Memories of the Lost Prince - A HENRY STORY 3

by AngstQueenRin

[PART 3] He has come so far – Henry, the outcast prince of Regalia, after two years of hardships and mistakes. He has made a name for himself in the Dead Land, but among everything he now is – for how long can he run from himself? Join Henry now, for his last shot at redemption, and, when time is then defeated, for possibly even... a happy ending? *** The grand finale!

32. Riddles

XXX. RIDDLES

Gregor felt the tension hanging over the palace, wondering why he didn't see physical electric discharge. He barely registered Ares landing, only when the bat stumbled forward and nearly collapsed he remembered he was still injured from the battle against the Bane.

"Hey, are you okay?", he leaned over Ares' neck, "we have to get you to the hospital –"

"You both, actually."

Gregor spun around and saw Andromeda with Mareth on her back. The soldier whipped out his crutch and maneuvered himself over to Gregor. "Come, it is what Solovet ordered."

A hundred thoughts clustered in Gregor's head as he followed Mareth through the palace – why had Solovet ordered him back after giving the command to follow Luxa's call? Where had Luxa even come from? Where was she now?

"Is my family alright?", he asked instead, and Mareth nodded. "They've not left the code room, or, in your mother's case, the hospital. I'm sure once you've had your own check-up, they'll let you visit her."

Andromeda remained behind, mumbling she'd go back to help out on the field, before Mareth swung the door to the hospital open. Gregor clenched his teeth, but before he could voice his own thoughts, the soldier interrupted – "Listen, I know you want to go out there and help, but we can't afford to risk your life now. You are far too important."

He placed a hand on Gregor's shoulder who averted his gaze. Yeah, I can't die yet, he thought, not unless I take the Bane with me, then it's of course perfectly fine.

"You must think of your flier too", Mareth urged and his gaze darted to Ares who only now had caught up. "I'm fine", he mumbled, but Gregor instantly saw he was lying. A jolt of shame hit him at his own selfishness. Even if he died, there was no justification to risk Ares' life needlessly.

"Fine", Gregor mumbled and trotted after Mareth down the hall to the reception of the hospital. As soon as they passed the first doctor he was immediately detained and led to an empty room for his check-up. Mareth remained behind and Ares was brought to a different area to have his injury looked at. Even though Gregor felt anxious being left alone with strangers, the two doctors who took over his case were friendly and apparently knew what they were doing, so that he was done in less than fifteen minutes.

"Nothing severe", one of the doctors who had introduced herself as Triana smiled, "my colleague will fix you up in no time."

"Awesome", Gregor shot her a smile, "I can leave soon, then?"

The doctors exchanged a look before Triana's colleague cleared his throat. "I am afraid we haven't the authorization to allow you out of the hospital, so ordered Solovet."

Gregor's grip on the edge of the bed tightened. "What? Why? Can't I at least go see my mother? And my other family in the code room?"

The doctors exchanged another glance, before both shook their head. "I could... send someone to ask if they may visit you" – but Triana interrupted her colleague, "Solovet ordered for him to remain without visit from outside. I am not even certain if we are authorized to allow him a visit with his mother. I will check at once." With that she spun around on her heel and disappeared out of the room.

"My apologies", her colleague muttered, shot Gregor a somewhat forced smile, and went after her. The door he closed behind him and Gregor heard the lock snap into place.

Gregor let out a frustrated grown. He eyed the door for a moment, then decided it would not amount to anything, banging on it and demanding they'd let him out. It's not like it would happen anyway.

He let himself fall backward on the sheet and shut his eyes. This was just fantastic. He had fought the Bane – a battle the Bane wouldn't forget anytime soon, either. An image of the severed tail flashed before his inner eye and Gregor shuddered at the madness that had sparked in the white rat's eyes at its sight.

There had been Ripred and Kismet... Whitespur. They had, she had... Gregor squeezed his eyes shut tighter, what had she tried to do? Get the Bane's army to follow her instead? Why would they have done that?

Gregor shook his head in agitation. Whatever her goal had been, it was of little use thinking about it now or what it had amounted to. He had no way of finding out what she had achieved – if anything. Well, judging by Solovet's angry face, she must have achieved something.

Solovet. Gregor instinctively clenched his fists, Solovet who had visibly hesitated before giving the order to follow Luxa's cry to attack. Who had held him back by his sleeve, ordering Mareth to accompany him and Ares back to Regalia. What was she really up to? Gregor recalled what Ripred had revealed to him about her, yet he failed to see a pattern in her actions. The fact that she was up to no good was plain as day, yet what WAS it she wanted?

Unnerved, Gregor opened his eyes. The oil lamp on the wall emitted only sparse light and he barely made out the color of the ceiling, let alone what was stacked on top of the little cabinet in the corner beside the door. Click. It was books, Gregor thought. Click. Click. Some glass cylinder and a spare oil cannister.

The face of Luxa appeared before his inner eye... Luxa, alive and well. He smiled. For a moment he contemplated standing up and fetching the photo he had put back in his backpack after the doctors had him take off the armor.

She was out there, his smile faded, fighting for her people. She... had held a flaming sword, Gregor thought. A flaming... His eyes jolted open at once. The only one who had ever wielded a flaming sword in all of the Underland was Henry, and last time he had seen her, she had not regarded Henry with a single look. Gregor's brows furrowed, what –

"Gregor!"

He jolted up from his sheet when he heard the voice.

"Goodness, Gregor, you're alright – when they told me you'd been confined to a hospital room I assumed the worst!"

Gregor blinked a few times before darting out of bed and at – "Howard!"

"Yes, yes, it is me", Luxa's cousin placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled, though Gregor instantly saw how exhausted he was. "It was a damn hassle to find you", he mumbled, "last time I checked this hospital was a place of transparency and cooperation."

"Howard, you..." Gregor tilted his head, only now realizing he hadn't seen him in ages. Not ever since he had been ordered back to the city to training, after they'd returned from their quest. After he'd learned Luxa had disappeared.

"Howard, where were you? And, how did you get in here? Into the palace, I mean. You and Luxa, you just disappeared, back during that battle, I didn't..."

But Howard interrupted him. "Those are tales for a different time." He determinately directed Gregor away from the door before shutting it, like he was paranoid someone would hear them.

"Listen, we haven't much time before I will be discovered in here, and then there will be questions." He sighed. "We've been driven into a trap that day, Luxa, our fliers, and I. Hadn't Kismet and Henry come to save us, we would have lost our light certainly."

Gregor plopped back onto the bed and stared at Howard. "A... trap?"

"Someone's out to kill Luxa, Kismet said." He sighed. "We took to following the Bane's forces in their march on Regalia and overheard some conversations confirming there is an informant among us, though they never mentioned their identity. Where is Luxa? Is she here? Safe?"

An informant... Gregor's eyes were round as marbles. Was it Solovet? He swallowed, would she really try to kill her own granddaughter? Then again, at this point, who else would it even be?

Before he could voice his thoughts, Howard interrupted him – "Gregor, where is she now? Where is Luxa?"

"She's not here, I think", he finally mumbled. "I battled the Bane earlier and..." – "We saw", Howard began pacing up and down. "Kismet, Henry, Luxa, our fliers, and I watched you battle him. Then Henry devised a plan to lure the rats away from the city walls. He sent Twitchtip and I with Nike and Thanatos to the Spout, to enter Regalia without being spotted." He clenched his fist. "He promised to have Luxa follow us later. The bastard..."

Gregor shook his head. "She was... wait", his gaze darted upward, "did you just say... Twitchtip?"

Howard nodded and Gregor's heart skipped a beat. "We came across her in the Bane's camp on the Plane of Tartarus. Henry and Kismet rescued her from prison, together with Lapblood and Sixclaw, her pup. She is in far from optimal condition. But she lives." Howard shifted, "As soon as we've arrived back I asked a friend here to bring her to an unused room and treat her, do not worry, he is an excellent doctor."

Gregor's mind reeled. Twitchtip. Memories of the rat swam before his eyes. He and Ares had been forced to leave her in the Labyrinth, but she hadn't died. The rats had kept her alive apparently, and probably tortured and starved her while they tried to extract information out of her about Gregor.

"Can I see her?"

Howard raised an eyebrow. "... well, certainly, but now is not the time for that. We must act quickly. If Luxa is not here, she is in peril. Twitchtip will live", he smiled, "some others might not."

Gregor pressed his lips together. "You're right." He attempted to fit all the new information into his head to form a coherent plan. What was their priority now?

"Where are the bats who carried you up here?"

"Nike followed me, she joined the fliers helping with carrying the wounded from the battlefield", Howard approached the door and peeked through the keyhole. "Thanatos remained behind, to stay with his bond."

"So, what do we –" Before Gregor could finish his question, Howard jerked back from the door and only moments later it was swung open, Triana stood in the doorway.

"Oh?" She blinked, her gaze wandered back and forth between Howard and Gregor. "You have company." She didn't sound too happy about it.

Howard cleared his throat. "I'm Howard. I work here as well. And I'd like to know why he is being confined here, he is unharmed. We should reserve these rooms for those who actually need them."

Triana pressed her lips together. "Oh, certainly. Yet Solovet ordered –"

"Solovet ordered us to accompany him to the war room", a voice behind Triana spoke and the doctor winced. Gregor clutched the bedsheet tighter as two men emerged behind Triana, two heavily armed men, who were both at least six feet tall.

"But – but the protocol –" – "Eat your protocol", one of them shoved Triana aside, "Solovet is holding a meeting in the war room, and she wishes for the warrior to attend. Come now."

Gregor threw a last glance back at Howard and Triana who remained standing in the doorway before he was led out of sight. Great – now he had some of Solovet's bodyguards to deal with as well. There went his last chance to sneak out and look for Luxa.

As the three made their way out of the hospital he suddenly asked himself where Ripred was. He had claimed to keep an eye on him when Solovet had last sent bodyguards – where was he now? Unease rose in Gregor as he remembered Ripred jumping down the wall to join Whitespur in mocking the Bane. Had he not made it back yet? Howard hadn't mentioned him, and –

"We bring him." Gregor was shoved through a doorway and found himself in the former council room that Solovet had turned into the war command center. Only as he took his first look around he saw Ares was already here. He looked better than before and returned Gregor's nod, but his leg was still bandaged. And there was someone else too – "Vikus!"

Luxa's grandfather gave him a smile, and Mareth who emerged behind him as well. "Hello Gregor", Vikus greeted and he automatically made his way over to him.

"Now that we've all arrived", sounded a stern voice from the head of the big table, "let us all take in the dire news I'm afraid I must deliver." It was Solovet, without her armor now, who stood leaned against the table. Though, Gregor frowned, something about her seemed not right. She usually took great care to look her best, yet now her braid was disheveled, her clothes plain and hastily put together, and her stare was icy.

Gregor furrowed his brows, what kind of news had she that she'd assembled the council for it, and Mareth and Gregor? He saw the shapes of a few more bats in the background, including Ajax who cowered somewhat offside from the others. He wondered if Vikus' bond Euripides was among them.

"You have all witnessed the act of bravery Queen Luxa has demonstrated, outside the city walls today", Solovet began, and was immediately interrupted – "How did she even get there? Hadn't you yourself said she was in the city this whole time?", a council member with a beard that reached past his waist demanded to know.

His call was picked up by others – "No, I've heard she's made a mistake, that Queen Luxa has fought for us from the outside, with the Death Rider!" – "Fought for us? I hear she's been hiding somewhere outside the city, like a coward!"

"SILENCE!", Solovet shouted and the room fell into tensed silence. Gregor heard Vikus' strained breathing beside him and automatically reached to grab his arm. Apparently, the whole uncertainty around Luxa's whereabouts had already created it's fair share of rumors. Gregor bit his lip, suppressing the urge to stand up and reveal all he knew, to explain what Luxa had been doing. They hadn't the right to badmouth her.

"Following her call to attack, a battle broke out in the tunnels around Regalia", Solovet spoke on and Gregor noticed her hands clenched so hard around the rim of the table her knuckles shone whiter than her skin. "Though I'm afraid to inform it has all been an elaborate set up", she paused, "a trap to lure Luxa away from our soldiers, to take her life." Grave silence hung over the room. "I assure you, I attempted to protect her, yet... I could only watch as the gnawers took her life."

Gregor could barely hear anything through the ringing in his head. The room was in dismay, he thought. There were screams, someone had stood up, someone – he felt Vikus' arm he was still clutching growing limp and only on the side registered Mareth had caught him as he had passed out.

Luxa was... It was their dance at Hazard's party he found himself taken back to. Her smile... had that been the last time she had smiled at him? Gregor blinked as he felt tears well up in his eyes. No, she had smiled at him when Henry had taken the photo... the photo... he reached upward towards where it had been during the battle, but of course, it was back in his backpack at the hospital.

She was not really dead, he meekly thought, who even knew if Solovet was telling the truth? Hadn't he just established she was a traitor?

Gregor bit his lip so hard it hurt as words clogged his mind, so many words he still had wanted to say to Luxa. Words he hadn't even formulated out yet, but whose meaning was crystal clear... was clear as light. He would see her again, he promised himself here and there – and when he saw her again, he would tell her.

"Well, in that case", a very familiar voice cut through the mist around Gregor's head like a knife, "QUEEN Nerissa will have something to say to you all."

Gregor slowly turned his head to check if he hadn't misheard.

"Ripred...?" Solovet's voice sounded aghast as she watched the great scarred rat stroll into the war room, closely followed by Nerissa. She was dressed neatly this time, her hair in a clean braid, yet her expression was unreadable, and only now Gregor registered she hadn't been officially summoned to this meeting.

Murmur broke out in the room at the sight of Ripred, and though a wave of relief instantly washed over Gregor, he also saw in what miserable of a state the rat was. His fur was ruffled and he looked like he hadn't gotten a single moment of rest in ages. Yet the most worrying thing was a fresh cut right across his face, forming a cross with the old scar. It had visibly bled not long ago, Gregor still saw crusted, dried blood smear Ripred's fur. Was that really all his own?

"It is good to see you alive, Ripred." Solovet had apparently recovered from her initial shock, and soon turned to Nerissa. "You truly wish to attempt to lead in these trying times, child? We will all understand if you feel like it is too heavy a burden."

A wave of disgust overwhelmed Gregor when he understood what Solovet was doing. Don't let her get away with this Nerissa, he internally prayed, don't let her have them all believe she is the only fit ruler left.

Nerissa pressed her lips together. "I will do what I must", she at last said, and Gregor smiled.

Gregor barely registered where he was going, all he did was follow Ripred. Nobody, not even Solovet, had protested when the rat had naturally shoved him out of the war room, only minutes after his and Nerissa's entrance.

"You look like you've swallowed a whole lemon", Ripred suddenly stopped and grinned, "what's the matter?"

Gregor raised his gaze, only to realize they stood before the code room. "Luxa...", he began, but Ripred interrupted him, "Luxa couldn't be doing better." He paused and frowned, "Okay, maybe she could be, but my point is, she is most certainly not DEAD."

Despite his own doubts in Solovet's words, hearing it confirmed from Ripred immediately lifted a daunting weight off Gregor's chest and he smiled.

"Not even trying to hide it anymore, eh?", Ripred mocked, before stepping into the code room. Two arms immediately encircled Gregor as he followed. "You're BACK!", cried Lizzie and he hugged her, "Of course I am."

"And I don't get a hug?"

Gregor shot Ripred a sour look before releasing Lizzie who instantly darted over to give him a hug as well. "Oh, what happened to your face?"

"Gregor, we were so worried!" Before he had the time to look around, he was caught in a different pair of arms and moments later his face pressed into his dad's shirt. "I'm okay", he mumbled, "we're all okay."

"Alright, alright, all heartwarming family reunions aside", Ripred cleared his throat, "I'm afraid we've stuff to discuss." He let his gaze wander over who was present from the code team – Teslas with Daedalus and Reflex in a far-off corner, surrounded by scrolls, next to them Hazard, and finally Gregor and his dad.

"You and I might know things", Ripred addressed Gregor directly, "but I feel like it's time we share our knowledge with those we know we still can trust, in these dire times."

Gregor let go of his dad and nodded. Up until now they had needed to keep Solovet's betrayal a secret, but now that she'd gone so far as to announce Luxa's death... "We have to do something or we'll all be at Solovet's mercy soon", he mumbled, thinking as much as Nerissa would try, Solovet had long proven she had ways of dealing with people who stood in her way.

"That's right", Ripred nodded. "And something we will do, alright."

Gregor gazed around the little assembly of friendly faces Ripred had called together and thought seeing so many people here actually made the old nursery feel way less creepy. Maybe the fact that they had put up lanterns also helped with that.

"So, what news do you have for us, that were so urgent?" Howard notably twitched and Gregor thought he wanted to get back to the hospital as soon as possible. Maybe even to check on Twitchtip.

"Patience, Howard", Ripred leaned against the rim of the turtle sculpture behind him. Gregor's gaze wandered further, to Teslas who sat next to Howard, then Nerissa with Ares and Nike on his other side. Ripred himself was in the middle, and the center of attention.

For a moment Gregor wondered why nobody had invited Vikus, but before he could ask, Ripred began – "So", he leaned forward, "so, so, so... I've told Gregor about this before, back then urging him to not disclose it. Now though, I feel it is time to share this with more people we can trust. So, feel honored to be here."

Nobody said a word, they all just stared at him.

"Fine. How about this", Ripred scratched his back, "Luxa is alive and well, Solovet's betrayed us, and you all are currently – well, almost – the only ones I trust in this palace."

The silence that followed his words was loaded with shock. "Solovet has... what?", Howard asked, but Ripred interrupted him. "Just hear me out."

Gregor listened to the theory that wasn't quite a theory anymore Ripred unfolded before them with growing dread. The fact that it was supposed to be her plan to trick Twirltongue and the rats into trusting her and finally eradicating the entire race of the gnawers shocked even him, as it did everyone.

"And so, she seeks to take over power", Ripred concluded, "which is why she announced Luxa's death. They'll need a new leader, if Luxa is out of the picture, and guess who she figured that would be."

"I will not allow this", Nerissa cut him off. "Solovet may be powerful, but she is not of royal blood. As long as I live she has no legitimate claim to the throne." Gregor had seldom seen her face so dire.

"You, dear girl, are the one who will have to be the most cautious. What if Solovet decides you do pose a threat as well, and have you handled the same way she planned to have Luxa handled?"

Nerissa pressed her lips together.

"There is a time for everything", Ripred sighed, "and for you is now the time to appear as little threatening as possible. Once we've found a way to expose Solovet, Luxa will return. There is no need to risk your own life in the process. Henry'd try to stab me in my sleep again certainly, should something happen to you", he mumbled quieter.

"But why can't we expose her now?", Howard had stood up and stared at Ripred, his frown was even more prominent than before. "Surely if we all speak against her, the council will believe us!"

"I'm afraid it is not so easy", Ripred shook his head. "You must think of the big picture here. If we expose Solovet as a traitor before this war has ended, we risk adding inner conflict to the already pressing outer one. Arresting someone so close to the royal family, and that for something as severe as treason, always brings with itself an uproar. We do not know the number of people who will support her if she asks – what if we do expose her and earn ourselves a civil war on top of the conflict with the Bane?"

Howard visibly clenched his jaw but remained silent and Gregor swallowed. He saw Ripred's point, but he also hated sitting idle, leaving her in power, even.

"Do not worry, she might shallowly go along with Twirltongue and whatever she requests for now, but she wants to win this war as much as we do. How else will she erase the race of the gnawers?", Ripred assured. "For now, it is the lesser evil to leave her where she is. Just be cautious", he threw a pensive gaze around, "and do not allow any part of this conversation to leave this room."

The assembly was quiet for a moment, taking the rat's words in.

"And... Luxa?", Nike finally asked, scratching the floor awkwardly. "Will she remain hidden, outside, with the Death Rider? With Henry?"

Ripred nodded. "She's safer out there with him than she would be in here. The only thing that worries me is the public morale. Though that will be your most prominent job", he eyed Nerissa. "Feeling up to the task?"

Nerissa scooted around nervously. "I will do what I can", she finally mumbled, though Gregor sensed her unease.

"Very good. So", Ripred concluded, gazing at Gregor, "we should make it our priority to set you up against the Bane as soon as possible, to end this war at last, so that we can deal with our inner issues."

Gregor swallowed. "Yeah. Though...", he furrowed his brows, "wait, what about whatever Kis- eh, Whitespur was doing? What was she even doing?"

Wouldn't he know better, Gregor would have thought Ripred had winced back. "That...", his gaze turned to the floor, "let's just say, that didn't exactly go as planned."

Gregor found himself utterly shaken by the tale the rat told next, of how Whitespur together with Henry and Luxa had gone out to seek for allies who still remained loyal to her, from her time under Gorger, how they had rescued Lapblood, Sixclaw, and Twitchtip, and even won over Splintleg for their cause. How they had planned on turning the Bane's forces against him using Whitespur's influence, and how it had ended for her.

"We... buried her by the Spout", Ripred mumbled, "it was the best we could do in such a short time."

Dire silence hung over the room for a few heartbeats before Howard spoke – "She died a heroine." Nobody felt like they had to say more.

He hadn't known Whitespur for long, yet Gregor felt tears rise in his eyes. An image of her, as she had consoled him after his talk with Luxa at the citadel flashed before his inner eye, the many times she had saved them, protected them, guided them. It was not fair, he thought, yet before the first tear could escape his eye, Ripred's ears twitched.

"Something is not right", he mumbled with his eyes on the doorframe. Shadows of many people hastily ran by and Ripred rose. "Something has –" Just as he fell silent again to listen, the scratching began.

He was asking her something, Gregor thought, as he watched Hazard and Lizzie in a corner of the code room. They had returned here maybe half an hour ago, and despite the familiar environment, he failed to shake the unease.

After Ripred's meeting had been interrupted he had gone to ask someone what was happening, leaving Teslas and Ares to take Gregor back to the code room. The rest had also disassembled, Nerissa and Nike had taken off in different directions, and Howard had headed straight to the hospital.

Gregor, Ares, and Teslas had arrived back in the code room shortly, only to be greeted with the sight of an utterly terrified Lizzie in the arms of their dad. He, Teslas, and Hazard had narrowly prevented another of her panic attacks and Gregor himself felt even he could barely stand the scratching, he thought the sound reminded him too much of back when Ripred had ordered the small rats to drive them out of their New York apartment. Though Ares had shortly after explained that was the point of it.

"It is a technique the gnawers use to instill fear", he had mumbled, "yet do not worry, they can not scratch their way into the palace." It had only made Gregor feel a little better.

He had simply sunken against a wall and attempted to distract himself, yet the scratching was slowly but surely driving him mad. Only then an even more frightening realization hit him – "How did the rats even get past the city wall?" He twitched, biting his lip at the thought they must have somehow reached the palace for them to even hear their sounds. Yet his question had only earned confused head-shaking from the rest of the code team.

Some ten minutes later Ripred finally stood in the doorway. "The gnawers are in the city", he heaved like he had just run a marathon. "They say they've dug a tunnel beneath the wall", he shook his head, "nonsense, if you ask me." His gaze was more than suggestive and Gregor shivered at the thought someone might have... let them in.

"They're conducting some great evacuation", Ripred plopped down beside Gregor's dad with Lizzie, "the citizens will be granted shelter in the palace, so I hear."

Ares' wings nervously fluttered. "They might need my help then", he looked back at Gregor, who just nodded. "Go. We'll be fine." The bat was out of the room in seconds.

"Does each letter stand for another letter?", Gregor heard Hazard ask and shifted his attention back on the kids. They were surrounded by the code team, Teslas and Ripred on both sides.

"Yes, but there's some extra trick on top of that. Like maybe you're supposed to throw out every third letter or something, and then it will make sense", Lizzie replied, staring at the scroll intensely.

Gregor sighed and stood up. Suddenly a wave of discomfort with how useless he truly was in here hit him and he began pacing. Why was he even here? He wasn't a code cracker like Lizzie or an innovative out-of-the-box thinker like Ripred and Teslas. He was a... Gregor frowned and stopped in his tracks. What even was he? A warrior?

He bit his lip at the thought of how much he had always protested against the name. Ironically, it seemed to be the only thing he was actually good at, down here.

"Gregor, what's the matter?" His dad was looking at him from where he had sat down, a little offside, to study the scrolls of code as well.

Gregor reluctantly made his way over to him. "I want to go see mom", he mumbled, "I've not seen her since the battle. Is she okay?"

His dad nodded. "She's even allowed out of bed now, well, when the palace isn't on lockdown, of course", he smiled. "I think she's been getting along really well –" Yet he was interrupted by Lizzie's excited cry – "An anagram – of Gregor's name!"

They both turned to her and Gregor opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but before he could say anything, Reflex the spider spoke in a quivering voice – "In the naming is the catching..."

"Maybe... that line wasn't about my name at all!" Lizzie dropped her marker and snatched up the piece of code. Gregor frowned and took a step towards her, yet she ignored him as she read, her lips moving silently over the letters.

When she looked up, her next words were barely audible. "Gre-gor. Gor-ger. I think... I know how to break the code!"

Click. Gregor could barely keep his focus on the ceiling as he sleepily clicked his tongue. He was exhausted beyond belief, but sleep wouldn't come to him. He had managed to get a few hours in after spending what must have been the rest of the day decoding endless scrolls of old code.

At least the rats had seized scratching, shortly after Lizzie had cracked the code. Like they had somehow felt it. Gregor shook his head, nonsense. They probably just needed to sleep too, at some point.

Nerissa had come to visit, only a couple hours ago, to bring food, and news about how the evacuation was going. The palace was overflowing with refugees from the city, and the hospital was getting fuller with the day, but the people had been evacuated successfully. Nerissa said she had announced to move some of the refugees to the Fount soon, whenever they could travel safely.

They had done without an official coronation this time, due to the general state of emergency, and Gregor knew she hated being queen again, yet he couldn't help but think she was doing a great job. She had had to go back soon though, as with her new duties, and Ripred had enlisted him, his dad, Temp, and Teslas to decode whatever they could find, in the hope to find something useful. It had mostly been mundane junk though, and at some point, his dad had sent him to bed, claiming they'd manage without him. Boots they had at some point brought back to the nursery that harbored Dulcet, Cartesian, and the baby mice. She was of little use here.

Despite not being injured, he still felt banged up and sore from yesterday's battle, and despite his exhaustion, he failed to calm his thoughts. Lizzie had broken the code.

Since the princess is the key, to unlock the treachery, she can not avoid the matching, or the scratching, scratching, scratching. Gregor moved his lips to silently form the words he had by now memorized. When a secret plot is hatching, in the naming is the catching, what she saw it is the flaw, of the code of claw.

He shook his head. That his name, of all things, would be the key to the code. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed strange they had used Gorger's name as the key, and not the Bane's...

Gregor shuddered when he realized the prophecy had already come true to this point – and what the next part was. When the monster's blood is spilled, he swallowed, when the warrior has been killed...

Unnerved, Gregor rose from his sheets. He clicked his tongue to make sure he wouldn't run into anything and trotted out of the human bedchamber past his sleeping dad with Boots and Lizzie into the dark code room.

Was it time now? Now that the code had been broken, was it time for him to have his final battle with the Bane? For him to die? Gregor pressed his lips together and attempted to suppress the images that instantly flooded his head. Of his parents, his sisters, whom the Regalians would have to inform of his death. I am afraid he will not come back. The warrior has fallen by slaying the Bane, as the prophecy foretold.

Gregor shook his head, yet only as he pressed his forehead to the cold stone he felt his swirling thoughts somewhat calming. He leaned his back on the wall and sank to the floor. His thoughts wandered back to New York, to his... home? Was it his home? Gregor clicked his tongue again and took in the room. It had been for such a long time, yet...

If I really die here, he thought, maybe I should make a list. He remembered a day when he had been around six, he had overheard a conversation between his dad and his grandmother. She had wanted him to take her to see a Broadway musical. He had argued the tickets were much to expensive, yet she had insisted it was something from her... list.

It's called a bucket list, she had later explained, a list of things you make, to do or see before you die. Then she had patted his head, saying he could take his time with making one as his death was decades away. Well, not anymore.

A... bucket list, Gregor thought. If he would really die soon, he could no longer take his time. His hand instantly cupped the spot where he expected the pocket of his pants to be, yet of course he was dressed in Underland-garments, and those had no pockets. Then again, Gregor made a face. Even if he had a pocket with something to write in it, he could hardly write in the dark.

Or – he clicked his tongue and located the oil lamp that had previously illuminated the room. Gregor sighed, maybe he could make light after all. Who knew if he'd be sent into battle again tomorrow? Who knew if he'd ever find another quiet moment?

He stood up and used his echolocation to locate and light the lamp. In it's flickering light he saw a stash of code scrolls scattered on the floor, and randomly picked one up before sitting down with it. Maybe he could use the back side.

He twisted the scroll and realized they hadn't even decoded this one yet. Might as well see what it says before I scribble all over something important, Gregor thought, and quickly noted down the text in letters before applying Lizzie's system.

UXJUDIUJQ. ETDBQEF. QJU.

Gregor's heart skipped a beat and the scroll nearly slipped from his hand. Only barely he prevented a laugh from escaping his mouth.

"Something funny?"

His head jerked up as he saw Ripred in the doorway to the room he had slept in. "Oh, I...", he held the scroll up, "They've found out Twitchtip escaped. That's what it says."

"Of course they have", Ripred drew closer. "Anything useful in there as well? Like...", he moved closer and sat down next to Gregor, "Solovet's name, perhaps?"

Gregor looked up. "That would be... proof", he mumbled and Ripred nodded. "Indisputable proof." He picked up a scroll for himself, before lowering it again. "So, have I truly heard you click your tongue earlier?"

Gregor looked up and deliberately casually shrugged. "Yeah. I figured out the echolocation, like, a while ago."

Ripred let out a low growl. "And you didn't even TELL me?"

Gregor narrowed his eyes at him. "What's it to you? It's not like you're my teacher anymore or anything."

Ripred actually hesitated for a moment before breaking into suppressed laughter. "Oh, oh no – are you actually sassing me?", he giggled on, "The lad's truly had a bad influence on you."

Gregor just made a face and turned to look back at the scroll he was holding. "He's told me to not let you push me around", he shrugged again, "and so I promised. Hey, why didn't you invite Vikus to your little meeting earlier, actually?", he looked back up, "He should know Luxa is alive." Gregor shuddered at the thought of the friendly old man passing out at the news of her death.

"We can't afford to tell him yet", Ripred hummed, "for if we tell him, he will ask why Solovet lied, and I think I don't have to explain why it would be a bad decision to let him in on Solovet's betrayal just yet."

There was hardly anything Gregor could answer to that. He didn't even want to imagine being the one to tell Vikus about Solovet's betrayal.

"Hey, if you're so opposed to my echolocation lessons, how about we get some of this work done instead?", Ripred shoved some fresher scrolls at Gregor, who dropped the one with the note about Twitchtip and nodded. About anything was better than an echolocation lesson with Ripred.

It was quiet as they worked, and with each passing second Gregor wondered more why the usually so lazy rat wasn't in bed. He could hardly be kept up by pain, could he? His injury had been treated, though it still looked vicious, and for the first time Gregor asked himself how he had even received it. Who ever even came so close to Ripred he could scratch him?

After some ten minutes of quiet working he opened his mouth to finally ask when Ripred lowered the scroll he had been studying. Both of them could by now decipher the chicken scratch and the encryption on sight, and Gregor's eyes widened as Ripred passed him the scroll to read.

"When – signal – comes – launch – attack." He looked up, about a hundred alarms went off in his head. "We need to – wait, what signal?"

Ripred angrily snatched the scroll back, "One from Solovet, I'd wager. The important part is, it says the attack is to be launched from the river. And as luck – or a certain commander – would have it, we have no defense at the river." He sprung to his feet, letting out a long howl unlike anything Gregor had ever heard him produce. Within minutes the code team was all up and on their feet, and Ripred and Gregor disclosed what they'd discovered.

"This scroll is but half a day old", the rat claimed as he began pacing, "so it is not too late yet. I have to go and inform Nerissa and the council, and you all –", he glanced around, "you will have to split up. If the rats should enter the palace, we can't have you all sitting in one bunch. I want this team disassembled in the next hour." And though he saw his point, Gregor's heart sunk at the mere prospect of the rats ever getting as far as into the palace.

Ripred ordered Lizzie, Hazard, their dad, and Daedalus to remain here, to shred every piece of evidence they'd broken the code. Then he directed Min, Reflex, and Teslas into the war room, but before he could speak on, Teslas interrupted him – "I will seek out the council first, if you don't mind." He exchanged a glance with Gregor's dad, "The code is broken now, and if I remember correctly, you, Gregor, and Lizzie, as well as Blake, claimed my skill could aid the soldiers. I've something in mind already. Just have to ask where to set up a workshop."

Ripred hesitated before nodding. "Very well." His gaze wandered to meet Gregor's dad, "What about you? I'm sure you've skills to aid us too."

Gregor felt his dad's hand on his shoulder. "I will, but after this attack is over." He glanced at Lizzie, "I can not leave her alone for now."

Ripred acknowledged his decision with a nod and they watched Teslas leaving first, closely followed by Min and Reflex.

Finally, he ordered Gregor into the prophecy room. "I'll send someone with a key", he pondered, "lock yourselves in and don't open it until you've been told to."

"Shouldn't I get ready for battle?", Gregor protested, but Ripred cut him off. "This is no time for you to be risking your life. For all we know this attack is staged or a mere distraction, you can not rush into it mindlessly. You", he came to a halt before Gregor, "must prepare to face the Bane, as soon as opportunity presents itself. And what if you get injured now? What if it puts you out of commission? What are we to do then? Conjure up another warrior from the air?"

Gregor hated admitting Ripred was right, but... Ripred was right. His fist clenched, looks like he'd once again be sitting idle while all his friends were fighting. Well, maybe he would at least get to make that bucket list now.

"Don't worry, he'll hardly participate in this battle", Ripred snarled as he pushed him at the door, "you have taken good care of his tail last time. We'll see how he will manage. Whether the spinners will help him. If I remember correctly, you all didn't include them on your ally-gather-trip, did you?"

Gregor made a face and remained silent. They had indeed neglected the spinners. He shuddered at the thought as to what consequences that could have now.

"What about my mom and Boots?", he finally asked, but Ripred shook his head. "We'll move Boots and the mouse pups to the hospital, Temp can accompany them." He nodded at the cockroach, "That can be sealed off. Don't worry, just go! I've got it handled!"

The way to the prophecy room was short, and at the door waited to his surprise Nerissa with a lamp and a key, as well as a young woman in the attire of a servant with a stack of blankets and pillows, some food, and several cannisters of water.

Gregor had already opened his mouth to ask why Nerissa was here, when he looked closer and his eyes widened as he recognized the woman.

"Y... you?"

Nerissa exchanged a glance with her before unlocking the room of prophecies. "Oh, right, you've met Dalia before. She has followed the children of York and Susannah when they were ordered to Regalia, some week ago. Their parents are in battle, and they've deemed Regalia safer than their home."

Gregor nearly stumbled over the doorframe as he tried to follow Nerissa into the room while keeping his eyes on Dalia. "I... it's good to see you", he mumbled and she shot him a smile. "You too, Overlander."

"Hey, how have you been doing?" He joined her in hauling the stuff she had brought into the room. At the same time, he caught his first good glimpse at her and his smile widened. "You look great!"

He vividly remembered the bony girl with the nigh-translucent skin and the rings around her large, violet eyes and stared in disbelief at the woman who shared the features, but nothing else. She had gained weight and the rings around her eyes had disappeared. She looks like she smiles a lot now, Gregor thought, and instinctively smiled again himself.

"Thank you", she sat the stash down in a corner and turned, to watch Nerissa lock the door. "I've been doing quite well."

"I can see that – hey, are you staying with us?"

Dalia rummaged through the goods before handing out pillows and blankets, "So I've been ordered. Chim, Hero, Kent, and Stellovet are at the hospital with Howard."

"Well, at least I'll be having nice company in here, then."

The next half an hour they passed by telling stories, Gregor asked Dalia about her life at the Fount and how she and Stellovet were getting along. She explained that, over the course of the last half a year, they had treated her with much fairness and she had been compelled to discover her work could be fun as well.

Stellovet was still hard to deal with at times, but Dalia said the episode with Longclaw had not left her unscathed – in the best way imaginable.

Gregor nearly shook his head in something like amusement – who'd have thought being kidnapped by rats could have a positive effect? Then he remembered Henry and how much of a positive effect his ordeals as an outcast had had on him, and thought it must not be an uncommon thing for bad things to have good consequences.

Then, Gregor couldn't keep his curiosity as to why Nerissa, who was now queen, had been ordered into this room and not the war room or her quarters. Her answer was as simple as it was sensible – "It is one of the few rooms in the palace with a door. It will offer some protection. For the warrior and for the queen."

Shortly after Dalia, with Gregor's help, distributed the food she had brought and after they had eaten, sent Nerissa and Gregor to bed.

Gregor didn't know how long he had slept as he slowly drifted into waking. He instantly focused on whether he could hear sounds of battle outside the door, but apart from occasional footsteps or voices it was silent. Had the rats attacked? Were the humans prepared? Why had no one updated them?

Yet when he asked Nerissa, who had also been awake as opposed to Dalia who lied sleeping now, if they could open the door to look, she adamantly refused. "This is not your battle, Gregor", she shook her head. "This is your time to wait."

Waiting, it turned out, was a lot tougher on Gregor than fighting. Nerissa tried to distract him by showing him different prophecies, telling him their histories. He learned a lot about Regalia's past, but not much about its present.

Eventually, she directed him towards a spot on the floor, as far from the door as possible. "Do you know which prophecy this is?"

Gregor squinted to make out the tiny words. He thought he'd need a magnifying glass to properly read it. "The... Death Rider?", he eventually thought he made out and Nerissa smiled. "It is the prophecy I gave you for Henry."

"It's... about him, isn't it?"

She smiled and nodded.

Gregor cowered down on the floor and put Nerissa's lantern next to the prophecy, but still had trouble deciphering the miniature letters, but he stuck with it, to satiate his curiosity. He hadn't read the prophecy back when Nerissa had first given a copy of it to him, so he thought it was about time.

As he took in the more than cryptic words he thought some of it sounded very much like Henry. "Condemner, savior has become", he finally mumbled the last line and looked up to see Nerissa smile. "As he has."

"As he has", echoed Gregor, and sat back up. "He's... really changed, you know?" For the first time he considered Nerissa hadn't seen her brother in ages. How much must she miss him?

"I know." To Gregor's surprise, she smiled. "Though, Henry is not to be worried about. He will find his fate, so the prophecy says. And for me, who has known my brother my whole life, it is easy to believe."

They sat in silence for a moment before Gregor's eyes trailed back to the door. "Okay, how about now? Like, what's one little peek going to hurt?"

"Look at this poem, Gregor", she ignored him and held the lantern higher, to illuminate the wall above the Prophecy of the Death Rider. "It is by far my favorite. When all seems lost, I comfort myself with its words."

Gregor sighed and turned his eyes to a short poem on the wall, only now registering this was the corner where Nerissa usually curled up.

On soft feet, by none detected.

Dealing death, by most rejected.

Killed by claw, since resurrected.

Marked by x, two lines connected.

Finally, they intersected.

Two lines met, one unexpected.

"This comforts you? Why?" Gregor stared at the words, unsure whether he just didn't understand them or had not enough information. To him it didn't really sound comforting at all. Just confusing.

"Read the title" Nerissa held the lantern higher.

For the first time, Gregor registered the poem had a title. "The Peacemaker?" Well, maybe that could be considered somewhat comforting. "So you think a peacemaker's coming? When?"

"No one knows. Perhaps tomorrow. Perhaps in a thousand years. But the peacemaker will come. Just as the warrior did."

For some reason, her words took him back to his first visit in Regalia. And the prophecy calls Gregor the warrior, after all. Not the peacemaker. It had been what Solovet had said to Vikus, before –

Almost angrily he shook his head. He didn't want to be reminded of Solovet now. Instead, he turned his eyes back on the poem, yet when he read it again, Gregor frowned. "That's... wait, that's it?"

"Yes", Nerissa tilted her head, "why?"

"I don't know...", he ran his fingers over it, "it seems kind of... incomplete. Hm, maybe that's just me. But it falls flat at the end, sort of", Gregor tried putting his thoughts into words.

Nerissa stepped closer and studied the words as well. "You are not... wrong, but I always felt like it was supposed to be this way. Why would Sandwich leave it unfinished, after all?"

Gregor wanted to answer but both he and Nerissa winced as the sound of claws scraping the door disrupted the silence. His heartbeat elevated, Gregor thought he could almost feel the rager-sensation knocking on the door of his conscience already, even though there was no fight yet.

They exchanged a glance before he darted over to where he had left his sword. He took it, aimed, and drove it right through a small crack in the wood.

"Well, at least you're being smart about it." A wave of relief washed over Gregor as he recognized Ripred's voice. "Open up in there! The palace is secure!"

Nerissa unlocked the door at once and in the frame stood Ripred, visibly banged up and bloody, but mostly unharmed. Questions began pouring out of Gregor's mouth but Ripred cut him off. "Many are dead, but everyone of significance to you still breathes. We were able to defend the city thanks to your sister breaking the Code of Claw. The rats have been driven away, but they will regroup and rally around the Bane."

He took a deep breath, regarding Nerissa, Dalia, who had woken up from the commotion, and then Gregor. "We need you in the war room now, boy." He turned to Nerissa. "I will send instructions for the rest of you later. Until then, sit tight."