Hey, everyone! Okay. This chapter is... Well, I'll let you judge what it is. I don't own TUC. Read on. I'm sorry.

Chapter 14

The four teens crept swiftly through the halls of the palace, with Rylan leading the way. If he knew his aunt's habits as well as he thought he did, then she would be in the throne room. He decided to enter on the balcony, a favorite haunt of his. Many an hour he had spent on that balcony, hidden in the curtains, listening in on whatever happened to be transpiring in the room below.

Up the winding stairs, they were almost there. Rylan glanced back at Judith. Her expression was one he had never seen on her before. It was as if she were preparing for a worrisome fight, one that she was not entirely sure that she could win.

They reached the top of the stairs. Taking care not to disturb the curtain too much, Rylan slipped onto the balcony overlooking the throne room. The other three followed. Getting down on all fours, Rylan crawled forward to the edge of the balcony and peered over. The others copied his example.

"Stellovet," Judith breathed.

And indeed, there was the Queen. She stood in the center of the room, along with a light gray gnawer of medium size. There were no guards that Rylan could see, but he knew that that did not mean a whole lot. There could be a whole army just outside for all he knew.

Just then, someone wiggled up next to his elbow, between him and Judith.

"Hi," whispered Hero. "Nice of you to show up."

"Hero!" Judith whisper-shrieked. "There you are! Did you have any idea how worried I was? Where's Truce?"

Hero looked slightly ashamed. "I'm sorry, Judy. I didn't mean to scare you, but Truce said—"

"Never mind. At least you're safe. Let's just get out of here. Where's Truce?"

Before Hero could answer, Rylan spotted something out of the corner of his eye. One of the draperies that hung about the room was moving slightly, as if someone was hiding behind it. "Judith," he warned in a low voice.

"Not now, Rylan. Hero! Tell me!"

Hero bit her lip. "Judy, you've kinda stumbled into the middle of our plan."

Rylan saw the drape move again, and this time, a head poked out from behind it, slowly followed by the rest of the person. "Judith!"

"What do you mean 'your plan'? Hero, tell me where your brother is!"

"Judith!" Kent had also noticed what was happening below. "Look!"

Judith looked.

Rylan looked. What he saw sent a chill down his spine. Truce was trying to sneak up behind the queen, a dagger at the ready.

Judith made a strangled sound in the back of her throat.

"No," whispered Lyson. "It will not work!"

Closer crept Truce.

Rylan gripped the edge of the balcony, his knuckles turning white.

Truce was almost there.

"Hey!" shouted the gnawer. "Who are you?!"

Truce lunged forward just as the queen turned to face him.

Judith stifled a scream.

The blade fell short and Truce overbalanced, falling to the floor. His dagger clattered out of his hand and the gnawer batted it away, sending it skittering across the stone floor. Stellovet stepped forward.

"Ah, who do we have here? An assassin?" Quick as a snake, Stellovet darted forward, grabbing Truce by the front of his shirt and yanking him to his feet. With her other hand she took hold of his hair, wrenching back his head so as to reveal his face.

Truce stared back at her, fear in his eyes.

Beside Rylan, Hero was becoming frantic. "This wasn't the plan!" she whispered, terrified for her brother's sake.

Below, Stellovet had frozen, looking at Truce's features. "Who-who are you?" Her tone was part disbelief, part anger, and part…was that fear?

Truce's chin jutted out in defiance. "Truce. Age ten. Junior patrol member 41."

"Who are your parents, Truce?"

Truce looked around, searching for an exit. Finding none, he slumped in defeat.

"Do not tell her," Rylan muttered, urging Truce to remain silent.

Alas, Truce did not heed the mental warning. "Their names are Gregor and Luxa."

Stellovet's eyes widened. She released her hold on Truce, and he fell to his knees. "Luxa," she said bitterly. "I should have known."

Beside her, Truce was struggling to his feet.

Rylan saw Stellovet's expression turn to one of delight. "And now, I have her filthy offspring here! Under my power." With that, she turned again. Her sword flashed once.

Truce didn't have time to react. The gash across his chest began to turn the shirt around it red. He looked down, seeming not to process what he saw.

"That is for Luxa," Stellovet hissed. Her sword flashed again, this time in the other direction, creating an 'X' across Truce's chest.

"And that," Stellovet said smugly. "Is for the Warrior." She turned away.

Rylan was petrified with horror as he watched Truce sink to the floor, his shirt stained red with blood.

Hero suddenly seemed to regain use of her limbs. She jumped to her feet, not caring if the queen saw her now. "You coward!"

Judith was sobbing violently. Kent looked as if he wanted to comfort her, but he too was crying.

Stellovet had looked up at Hero's call. "More intruders?" she sounded amused, but then saw that all three of her nephews were also there. "Rylan? Kent? Lyson? Wha-what are you doing here?"

"Echo!" snapped Hero. Through the flier hole in the ceiling came Hero's bond. Hero jumped on as she flew past, coming to rest on the ground below. Hero hopped off, running to her fallen brother. "Oh, Truce," she sobbed.

Stellovet glanced at Hero distastefully and then up at her nephews. "I shall deal with you three later," she said. "Right now I have more important matters to attend to."

"Like what?" Lyson seemed to swell with fury. "Killing more ten year olds?"

Judith got shakily to her feet. "The game is up, Stellovet. Even now, the city is being attacked. Surrender."

Stellovet looked annoyed. "Another? How many children does my accursed cousin have?"

Judith looked confused. "Cousin?"

Stellovet rolled her eyes. "Oh dear, she is a slow one. Yes girl, my cousin. Luxa. The former queen."

All of a sudden, many things fell into place in Rylan's mind. "They did not tell you!" he gasped.

"What?" Judith looked pitifully at him. "Tell me what?"

"Oh, this is too good!" exclaimed Stellovet with glee. "Girl, your mother is the rightful queen. Your father is the Warrior of the prophecies. And you, as their child, are a princess and in line for the throne."

Judith's mouth fell open but no sound came out.

"Enough, Stellovet!" Rylan said angrily.

She turned her gaze to him, arching an eyebrow. "Well, well. My spy. Thrown your lot in with the rebels, have you? Shame."

His response was a long, high-pitched whistle. Artemis swept in through the roof and hovered next to the balcony. The four teens quickly climbed on and Artemis deposited them on the floor. Judith immediately ran toward her siblings and Kent followed, pulling out his emergency medical kit as he went. Rylan and Lyson faced Stellovet, swords drawn.

The gnawer, who had remained silent up until now, stepped forward. "Permission to finish them off, Your Majesty?"

Stellovet looked at them with a calculating stare. "Yes Gushgore, I believe so. Treacherous nephews are not good for a kingdom."

The gnawer lunged, but Lyson was too quick for him. The fight was brief, and the gnawer soon lay on the floor, a sword through his heart.

Confusion crossed Stellovet's face as Hero arose from her position next to her twin and began walking towards the Queen, drawing her sword as she went.

"Stellovet, I don't care if you're related to me. You have caused my family so much suffering. Today, I end your reign of terror." With that, she leaped into action, fighting as one possessed.

Stellovet could barely keep up with the onslaught, playing entirely defense.

Out of the corner of his eye, Rylan noticed Judith stagger to her feet, covered in her brother's blood. She picked her way around the outskirts of the room until she was behind Stellovet, and then drew her sword.

Hero continued to push Stellovet farther back, forcing her to retreat, step by step.

So that is what a Rager is like, Rylan thought, awed by the fighting abilities that this ten year old possessed.

The Queen was getting dangerously close to Judith now, but she still just stood there, sword in hand.

With a terrific clang, Hero locked swords with the Queen, holding her at a standstill.

The Queen looked over Hero's shoulder, towards Rylan. "Help me, boys!"

Rylan looked at Lyson. Lyson looked at him. A silent agreement was made. Rylan stepped forward.

"Aunty Stell, you are a liar and a murderer. Once I may have helped you, but not now. Not after…well, everything. Goodbye, aunty."

That was Judith's cue. Striding forward, she pierced Stellovet in the back, and then withdrew her sword.

Stellovet's sword fell to the ground with a crash. She started to fall forward, but Hero caught her, lowering her to the floor face-up. Looking right into the Queen's eyes, she choked out:

"My name is Hero. I was named after my mom's cousin, who you had killed. Today, I avenge her." She paused, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "My-my twin brother's name is Truce. I now avenge him as well. Go now, Stellovet. Go to whatever awaits such evil as you in the beyond." With that she stabbed the Queen.

Stellovet made a strangled sound as she gazed up into Hero's eyes. "I…" she started but trailed off, and whatever spark of life she had went out. The Queen was dead.

Judith was in turmoil. She looked at the Queen, lying dead on the floor in a pool of her own blood. She looked at her brother, now grown cold. Without a sound, she sunk to the ground, curling into a ball. A moment later, she heard footsteps approaching.

"Judith?" Rylan's voice was hesitant.

"G-go away," she choked out, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Judith. We have won. The queen is dead. The attack needs to be stopped."

Judith sat up. "Go stop it then."

Rylan shook his head. "They will not listen to me. I was Stellovet's heir. But you…"

Judith hardened herself. Rylan was right. She was the one who had to go. She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "All right."

"Take Apollo," Kent jumped in.

"Apollo?" Judith looked around and saw that Apollo, as well as Lyson's bond had arrived.

"Please, Princess. We must hurry." Apollo's tone was urgent.

Judith frowned. Princess? Then she remembered. Princess. That was her. "Fine. Let's go." She took Rylan's outstretched hand, and he helped her up. They walked over to Apollo, and he gave her a boost up. She could have done it herself, but right now she was taking all the help she could get.

"Be safe."

Judith looked down, surprised. "What do you care?"

Rylan shrugged, but his face was turning red.

Judith would have liked to say more, but in a flurry of wings, Apollo took off. He circled the room once, and then shot through the hole in the ceiling, into the outside world.

Once outside, Apollo hovered. "Where do we go, Princess?"

Judith thought for a moment. "The east wall."

They flew over the city so fast that Judith's hair blew out of its braid. Soon they could hear the sounds of the battle. "Get above them," Judith instructed. "I'll try to spot my parents."

Apollo did as she asked. Judith leaned over his side and started clicking, looking for a sign of her parents in the chaos below. It didn't take long. "There."

Apollo dived, dropping her right by where her father was fighting, spinning in a classic Rager attack. Judith drew her own sword. "Dad!"

Gregor slowed, but did not stop.

Judith jumped forward, bracing herself. She held up her sword, placed her feet, and met her Dad's blow as he came around. CLANG! Judith's sword was wrenched from her grip and went spinning off into the darkness, but at least she had her Dad's attention.

"Judith?" his expression was one of befuddlement as he took in her unruly hair, her bloodstained clothes, her tear-streaked face, and her presence on the battlefield. "What—"

"No time!" she yelled. "You have to call off the attack. Stellovet is dead!"

The confusion turned to amazement. "Really? Are you sure?"

Judith nodded.

Looking upward, Gregor called, "Achilles!" The flier swooped down and picked him up, carrying him over the battle.

A minute later, the call reached Judith. "Cease and desist! Stellovet is dead!" As the message spread, the battle ground to a halt.

Judith looked around. Good. They had stopped fighting. All of a sudden, it all became too much for her. "We've won." She thought. And then, she knew no more.

Heartbroken? Me too. Well, there's only one more chapter and an epilogue after this. I did once think of doing a one-shot from Boot's POV for this series, but I'll leave that up to you guys. Just say yes or no in the comments.

Oh, and one other thing. I'm thinking of changing my pen name to Katniss Daywalker and I'd like your opinion. I've set up a poll on my profile. If you could pretty please vote, that'd be great.

Thank you so much for reading. I will be doing a shoutout at the very end to everyone who reviewed more than once, so this is one of your last chances to make it in. Queen out.