Page 5 (1/2)

Chapter 5

"Go, Ge-go!" Boots told Te her heels on the roach's shell, and he obediently carried her over to Gregor She slid off and ran over and hugged his leg

"Hey, Boots," he said, ruffling her curls "Where've you been?"

"I go ride! Fast! Fast ride!" she said

"Do you re to him

"Hi! Hi, you!" Boots said happily

"Welcome, Boots," said Vikus "We haveto Ares, although Gregor had been ignoring hior said to the cockroach "Next time, do you think you could tell me before you run off with Boots? You freaked me out"

"Hates us, the Overlander, hates us?" asked Tes They were so thin-skinned Well, thin-shelled "No, I don't hate you, come on It just scared me when you took Boots I didn't knohere she was," said Gregor

"With us, she ith us," said Temp, confused now

"Yeah, I know that Now But I didn't know in the park," said Gregor "I orried"

"Hates us, the Overlander, hates us?" repeated Teoing to take her soor Te nowhere fast He shifted gears "But, Te Boots away froreat job"

Temp perked up "Rat bad," he said with conviction

"Yeah," Gregor agreed "Rat very bad"

At that moment, Luxa appeared in the doorway Her silvery blond hair had grown out a little, she was a bit taller, but it was the lilac circles under those violet eyes that caught Gregor's attention He wasn't the only one who'd been having a rough tior the Overlander," said Luxa, approaching hi?" asked Gregor

Her hand reached up distractedly and gave a quick nudge to the gold band around her head Almost like she wanted to shove it off "Fine, I airl hadn't been sleeping well She did not look happy But she still had that arrogant tilt to her head, that half smile She still stood like a queen "So, you have come back after all"

"Didn't have or

"No," said Luxa stonily "You and I never seery I hungry!" said Boots

"We h his story

"You need to bathe and dine and then sleep Solovet says youon the morrow," said Luxa

"Says she so?" Vikus asked, sounding a bit surprised

"Yes Did she not tell you?" said Luxa, giving Vikus alook to which he did not respond They had a funny relationship Vikus was her grandfather but, since her parents had been killed by rats, he was also the closest thing she had to a father And he was supervising and training Luxa to take on the full responsibilities of being the queen of Regalia when she reached sixteen Gregor thought it s to each other

"I will see you on the field, Gregor, Ares," Luxa said, and left