Gregor and the Hidden Prophecies
Chapter 7
"Gregor?"
He groaned, opening his eyes. Luxa was still sleeping on his shoulders, a now awake Boots sitting in her lap. "What Boots?"
"Go home? See Mommy?"
"No. Go back to sleep."
"No sleepy. I sleep all day!"
Luxa opened her eyes. "What if Gregor tells you a story?"
"Yes!"
"Luxa, I don't know any stories!"
"Make one up." She sat Boots in his lap before laying down on the ground.
Gregor groaned. "Why don't you tell her a story?"
"All my stories are boring." Luxa laid on her back, starting up into the darkness.
"Gregor tell story." Boots ordered.
"Alright, alright." Gregor sighed. "There was a-"
"Once 'pon time Gregor."
"Boots." Shaking his head, he continued. "Once upon a time there was a…dog and he…died."
"Gregor." Luxa warned.
"Hold on, it gets better." Gregor cleared his throat. "Anyways, the dog's ghost came back to-"
"Stop it." Luxa sat up. "Come here Boots."
"Boots crawled into Luxa's lap. "Gregor mean."
"Yeah." The future queen agreed.
"Where 'rora?"
Luxa closed her eyes. "She's here but she's with the gnawers."
"Why?"
"Hey Boots, are you hungry?" Gregor gave her some bread, just to distract her.
"Yes!" Boots happily ate it. Gregor broke off another piece and held it out to Luxa.
"You want some Lux?"
She raised an eyebrow. "What did you call me?"
"Luxa."
She shook her head, taking it. "No you didn't."
"Yeah, I did." Wait, did he…crap. "I called you Luxa."
"Sure Gregor."
"I did!" Gregor stuffed some bread in his mouth to shut up.
"So these…guns have replaced swords?"
"Long replaced swords."
"But why would you-"
The sound of a key in the lock stopped Gregor and Luxa's conversation. They both sat up, waiting.
"What?" They heard what they assumed to be a gnawer from the other side of the door. "God, this queen is more bitchy than the one in there!"
"Hey!" Luxa glared at the door while Gregor kept down a smile.
"Stupid spinners." The gnawer grumbled, walking away. The two teens sighed. After a second, Luxa sprang up.
"Gregor, he didn't lock the door back!"
Gregor went over to the door. There was no handle on their side. "Great."
"Move." Luxa pushed him out of her way. Her fingers barely fit in the crack between the door and the wall. She slowly inched the stone door open. "Get Boots."
"Come here." Gregor picked up his sister. "You've got to be quiet, alright?"
Boots nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "Okay."
"You and Boots get out." Luxa told him, walking down the hallway. "I must find Aurora."
"Luxa." Gregor ran to catch up with her. "We'll help you find her. Even if we did get out, what would we do without a flier?"
"You would wait for the others to get you. Now go."
"No."
"Fine." Luxa shook her head. "These caves are never ending."
"Yeah." Gregor mumbled as they walked through the darkness. "Any idea where they took her?"
"No."
"I guess we'll just have to- Do you hear that?"
Luxa looked at him. "Yeah. It sounds like…fighting."
"They're here." Gregor took off running, towards the sounds of the fight.
"Overlander!" Emmett yelled as he ran into the room. The man pulled his sword from a gnawer's carcass. "You're late. You missed all the fun."
"I've had enough fun for the day." Gregor went over to him. Luxa narrowed her eyes at Emmett.
"Are you the only one here?"
"No. I was on my way here with Heb and ran into Isaac. He and Heb went another way to look for you."
"Isaac?" Luxa shook her head. "Aurora is hurt. I do not know where they have her."
Emmett shook his head. "Should I really be shocked, Eros?"
With a laugh, the flier Emmett was talking to said, "It is Queen Luxa."
Gregor saw Luxa's eyes flair a little but she said nothing. "I have to find my bond. You can continue if you want but I find her more important than your stupidity."
Emmett looked at Gregor but he just looked away. "Alright."
Luxa walked passed him, continuing through the cave. Gregor followed her.
"Why rat on ground?" Boots asked her older brother.
"He's asleep." Gregor told her.
"Him not dead?"
Gregor sighed. "Yeah, Boots, he's dead."
"You lie!"
"Boots, be quiet, okay?" Luxa looked over at them. "We're trying to find Aurora and then we'll leave. Just be quiet a little bit longer."
Boots huffed but did what was asked of her. Emmett ran to catch up to them.
"Queen Luxa-"
"Silence. You are the only one with a weapon so we are clearly not adept to fight."
Emmett followed behind the silently, his bond flying above. It was about ten minutes later when they came on Isaac, Heb, and two bats.
"Luxa!" Isaac ran to her, hugging her. Luxa pushed him away. "I thought that you were dead!"
"What are you talking about Isaac?"
"Nerissa said a month ago that someone important to her would die but she wouldn't tell me who. That's why I came to find you guys. Mareth thought that you just got sidetracked but I knew better."
Gregor rolled his eyes. "Have you seen Aurora?"
"Aurora!" Isaac shook his head. "She must have been the one to-"
"Isaac." Gregor cut him off, noticing Luxa's face change. "We should hurry and find her."
Luxa shook her head, walking on, the others behind her. "Heb, did you come from the right or left?"
"Then left."
Luxa took a right at the turn as Boots got restless. "Gregor."
"Boots, just a little longer."
"I want Mama."
When they came to another door, Luxa ran to it. "Aurora? Are you in there?"
There was a very hushed yes from the other side of the door. Luxa looked at Emmett but before she could say anything, gnawers showed up.
"Told you I smelled the warrior." The female gnawer looked at the brown male. "I think that I'm getting tired of them getting out. What if we injure them so that they can't escape?"
Emmett went at them, trying to stab one of them while Heb took on another. The brown one knocked Heb in the head, cutting it open. Isaac had drawn his sword but was frozen, as if in fear. Gregor, after giving Boots to Luxa, took the sword from him, going at the one that was about to Heb. He killed it and then helped Emmett kill the other.
"Heb, are you alright?" Emmett turned to look at him.
He just groaned. "How bad is it?"
"One of has a key around their neck." Gregor cut the rope from the overgrown rodents neck. He went to the door and opened it. Luxa rushed in.
"Aurora, are you alright?"
"I am fine." The flier opened her wings a little.
"We have to get out of here." Emmett looked at Gregor. "Help me lift Heb onto Eros."
Gregor helped him and then Emmett got on while Luxa got onto Aurora.
"Are you alright to fly?"
"Yes Luxa."
Boots, who was in Luxa's lap, looked at Heb. "Him dead?"
"No. He is just hurt." Luxa smiled down at Boots.
"Overlander, ride Hera." Emmett told him, settling Heb on Eros.
Gregor nodded, getting onto the flier. Isaac got onto his and they were off. It seemed that Emmett had already knew where to go and where the gnawers were because he led them straight out, no problems.
"So you're Heb's bond?" Gregor asked Hera after they had been out of the cave for awhile.
"Yes." She purred out. "I knew your bond, Ares."
"Really? He never mentioned you."
"I was his mother."
Gregor mentally bit his tongue. "Oh."
He didn't speak the rest of the flight back. Once they landed, Mareth was in their faces.
"Luxa!" He looked at her. "I told you not to-"
"Silence, Mareth. I must get Aurora's wing checked on and Heb has a head injury."
Mareth allowed Luxa to go with her bond over to where the medics were. Gregor got off Hera, allowing the bat to fly away, headed off to the medic tent. Mareth looked at Gregor.
"You knew that I told her not to go and yet you allowed her to go and, not only went with her, you took the younger children too." Mareth looked hard at Gregor.
Gregor shrugged, uncomfortable with the situation. "We just thought that they got lost. We didn't think-"
"That's right, you didn't think." Mareth shook his head. "Go. I have other things to deal with."
Gregor walked off, in search of his sister and Hazard. When he found them, they were witting under a tree with Nerissa.
"Hey Gregor." Lizzie got up and hugged him. "Where's Boots?"
"With Luxa." He hugged her back. "Hey Hazard."
"Hi." The boy looked back at his cousin. "So he's dead?"
"Yes Hazard."
"Didn't you know that he was going to do that? Can't you see the future?"
"I do not choose what I see."
"Was he older than you?"
"Yes."
"Why doesn't Luxa ever talk about him?"
"Because she was very close to him and misses him."
"Don't you miss him?"
"Yes but you miss your father and you still speak of him." Nerissa looked at Gregor. "Gregor knew Henry too, for a short time."
"Really? Did you like him?"
Gregor stared at Nerissa. "Henry was…different."
"Why are you talking about him?"
Gregor turned and saw Luxa walking over to them, Boots in her arms. Nerissa smiled at her cousin. "Hazard said that he heard someone mention him and wanted to know about him."
Luxa looked away before setting Boots on the ground. Gregor decided to change the subject. "How's your wing, Aurora?"
"It is fine. Nothing a little rest won't heal."
Boots went over to her brother. "Home?"
Gregor sighed. "Not yet. Soon."
Hazard looked at Luxa. "Now what are we going to do?"
"I have things to do. You will have to entertain yourself."
Hazard didn't look thrilled but he just stood up. "Come on Lizzie; let's go 'entertain ourselves'."
Lizzie followed him, taking Boots with her. Luxa rolled her eyes before walking off with her bond. Gregor smiled at Nerissa before following her.
"So what do you have to do?" Gregor asked, catching up.
"I have battle plans to approve or disapprove and we now also have to figure out what we are going to do now that the spinners have chosen the gnawers side." Luxa looked at him. "I'm sure that you could find something to do unless you want to stand there and do nothing. It is your choice."
"Right. I am sure that I will find something to do."
"And you took him on all by yourself?"
"Well no. I had my bond, Ares with-"
"And you killed him?" Another girl asked.
"Yeah. But Ares-"
"And then you save the queen from the jungle, right?" Yet another looked at him with wonder.
"I didn't really save her-"
"And you found the cure for the plague right?"
"Yeah, well I help. I mean others were-"
"And then you killed King Gorger right?"
"Again I was there but I didn't do it alone-"
"Wow, you're like so brave." One girl fawned.
"Yeah." The others agreed.
"Are all the guys in the overland like you?"
Gregor blushed, scratching the back of his head. "I guess…"
"You're so amazing." Another smiled at him.
"Thanks?" Though he was enjoying the attention, part of him felt uncomfortable.
"Why do you spend all your time with Luxa?" One ventured to ask what all the others wanted to ask. "She so…cold."
"No. She's just-"
"The way she's constantly bringing everyone else down. She's so full of herself."
"Well yeah but she's-"
"She thinks that just because she's queen that she's better than all of us." One commented and the others nodded in agreement. "You're probably her only human friend."
"Really?"
"Yeah." One girl rolled her eyes. "But forget her. Tell us more about you and your adventures."
"I really don't know what to-"
"What about when you were in the Firelands?" Another offered. "Weren't you sad when all of those nibblers died?"
"Yeah, it was-"
"Did you cry?"
"I-"
"I bet you did. You're so sensitive like that."
"Yeah." Another agreed.
"No, I'm n-"
"I love your hair." One reached out to touch it.
"Thanks."
"It's so soft." Another agreed, also touching it.
"Uh-"
"Gregor." Luxa walked up. The group of girls narrowed their eyes at her.
"Hello Luxa." One smiled at her.
"Hello Suzy." Luxa looked at her briefly, glaring right back, before looking at Gregor. "Your sisters are looking for you."
Gregor breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright. Bye…girls."
"Bye Gregor!" They all called out as he walked away with Luxa.
Once they were out of earshot of the group, Luxa spoke. "I see that you've made friends."
"Yeah, sort of."
Gregor honestly hadn't meant to attract the attention he had. One girl approached him and started asking him and soon enough, at least twenty girls were surrounding him, all wanting to know stuff. He had to admit, it was a nice change from how girl treated him in the overland. However, he wished he knew that he would spend two hours answering things. He figured that they would get bored with him after a few minutes but that, unfortunately, was not the case.
"So did you finish what you had to do?" He asked after a second.
"Yes, for now." She sighed. "Hazard and your sisters have something to show us."
"What?"
"I do not know. They came to me and told me to find you. Sorry for interrupting you and…them."
"Luxa."
"What?" Luxa looked at him. "If you want to talk to-"
Gregor grabbed her hand, shutting her up. They held hands the whole way until they found Hazard and the girls.
"Hi Gregor!" Boots smiled at him.
"Hey." He smiled back at her. "What did you guys want to show us?"
"Hazard's physic…or so he says." Lizzie told her brother.
"I am!"
"Hazard, I have important things to do-"
"Like what? Hold Gregor's hand?" Hazard glared at her. "Now, if you would kindly be quiet and let me do my work…"
Luxa rolled her eyes. "Go ahead."
Hazard looked at Gregor. "I'm going to read your mind Gregor. Please sit in front of me."
The ex-warrior looked and Luxa. She shrugged. Gregor let for of her hand and sat down. Hazard stood in front of him and put his hand on his head, closing his eyes.
"Okay, think of a color."
"…Okay."
"Is it blue?"
"Nope red."
Luxa giggled. "Hazard I-"
"Wait!" Hazard opened his eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Gregor smiled. "Hazard-"
"Hold on." He closed his eyes again. "This of a color again."
"…Got it."
Hazard took a deep breath. "Is it…yellow?"
"No orange."
"Hazard, not that this isn't interesting but I am sure that we could all find better use of our time."
"It worked with Boots!" Hazard insisted.
"Was the color purple?" Gregor asked standing.
"…Yes."
"That's her favorite color. If it's not that, it's green. Huh Boots?"
"Yes!" She jumped. "Go see Temp?"
"Not right now." Gregor looked at Lizzie. "Why didn't you tell him that?"
"Because I thought it would be funny to embarrass him."
"Lizzie, that's not nice."
"But he called me stupid!"
"Hazard!" Luxa looked at him. "Did you?"
"…Maybe."
"Why are you two so mean to each other?" Gregor shook his head.
Luxa sighed. "Hazard, say that you are sorry."
"Sorry Lizzie." He mumbled under his breath.
"Lizzie, tell him sorry too." Gregor looked at his sister.
"For what?"
"Uh…for whatever you did to make him call you stupid."
"Sorry." Lizzie glared at her brother. "I thought that you guys had something better to do?"
"We do." Luxa walked off, Gregor following. After a minute, she asked, "Aren't you going to go find your friends?"
Gregor sighed. "Luxa let it go."
"There is nothing to let go."
"Come on, just admit you're jealous so we can move on."
"Jealous?" Luxa looked at him. "I am far from…jealous."
"Whatever Luxa."
"I'm not!" The queen seemed insulted. "I do not get jealous. And if I ever did, it would not be over some stupid overlander."
"Did you not just yell at Hazard for calling Lizzie stupid?"
"Well she's not. You are though, so it makes it okay."
Gregor shook his head. "You are so…annoying."
"Annoying?"
"Yeah, annoying."
Luxa crossed her arms. "Fine. If I annoy you so much, why don't you go do something else?"
Gregor shrugged. "It's either you or those girls."
"Then go find them."
Why does she have to make everything so difficult? "I don't want to, Luxa. I would rather be with you."
"…Oh."
Yeah, oh. "Anyways, now what do you want to do?"
Luxa shrugged, still slightly embarrassed for feeling the way she had. "We should probably get you another sword and I need two more daggers."
Gregor nodded. "Have the diggers bothered you since the gnawers attacked you?"
"No. We have not seen them since we gave them some of our land. I would assume that the gnawers have left them alone too." Looking at him, Luxa asked, "Boots really wants to leave. Are you sure that you shouldn't take her back? The crawlers have sided with us, regardless of whether she is head or not."
"If I go back now, my mom won't let me come back." Gregor looked at her. "I met Hera."
"Yes, I know."
"Well…Ares never mentioned her and-"
"She and Ares did not get along."
"Why?"
"I do not know for sure. Hera is very…different. Many fliers do not have strong ties with their families though, Gregor." She shrugged. "But many people and fliers did not like Ares. I would not put to much thought into it."
"Right, okay." He agreed, still wondering. "Are you going to ask Nerissa about what Isaac said? About someone close to you dying?"
Luxa sighed. "Nerissa…sees a lot of things. Some have already happened. I have had many people in my past that have died that I have cared about."
"Oh." He smiled at her. "I'm guessing that Isaac is not part of the army?"
"What makes you say- Oh, you mean when he didn't fight?"
"Yeah."
Luxa smirked. "I have never seen him fight but then again, he wouldn't be good with a sword. That is not his weapon of choice."
"What is then?"
"Water."
They both laughed.
