arturo closed his eyes.

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Thinking Outside the Box

Glad you could join us for the next verified 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: Maxime Courty

Leaving his post at the Box’s door, the guard became the ancient wasp’s support, speaking quietly into his ear as he led the speaker to the platform to deliver the verdict.

Arturo’s whisper shook. “What do you think he’s saying to the old one?”

Elliot’s attention snapped back from the unanswered question still hanging in the air. “No matter what it is,” he assured Arturo, “you have our support. We can ask Queen Lilian to—” A concussive blast of coughing cut Elliot off.

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Thinking Inside the Box

Glad you could join us for the next proposed 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: topolka

“Spike’s dead?” Waiting behind bars, Elliot tried to take in everything Cassandra had been through since her abduction.

“Yep,” Cassandra confirmed, “drowned to be slowly digested. Can you imagine? I had no idea plants could do that.”

Her sense of wonder amazed Elliot. “But it was almost you! You must have been terrified.” He hung his head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to save you.”

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