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.Most of the time, it was easy to forget Temp was there."So, Temp, what do you make of this thing with the nibblers?" asked Gregor when the others were asleep."Hate the nibblers, the rats do, hate the nibblers," said Temp."Well, we don't know if the rats are involved yet," said Gregor."It be too late, the knowing, it be," said Temp."Too late for what, Temp?" said Gregor."For the doing," said Temp."Doing something to help the nibblers, you mean?" asked Gregor, and the roach nodded.By the time Gregor's watch was over, Boots had worn herself out.He lay down with her, and she soon drifted off.It took him a little longer.He kept thinking about what Temp had said, about it being too late for the doing.Gregor glanced unhappily around the empty colony, afraid that the cockroach might be right.No one felt satisfied with the idea of returning to Regalia the next morning."What we have seen will not be enough to incite the council to action," said Luxa."Perhaps telling the story of your crown will aid our case, after all," said Howard."No.As Cevian was not able to tell us the reason she sent it, it will be assumed the twisters drove the nibblers out of the jungle and have gone in search of a new home," said Luxa."What about the marks of secret?" said Hazard."That would be enough in the jungle.""But we do not know specifically why they were made, so the council will not be able to justify sending soldiers after the nibblers," said Luxa."In truth, Cousin, I believe the most likely scenario is that the rats drove the nibblers out of both of their colonies.But we have no evidence of that.And even if we did, we have never sent an army to prevent the nibblers' relocation before," said Howard."We should have," said Luxa grimly."What about that basketful of baby mice?" said Gregor.That somehow disturbed him more than anything else."The council could say, like you did, that the mother was mad.Or, if something drove the nibblers out, that she did not believe the babies could make the journey.They will reason all of this away.Yet when I add it up, the crown, Cevian's death, the baby mice, two empty colonies, and the marks of secret, I know in my heart that a grievous wrong is occurring," said Luxa."We must find more substantial proof.""That will be hard to get, since we will all be restricted to quarters the instant we return to Regalia," said Howard."My mom will send Boots and me home," said Gregor."I doubt she'll let us come back again.""For how long?" asked Hazard."Maybe forever, Hazard," said Gregor.His family was only waiting for his mother's return.The second she could manage it, she'd pack them all up and take them to Virginia."You mean, we will not see you after this trip?" said Luxa."Probably not," said Gregor.It didn't seem quite real that by tomorrow he might never see the Underlanders again.But his mom would never trust him down here, especially since he'd taken Boots on this "picnic.""We would not have allowed you to come if we knew this!" said Luxa.She was always running off on dangerous adventures, and there were never any real repercussions.But Gregor was not a queen and the Underland was not his home."But wait, you must be wrong, Gregor.What of 'The Proph —'"Luxa cut herself off, but Gregor could complete the phrase.What of "The Prophecy of Time"? The prophecy no one wanted to tell him about.The one about him "possibly" killing the Bane one of these days.He thought about pursuing the subject, but Nerissa had said knowledge of the prophecy might be damaging to him or people he loved.Was she afraid that if he knew what it said he'd run off and do something stupid? He remembered how obsessively he had thought about "The Prophecy of Blood" as he tried to work out its meaning.that hadn't helped anything.but the idea of this new one kept nagging at him.He decided not to ask Luxa about"The Prophecy of Time," but when he got back to Regalia he was going to confront Vikus about it.What did it say exactly? Was it definitely about Gregor? Because if it was, he would have to stay in the Underland to fulfill it, and his mom would never agree to that.For now, he would pretend he hadn't heard Luxa's comment."Look, me leaving.it was going to happen pretty soon, even if I didn't come here," said Gregor."But I wanted to come.To help you find out what happened to the nibblers.""Which we still do not know," said Howard."Not what happened to them nor where they are now.They were not killed here, anyway.Nor thrown in the river, for their bodies would have washed past Regalia.""They went deeper into the tunnels, then," said Luxa."Possibly," said Howard."But how is it that a colony of nibblers escaped the notice of the Fount scouts? They patrol these regions.""So, where could they have gone?" asked Gregor."I can think of only one alternative.The Swag," said Howard."What's that?" said Gregor."A tunnel that runs from these caves under the river," said Luxa."Do you know where the entrance lies, Howard?""I do.I had friends among the nibblers who showed me.I have crossed the Swag once.And I cannot help feeling we may find some answers there," said Howard."But I would not risk bringing further trouble to Gregor.""Forget that.I've exceeded my trouble limit," said Gregor."Do the Swag, don't do the Swag.I'm still getting sent home [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]