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Die his most essential part

He let the scroll snap shut He looked at Boots, as quietly singing "Ro Your Boat" while she drummed on Temp's shell She was so perfect, somehow, in that way little kids are perfect So innocent How did anyone think they were going to solve anything by killing her? And yet at thisthe Underland to do just that

"Can rats swi out into the water

"Yes, but not as far out as we are The rats cannot reach her here," Ares said, following his thoughts

But eventually they would have to land And there would be the Bane

"Have you ever killed a rat?" asked Gregor

"Not alone Together with Henry, yes I flehile he held the sword," said Ares

Then Gregor reor die on Henry's sword, back on that crystal beach But it was sort of a blur

"How do you do it? I mean, where exactly is it best towhere do you stab it?" The words felt strange in his mouth

"The neck is vulnerable The heart, but one h the eyes to the brain Under the foreleg is a vein that bleeds greatly If you strike at the belly, you may not kill instantly, but the rat will likely die within days froor But he didn't That is, he couldn't really see hi was surreal

"Is it okay if I'or

"I will be there, if it is at all possible," said Ares

"Thanks," said Gregor "Sorry I got you into this mess"

"You also freed me from one," said Ares And they left it at that

Mareth called a dinner break and passed around food The fireflies ate with gusto, even though they had just been fed

After everyone had eaten, Mareth lowered the sails in his boat and hooked the front of his craft to the back of Howard's with a towrope "Howard and I will take turns sailing the lead boat while the rest sleep But we need souard and one shiner on duty at all times"

"Zap will take the first shift," said Photos Glo "My light requires y"

"It is a lie!" howled Zap "I can only make one color, but the effort is the saiven more food and less work!"

"Photos Gloill take the first shift," said Twitchtip "Or I'll shred his wings into ribbons" So that settled that "Who wants to watch with hiuards every two hours or so," said Mareth

Gregor iped out, but he hated the idea of being woken up after an hour or two of sleep and then having to be on guard, so he volunteered to go first

In the lead boat, Howard took his place by the rudder to steer His bat folded its wings to sleep Twitchtip, who had barely alia, closed her eyes Zap's soft yellow light faded out, and she began to snore

Gregor took off Boots's life jacket, wrapped her snugly in a blanket, and settled her down next to Temp in the stern of their boat Ares perched next to them Mareth stretched out on the floor, with Andromeda nearby Photos Glo turned his bulb to a steady orange light and lit on the bow, a few feet in front of Mareth, illuor sat on a pile of supplies and laid his forearm across the side of the boat It was quiet except for the lapping of the waves, soft breathing, and firefly snores The rocking of the boat had a hypnotic effect His eyelids felt leaden

He had barely slept in daysthe rats were after Bootsmaybe he could just rest his head on his shoulderhe had to kill Ripredno, the Banehe had to kill the Banehow hts had he been down here?he had to kill so around his wrist "What, Boots?" hehim hard "What? You need a blanket?"

He tried to pull his ar up his aror's eyes flew open Boots was sleeping peacefully next to Temp, yards away from him He twisted his head to the side

Curled around his forearm was a slimy red tentacle