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.Maybe he couldn't handle it yet.But he saw his dad's eyes sharpen in concentration."How far are the rats from us now?" he asked.Gregor slid over to the edge and looked over.He was frightened to see the rats were halfway up the wall."Maybe fifty feet," he said."How about light?" asked his dad."Only this," said Gregor, tapping his hat."And I don't think the batteries will last much longer." In fact, the light seemed to be dimming as he spoke."We've got to get back to Regalia," said his dad."I know, but none of us knows where it is," said Gregor helplessly."It's in the north of the Underland," said his dad.Gregor nodded, but he didn't see what good that information did them.It wasn't as if they had a sunset or the North Star or moss growing on the north side of trees to guide them.They were in a big, black space.His dad's eyes landed on Aurora's wing."That bat, how did you sew her up?""A needle and thread," said Gregor, wondering if his dad's mind was beginning to wander again."Metal needle?" asked his dad."Do you still have it?""Yeah, here," said Gregor, pulling out the pack of needles.His dad took a needle and pulled a small stone out of his pocket.He began to rub the stone along the needle in short, quick strokes."Get some kind of bowl.Dump out that medicine if you have to," said his dad."And fill it with water."Gregor quickly followed his instructions, still unsure."So, what are we doing?""This rock -- it's a lodestone, magnetic iron ore.There was a pile of them back in my pit.I kept one in my pocket just in case," said his dad."Just in case what?" asked Gregor."Just in case I ever escaped.I had some pieces of metal back there, too, but nothing the right size.This needle is perfect," said his dad."Perfect for what?" asked Gregor."If I rub the needle with the lodestone, I'll magnetize it.Basically I'll turn it into a compass needle.If we can get it to float on the water without breaking the surface tension." His dad gently slid the needle into the water.It floated.Then, to Gregor's amazement, the needle turned forty-five degrees to the right and held steady."It will point north.""It's pointing north? Just like a compass?" asked Gregor in astonishment."Well, it's probably off a few degrees, but it's close enough," said his dad.Gregor grinned into the bowl of water.It was going to be okay.His dad was back.The sound of claws digging into stone wiped the grin off his face."Aurora," called Gregor."Can you fly?""I think I must," said Aurora, clearly aware of the rats."Ares, if I point you toward Regalia now, can you stay on course?" asked Gregor, giving the bat a little shake."I can stay well enough on course if I know the direction to fly," said Ares, rousing himself."Mount up!" called Gregor, just as Vikus had when they'd started the quest."Mount up, we're going home!"Somehow everyone got loaded up.Gregor had Temp ride with Luxa, just to keep an eye on her.He slid Boots, in the backpack and helped his dad onto Ares.He checked the needle in the bowl one more time and pointed Ares in the right direction."That's north.That's the way to Regalia," he said.Gregor was about to retrieve the bowl when he saw the first rat claw catch the top of the ledge.He leaped onto Ares's back and the bats took off, leaving the bowl and a pack of cursing rats behind.Ares followed the tunnel that headed north, and after about an hour he called to Gregor:"I know now where we fly."They flew straight for Regalia now, down wide, open caverns.Everywhere there were victims of the war.Gregor saw the bodies of rats, humans, roaches, spiders, bats, and other creatures he didn't even know lived in the Underland, like mice and butterflies.No, Ripred had mentioned butterflies, but Gregor thought he had seen them in the Overland somehow.All the bodies looked the same.Very, very still.It was almost a relief when the light on his hard hat finally gave out.He had seen enough carnage.In the darkness he lost all track of time.Gregor could hear the horns signaling their approach long before they reached the city.He looked down vaguely and saw people waving their arms, shouting.Neither he nor Luxa responded.Luxa was not even looking.From the moment they had taken off, she had wrapped her arms aroundAurora's neck and closed her eyes to the world.Gregor couldn't imagine what she must be feeling.He had his dad back.Boots was safe.They would go back to the Overland and his family would be together again.But Henry was Luxa's family, and he had given her over to the rats.What was there left for Luxa to feel now?The doors were flung open at the stadium, and the city appeared below them.There was cheering and waving of flags.The palace came into view, and Ares dove for the High Hall.They coasted in, and the exhausted bats simply landed on their bellies and slid along the floor until they stopped.Underlanders swarmed them.Somewhere in the confusion he saw Dulcet cradling Boots and hurrying from the hall with the ever-faithful Temp behind them.A couple of people laid his dad on a stretcher and whisked him away.The bats could barely protest as they were carried away, too, more in need of rest than medical attention.Gregor resisted all attempts to be loaded on a stretcher, although he did accept a cold cloth for his nose.Someone needed to tell the story, and he didn't think it could be Luxa right now.There she stood, pale and lost, not even noticing the whirlwind around her.Her beautiful violet eyes were vacant, and her hands hung limply at her sides.He went to stand at her side but he didn't touch her.He just let her know he was near."Luxa, it's going to be okay," he said.He knew the words sounded hollow.The room cleared out, and he saw Vikus hurrying toward them.The old man stopped a few feet in front of them, deep lines of concern cut into his face.Gregor knew he had to say what had happened, but all that came out was, "Henry was working with the rats.He made some deal for the throne."Vikus looked at Luxa and opened his arms.She stood, still frozen, staring at him as if he were a complete stranger."Luxa, it's your grandpa," said Gregor.It seemed like the best and most important thing to say at the moment."It's your grandpa."Luxa blinked.A tiny tear formed at the corner of her eye.A battle took place on her face as she tried to stop the feelings rising up inside her.CHAPTER 26It was Solovet Gregor ended up telling the story to.She appeared shortly after Vikus and, having kissed Luxa's wet cheeks, embraced Gregor.If he was not concerned about his injuries, she was.She immediately led him down to the hospital section of the palace to be treated.While doctors cleaned and stitched his leg and tried to bring down the swelling in his nose, Gregor spilled out everything that had happened since they had parted.The journey through the rancid caves, the arrival of the spiders, Henry's attempt to kill Ripred, Boots's fever, Tick's sacrifice at the bridge, finding his dad, and the strange series of events that had fulfilled Sandwich's prophecy.When he had finished, he felt like a balloon some one had let all the air out of.He just wanted to see his dad and Boots and then go to sleep.Solovet led him first to Boots, who was in a nursery with other sick kids.She had been bathed and changed and while she was still warm to the touch, Dulcet promised him the illness was not serious."We cannot cure many things still, but we can cure this.It is just a case of damp fever,"she said soothingly.Gregor smoothed back Boots's curls and went on to see his dad.His father already looked better, his face relaxed in sleep.The Underlanders had not only bathed him, but they'd groomed his hair and beard.The foul rat skins had been replaced by silken garments.They'd fed him and given him a calming medicine."And when he wakes, will he be okay?" asked Gregor [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]