14
"Where is the other Overlander," Stellovet asked the soldiers.
"She was not in her quarters," a soldier answered. What was going on? "We have soldiers searching for her while the palace is being secured."
"It matters not. She is neither useful nor a threat. What of Nerissa?"
"She has also not been found. We are also searching for her as well." Gregor looked around. Howard's siblings were standing about 30 feet to their right, and Chim was crying. Gregor saw Nike and Aurora were restrained to their left. Janor, Roth, and Rodrith were working with the soldiers. Humans, gnawers, fliers, and spinners all bustled about the hall. Luxa finally had enough of being ignored.
"Explain yourself, Stellovet!" she yelled. Her voice sounded slightly hoarse, so Gregor guessed she had been here longer than he had, yelling the whole time. Stellovet looked amused, and smiled sweetly.
"Oh, cousin," she said in the most condescending tone as she removed Luxa's crown. "This is a coup. I am going to kill you, then take over as ruler of the humans." Luxa glared at her in anger, and Gregor was glad to see she didn't fight against her restraints. He didn't want her too look weak or foolish.
"Why?" Howard asked weakly.
"Why? Well, because Regalia is currently lead by a silly girl," Stellovet explained, as if annoyed to have to explain the most obvious thing in the world. "You see. No one, not human or gnawer or flier, is happy living together peacefully like we are all friends, so we have formed a temporary alliance to overthrow those currently in power." Gregor didn't understand that logic, but if he knew anything about Stellovet, it was that she liked to gloat.
"That makes no sense," Gregor cut in. "Then again, such a ridiculous plan is probably all you're capable of." Stellovet turned and glared at him.
"It makes perfect sense, Overlander. Once we seize power, we will return to living separately. Or go to war. Whatever suits us. So long as we do have to live among scum." A nearby gnawer snarled at her. It was a little creepy how sweet she sounded. "Also, I have been planning a coup for some time, so trust me when I say I am fully capable of taking Regalia."
"Oh, if you plan to kill us, then just do it," Luxa groaned. "I do not wish to hear you gloat in your victory." Gregor was pretty sure Luxa was trying to get her to talk too.
"Dearest cousin, you must learn patience. If I could kill you now, I would have done so already. Unfortunately, you must have a public execution, and we cannot do that until the palace is secured." Then she added, "And you will hear me gloat in my victory, because I want you to know just how very stupid and weak you really are."
"That coming from a girl who uses traitors to do her dirty work?" Gregor scoffed. Stellovet continued without acknowledging him.
"You see, I was planning to murder you, then frame my brother here. It would eliminate two people keeping me from the throne. However, when I heard you wanted to go on an expedition, I saw my chance. I had your council members approve of the mission, and I had the gnawers and fliers provide assassins."
Several gnawers pulled Achilles's dead body into view, and a large gnawer tossed Whiptail's dead form in front of him.
"This one," the large gnawer said referring to Whiptail, "was supposed to make an 'accident' for the queen. But she failed, so we'll have her family killed. And the flier. Well he actually wanted to help, but he failed as well. We had to kill him too."
"It was no accident you were thrown from the boats twice, cousin," Stellovet continued. "And just in case the expedition continued after the first attempt, I hired buzzers to ambush my brother and eliminate him." Gregor couldn't believe what he was hearing. Stellovet tried to kill her own brother. He didn't want to hear her talk anymore.
"No!" Chim cried. "Where is mother and father?!"
"In the dungeon," Stellovet said plainly. "I know they will not follow me, so they will be publically executed in the Fount. You are my family, so I will allow you to live if you fight with me." Stellovet turned her attention to one of the gnawers present. The gnawer demanded he have Ripred and Lapblood, and Stellovet promised to hand them over as soon as they were captured. Gregor was disgusted by how she casually handled killing those who were supposed to be close to her.
"You would kill me?" Howard asked in disbelief. It caught his sister's attention. "You are my sister, Stellovet. How could you believe I would choose Luxa over you?" Luxa looked at her cousin, and fear showed in her eyes. Gregor knew she was thinking of Henry's betrayal. He felt the pang of betrayal in his own heart. He would never expect this from Howard.
"Howard, don't do this," Gregor said under his breath.
"You would support the coup as well as my seizing power?" Stellovet asked, ignoring Gregor.
"Of course, sister," Howard stood up tentatively with Stellovet's approval. "Do you truly believe I enjoy treating rats in the hospital? That I wish to fight alongside crawlers? Bugs. I never truly wanted to share the new land, I just did not know there was an alternative." Gregor's head spun.
"You cannot have power," Stellovet said. "The throne would be mine."
"You will never have the throne!" Luxa yelled. "You are a vile human being, and no true Regalian would ever support you!" Stellovet slapped Luxa across the face, then pulled her up and held a dagger to her throat. Gregor tried to leap for her, but the soldier behind him used his sword to strike between Gregor's shoulder blades, forcing him back to the floor. He groaned as the pain shot down his spine.
"Let go of her!" Gregor yelled. "Help her, Howard!" They ignored him.
"You will address me with respect now, Luxa," Stellovet hissed in the queen's ear. "I am queen now."
"Stellovet," Howard said.
"Traitor!" Luxa screamed at him. "You are all traitors!" Stellovet pressed the dagger to her throat, and blood started to flow. Gregor could think of no way to get to her, and it physically pained him to watch her in such danger. Howard ignored her.
"Sister, I am so proud of you. You have swayed even Regalian soldiers to your side. Though mother and father will surely not support you, know that we will," he said gesturing to his siblings. Chim cried and shook her head as Hero and Kent hugged her protectively. Stellovet loosened her grip on Luxa, and the queen tried to pull herself to the ground, dropping lower in Stellovet's grasp.
"Will you truly stay with me, brother?" Stellovet asked.
"Of course. You are my sister, and I will always love you." The words seemed to catch in his throat, and tears shined in his eyes. He meant it, that was plain to Gregor. Howard loved his sister as much as Gregor loved his. Howard placed his now freed, shaking hand up to his heart. No his shoulder. Gregor thought it was an odd gesture, when suddenly an arrow pierced Stellovet's left shoulder, right where Luxa's head had been a moment ago.
Wynn had no idea what was happening. She just knew Nerissa was in danger. They ran through the corridors of the palace, avoiding any soldiers they saw. They had just barely escaped the first ones that attacked Nerissa, and now Wynn dragged the stunned woman through the palace by the hand.
As they made their way closer to the servants' areas, the corridors became more crowded and chaotic. It was almost like a battle, with humans, gnawers, and spinners snatching up Underlanders and whisking them away. Wynn was totally confused by it all, but she knew if there was an attack on the palace, then the royal family would be in danger. As she ran and shoved through the hallways, she grabbed a dagger from a fallen Underlander. It was better than nothing.
Nerissa was barely able to keep up, but Wynn dragged her on. She went wherever there were less people, and eventually came to an empty staircase that was so dusty she assumed no one had used it in years. Wynn tightened her grip on Nerissa, who was now muttering to herself, and ran down the staircase. She came to an abrupt stop when she came face to face with Regalian soldiers.
Normally this would have relieved her, but Regalians appeared to be in on the attack. She lifted her dagger, feeling foolish because she didn't know how to use it, and positioned herself in front of Nerissa.
"Drop that knife, Wynnie," came an irritable voice. Wynn almost collapsed with relief as Ripred pushed through the humans, Mareth close behind. "You'll put someone's eyes out if you're not careful."
"Enough, Ripred," Mareth ordered. "We have lost our archers, Overlander. We have need of you in our plan." Wynn nodded dumbly as the soldiers began pushing her and Nerissa back up the stairs. Upon leaving the staircase, they ran right into a group of traitors, and a bloody fight broke out. Mareth grabbed Wynn roughly by the arm and forced her to the wall. She watched as a soldier was tackled by a gnawer, which tore into the man's shoulder. Another had lost his eye, and crouched, screaming on the floor.
"Wynnie, you had better start paying attention," Ripred ordered. Wynn forced herself to look at the gnawer and Mareth despite the carnage right next to her, but she was unable to keep from shaking. She kept her arm around Nerissa, who huddled close to her. Mareth quickly laid out the plan again, and Wynn nodded her understanding. He shouted and order, and the group was moving again.
They pushed through the corridors, each time leaving soldiers behind to hold back the enemy while the rest raced on. Finally they came to a window. Mareth order his soldiers to continue on in one direction while he lifted Nerissa to sit on the sill. He did the same to Wynn.
"Jump, and Andromeda will take you to your position. Do just as I told you," he ordered.
"What?" Wynn asked in disbelief. "I can't jump!" Ripred groaned.
"We don't have time for this." He whipped his tail sending the two young women out of the window. Wynn screamed and landed hard on a flier. She quickly hugged Nerissa close to her, because she wasn't sure if she could hold on herself. Without a word, Andromeda flew them to the top of High Hall here Wynn crouch on top of the thick wall where the ceiling should have been.
"The bow and arrows are on my back," Andromeda whispered. Wynn took them, willing her hands to stop shaking. She gazed down to see Luxa, Gregor, and Howard held prisoner. Her heart sank when she saw Nike tied up next to Aurora.
She pulled back an arrow to fire at Stellovet, but the girl grabbed Luxa. Stellovet's back was to Wynn and they were so far away, she couldn't tell if she would accidently hit Luxa. She relaxed her bow and waited. Then she saw Howard stand, and Luxa screamed at him. Wynn wasn't sure, but she thought his eyes flicked toward her. He must have. He reached up and touched his shoulder in such an awkward gesture she knew it had to be a signal. Wynn pulled back her string and loosed her arrow.
Things happened quickly. Mareth and Ripred burst into the High Hall with group of soldiers.
"The traitors wear the uniform!" Mareth called, then they attacked.
Howard reached out and pulled Luxa from his sister's grasp while she was weakened from pain, and pushed her away. Someone threw him a sword, and he attack Stellovet. Gregor was so distracted by this that he hadn't realized the soldier behind him had raised his sword and was about to cut off his head. Luxa rolled to him, and kicked the soldier in the face.
"Get up and fight, Gregor," she ordered while a loyal soldier quickly cut her hands free. The woman did the same for Gregor, then rushed back into the fight.
"Yes, Your Highness." He took the soldier's sword and leapt into the fighting. This was the most difficult fight he had ever been in. He had to battle gnawers, fliers, spinners, and humans all at once, which made his rager senses slightly disorienting as they adjusted between the species. Gregor decided to stay close to Luxa since they made a good team. He felt he could protect her, but he also felt safer near her. He let his rager senses take over and fought on.
He was locked in a fight with a human soldier immediately. He quickly disarmed the man, then cut his upper thigh, disabling him. Then Gregor was knocked a few feet to his left by a tail. He rolled back up, ignoring the sharp pain in his side, and attacked the gnawer, cutting off its tail then slicing across its eye. Gregor quickly spun around to clear the area for a moment. As he fought on, he switched between gnawer and human, and occasionally defended himself from a flier's swooping attack.
For a brief moment Gregor caught sight of Howard fighting Stellovet. He knocked his sister to the ground, and was about to stab her when he stopped. His hesitation allowed Stellovet a chance to lash out with her dagger, cutting Howard along his cheek. Then a flier swooped down on Gregor, cutting his arm badly, and he was forced into battle again. He slashed the flier's shoulder on the next swoop causing it to crash to the ground, then moved onto fighting another soldier.
Gregor began hearing calls for retreat, but he had no idea who was supposed to retreat. It was a human voice, but there were humans on both sides. Soon, though, he realized the traitors were backing away to make their escape. Gregor calmed himself, and allowed himself to breath while he watched the traitors retreat and the Regalians pursue them.
He looked around the room at the dead bodies. It was horrifying, and Gregor felt his knees grown weak as a wave of dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, and he realized it was because he was whipping his head around too quickly to scan High Hall. Blood filled the hall, and bodies of humans, gnawers, spinners and fliers all piled together, and he barely kept himself from throwing up right there.
"Howard stop!" Wynn was trying to make him stop fighting by grabbing at his arms. He was in a rage, still lashing out at the traitors, bodies around him, blood pouring down his face where his sister had cut him. Gregor had no idea he could ever look so violent. "Nerissa, please. You have to calm down." The woman was hanging on Gregor's cousin and whispering things to her. Wynn looked overwhelmed trying to calm the two Underlanders.
"The palace is secured by our forces," Mareth informed Luxa, who still stood a few feet from Gregor. "We fought our way up from the dungeons, thanks to Ripred's initial attack, and we have secured each floor along the way."
"And what of the citizens?"
"The battle has moved to the city. The traitors are still attempting to evacuate those sympathetic to their cause, and kidnap others. I have teams throughout the city attempting to prevent this and make arrests. We fear they may already have taken those they feel are most valuable to them." Luxa nodded.
"Go with them to better direct the forces. Avoid killing any traitors. You may take them to the dungeon, but I will not have death further divide the city. Act with mercy wherever possible." Despite everything going on, Gregor felt… well he wasn't sure what. He knew he thought Luxa was amazing, and was incredibly proud of her in that moment. He wished he could tell her that.
"Brother!" Chim screamed. "Help her! Hero, please!" His sister's voice seemed to snap Howard back to reality. He ran to where his brother and sister sat crying over Hero's body. "You have to save her," Chim insisted. Gregor knew there was no saving the girl. Hero's entrails were on the floor beside her. She must have been killed during the fight. Gregor wondered which side killed her. Did it matter? To Gregor it didn't; he was disgusted by the whole thing. Kent, her twin, held her head and cried as if he were in physical pain. Howard held Chim tightly to himself, shielding her eyes from the scene.
"My family," Luxa whispered, now standing right beside Gregor. He couldn't imagine their pain at the moment. Their sister tried to overthrow the city and kill their parents. She was the reason Hero was dead. The reason Howard was almost killed. The reason their lives would now be forever changed. Gregor slipped his hand in Luxa's. Ripred appeared next to Luxa. He didn't touch her, but Gregor could tell he was there for her.
"This is dark day for them," Gregor said.
"This is a dark day for us all," Ripred added solemnly.
"Days are always dark in the Underland," Luxa spat.
Wynn walked over with her arm around Nerissa, who was shaking badly and still whispering.
"What happened?" Gregor asked her.
"I was with Nerissa when they attacked, so I tried to get her to safety." Her voice was shaking, but she remained strong. "We ran into Ripred and Mareth, and just did what they told me. They had me shoot Stellovet," she explained. "Luxa, Howard didn't betray you. He was telling me were to shoot. Please, you have-"
"I know," Luxa said calmly. Like Gregor, she had already worked it out. "I never should have thought him capable of betrayal. Was Stellovet killed in the battle?" Gregor had no idea. Nerissa walked away.
"No," Wynn answered. "Howard tried to stop her but…" she trailed off. "I believe she escaped."
Luxa shook her head. "I would never expect him to take his sister's life." Aurora landed next to the queen, and Luxa took her claw in her hand, smiling up to her. Gregor remembered just how meaningful the gesture was, and felt a pang in his heart for Ares.
"Vikus, York, and Susannah are safe. They are headed to the High Hall now," Aurora said. Gregor didn't want to see how they would react to this.
"Nerissa, please stay with me," Wynn called, trying to get the woman back. Nerissa was using blood from the battle to write on the walls with her fingers. Luxa and Gregor followed Wynn to the wall. Now that they were some distance from the other Underlanders, Luxa allowed her face to show just how concerned she was for her cousin. She was near tears as she tried to gently pull Nerissa toward her.
Gregor watched as Nerissa dipped her hands in the blood from the floor, and smeared it on the wall.
"I have seen it. I have seen it," she kept whispering to herself.
"Please, cousin," Luxa said softly. "Allow me to take you somewhere safe."
"Come back," Nerissa whispered. "Please come back."
Now Gregor and Luxa were both trying to sooth the woman, to get her to go somewhere safe and quiet. Gregor rubbed her back while Luxa tried to get her attention.
"We can take you somewhere calmer, Nerissa. Quieter." he said gently. She completely ignored him, continuing to smear blood on the wall.
"Guys," Wynn said. Her voice shook. "You should see this." She put a hand on each of their shoulders, and pulled them back from the wall. Gregor thought Nerissa was smearing it at random, and that is what it looked like. Except for two words.
"Warrior returns," Luxa read.