2

They stood in the kitchen and stared at the nibbler who just introduced himself as Leibniz with a gracious bow. Gregor looked around, suddenly worried that a whole heard a mice would stampede into the kitchen. It had happened before with rats, but it looked like it would not happen with mice.

"I come with a message from Queen Luxa of Regalia," Leibniz said formally. The cousins just stared back. "Her Highness has need of your assistance in Regalia, and requests that you return to the Underland at your soonest convenience." The nibbler looked quite happy with his delivery.

"Why?" Gregor asked.

"I am not at liberty to say."

"Is there a war?"

"Not currently, no."

Gregor looked at his cousin. "I'm going to talk with Gregor in private now," Wynnora said, and dragged him into her bed room. "You're thinking of going."

"Of course I am. Luxa asked for my help, I can't just say no." He did not want to admit that he really wanted to see her again too. She was the best friend he ever had, with the exception of Ares.

"Yes you can. You can't keep going down there, Gregor. It's not going to work."

"Why not?" He was getting angry now.

"Because you can never tell anyone about the Underland. What happens when you finally get a girlfriend, and you can't tell her about half your friends because they shouldn't even exist? It would be easier to just end it now." Gregor was about to snap back at her, but the pained look on Wynnora's face calmed him.

"Ok. You're right. But I'm not going to just keep in touch with old friends. I'm going to help people. It would be selfish not to." His cousin thought about this.

"I want you to think about it, and I want you to talk it over with your parents."

"I'm 18 now. I don't need their permission." He was actually pretty sure he did. Being alive for 18 years does not mean you can suddenly ignore your parents.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Wynnora said. "You need to talk it over. I'm going to buy us some more time." She left the room, and went back out to Leibniz.

"What is your answer, Overlanders?"

"We want to know what's in it for us," Wynnora said. Leibniz was so taken aback he almost fell off the counter. "Luxa isn't telling us much, so we want to know what we get in return, especially in regards to safety." Gregor smiled. She really did not care about what they got in return, she just did not want to give an answer yet.

The nibbler agreed to ask the queen, and Wynnora carried him back out to the cave so he would not have to walk. Gregor thought about how he would convince his family to let him go. He knew he had to, because already he was bubbling over with excitement to see the Underland again.