Henry. Just. Henry.

Chapter 44|Sorpinger Kingdom

“Okay, we’re refreshed and ready to go to Sorpinger?” Miyu said.

“Yeah.” They all chanted.

Ezra summoned the tourizal and the Udini Squad sored in the sky.

Sorepinger Kingdom was already in view. A white line in the far distance with the tallest building having a glass dome.

That must be the palace.

Henry stood on the bird’s back, squinting to see more. This was more than a mission; it was also a field trip. He’d never travelled to the other eight kingdoms.

Why, he’d never even been to Rion before his past was dug up and smashed in his face.

“Guys,” Fallon said. “I have an idea."

“If you want us to fly to the sun like Icarus, you can forget it,” Henry said.

“No, no, although, not a bad idea. We could at least try the moon.”

“Fair enough.”

“Anyway, it’s a… rather crazy idea.”

Everyone turned their head to gawk at him on the bird’s tail, and with an awkward smile like that, the plan must be more than crazy.

✧✧✧

“Outrageous!” The King of Sorepinger laughed, his jolly big belly shaking at the meeting table in the palace.

“Widius please,” the queen sipped her tea. “Don’t shout. This Gent and Bristine.” She looked at Fallon who suggested the outrageous idea. “When they come to take the stone, why can’t our soldiers protect it? It’s only two people.”

“Yes but, Queen Morray,” Miyu said. “They sucked the magic out of Valgroraven and Ellevine and poured it into themselves. So the guards won’t stand a chance.”

The queen’s gaunt figure slipped out the seat like butter, and she walked to the window overlooking the kingdom shadowed by night. Her only long thumb finger nail tapped the sill, and she sat on the edge.

“Careful Mor.” The king said.

“Widius, what did I say about nicknames in important gatherings?”

“Oh, sorry. Force of habit.” The king shrugged, reaching for another powdered sugar donut at the center of the glass table.

“Put it down. You had four already.”

“Oh, now you’re watching how much I eat?”

“Well someone should, cause you’re obviously not doing it.” She eyed him up.

“Maybe you should eat more.”

“You know this is genetically how I am.”

“So am I.”

She sighed as he ate the donut, raspberry jelly dripping on the table. “Widius the table! Use a plate for heaven’s sake!”

“I’ll clean it!”

She held her nose bridge and turned her head away from the mess. “Apologies for him.”

“No,” Henry said, holding up his hands in defense. “It’s fine.”

“Well if the guards can’t protect the stone then why don’t you? You’re here for that reason, right?”

“Right.” Miyu said. “And that was the initial plan, but let’s say we do ward them off, when they advance to the next kingdom, yours will be wild open again. But if we take the stone now, sure, the Kingdom will uhh…” she cleared her throat. “Be destroyed, but at as long as all your sorpinic citizens are safe, that’s what matters the most.”

Queen Morray sighed again. “This really is an outrageous plan.” She flipped her bob-cut lilac hair from her face and sat at the table, grabbing a donut and a plate.

“Ha!” Widius smirked.

“And where will the tourizal take my people?” She continued, ignoring him.

“To Xander Kingdom.” Ezra said. “It’s the only kingdom to the east remaining not over-populated. Caldire is filled with the ellvinian people and Rion is overrun with valvens.”

The Queen looked at her finger-licking husband and rolled her eyes.

“What?” He said, mid-way licking the jelly off his index.

“Thoughts on the situation, King of Sorpinger."

“I say we do it!”

“And why’s that?” She folded her arms.

“As they said. Those two criminals need all the stones and they will come back to get ours. A battle between the Udini Squad and ummm…”

“G.B.” Fallon said. “Gent and Bristine.”

“Right, right. The Udini Squad and G.B will fight right here, and if Prince Ezra could summon a bird as massive as a tourizal, imagine the other creatures the rest of them can bring? Our kingdom will become a battle field and be destroyed anyway. All for what? To protect a stone that will potentially be in G.B’s hands?” He wiped his hands with the napkin. “Our safest bet is to get the people out and let the Udini Squad have the stone. Either way, the Kingdom will be demolished.”

Queen Morray placed her elbow on the table and fit her chin in her hand. Her gray eyes dulled and she sighed. She grabbed a powdered donut and as she bit into it, the jelly spilled out the sides.

Globules splatted on the table like wax.

“Uhhh, Mor.” Widius slapped his mouth. “Morray, the table is getting messed up.”

“What does it matter?” She said, eating the last piece of the donut, her mouth filthy with sugar and jelly. “The Kingdom is about to be destroyed, by our hands. How ironic.”