26

Things happened quickly. Mareth and Ripred burst into the High Hall with several soldiers.

"The traitors wear the uniform!" he 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 had not realized the soldier behind him 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.

"Yes, You 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, and humans all at once. Gregor decided to stay close to Luxa since they made a good team. He let his rager senses take over and fought on.

He was locked in a fight with a 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 got 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 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 cheekbone. 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. Blood filled the hall, and bodies of humans, gnawers, and fliers all piled together.

"Howard stop!" Wynnora was trying to make him stop fighting. 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. "Nerissa, please. You have to calm down." The woman was hanging on Gregor's cousin and whispering things to her. Wynnora looked overwhelmed trying to calm the two Underlanders.

"The palace is secured by our forces," Mareth informed Luxa. "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. I have teams throughout the city attempting to prevent this and make arrests." 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 was not sure what. He knew he thought Luxa was amazing, and was incredibly proud of her in that moment.

"Brother!" Chim screamed. "Help her! Hero, please!" Howard 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? 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. Gregor could not 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. Ripred appeared next to Luxa. He did not 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 corrected them.

Wynnora 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 helped him get Mareth and his soldiers out of the dungeon. Then 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. Like Gregor, she 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," Wynnora 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.

"Vikus, York, and Susannah are safe. They are headed to the High Hall now," she said. Gregor did not want to see how they would react to this.

"Nerissa, please stay with me," Wynnora 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 follow Wynnora to the wall.

Gregor watched as Nerissa dipped her hands in the blood, 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. Gregor rubbed her back.

"We can take you somewhere calmer, Nerissa. Quieter." he said gently. She completely ignored him, continuing to smear blood on the wall.

"Guys," Wynnora 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.