Page 9 (1/2)

Chapter 9

Gregor didn't even wait to change, he just took off at a run Underlanders did not use the word "ehtly What had happened? Had Boots fallen and hurt herself? Choked on soht directly to the hospital? Or was it soency? It was clear that she had worn out the patience of all of the other code-breakers Had one of the? Maybe Ripred had returned and threatened her in some way and she had lost it It was unlikely the cockroach or bat had harmed her And the reen spider! Maybe it had trapped her in its web Gregor still had a hard ti spiders His visit to their land, when he had thought they were going to have hi

As he sprinted down the narrow hallway his foot slid in so a trail all the way to the door "Boots!" he cried If they had hurt her, if they had harmed one hair on her head --

Boots flew into the hall "Gre-go! Gre-go!" she called in distress

He picked her up, running his hand through her curls, looking for injuries "What's the matter? Are you okay? Did somebody hurt you?"

"No, I aed on his shirt to or stepped inside There, crouched in the center of the stone floor, was his other sister, Lizzie

"Oh, no," said Gregor He had no idea how she'd gotten here or why she'd come But he knew this was no ti, either, she was hurting, because Lizzie was in thefor air, shaking like a leaf, and he could see the sheen of sweat on her palht-or-flight response hardwired into the adrenaline through your body This helped you either to fight off an adversary or run like crazy Gregor guessed hea panic attack of sorts in the museum when he finally admitted what "The Prophecy of Time" had in store for him That was pretty major But in people like Lizzie, it didn't take much to set off the response Sometimes she would have an attack for no apparent reason at all She would be in a state of extre to run froht of coive Lizzie an attack Now she was actually here, facing off with a roo to threaten her The mouse, bat, and spider were huddled in their rooms The cockroach had disappeared into its alcove entirely and drawn the curtain shut Temp had stayed, because he would never abandon Boots, but he had positioned hi to soothe her and looking on the verge of so Boots down and crossed to Lizzie "Whose blood is that?" he asked Nerissa

"Hernawers and he was clawed She is not injured, but we cannot quiet her," said Nerissa

"Yeah, I know She gets like this soor He sat behind Lizzie, pulled her back into his arms, and held her "Hey, Liz It's okay It's okay Nobody here is going to hurt you"

"Oh! Gregor! You have to -- coot the words out

"Why? What happened?" asked Gregor, suddenly feeling scared, too What had happened that was so dire that Lizzie had forced herself to come to the Underland?

"Grandain I can't take -- care of him!" said Lizzie

"What? But Dad's letters keep saying everything's okay" Had this stuff just happened or had his dad been concealing things to keep Gregor froor She had always been there for them before

"Stays with -- Grandma Really tired You have to -- come home!" said Lizzie And with that, she threw up all over the floor

Gregor held her while she heaved, trying to make sense of what she had said His probleiven little thought to as going on back hoain? It must really be bad

When Lizzie finally stopped retching, he picked her up and carried her over to the side of the roo her shake "It's okay It's going to be okay, Liz I'll take care of it," he said He had no idea even where to begin

"I brought -- a bag In my--backpack," Lizzie said

Her backpack was sitting next to the pool of voor asked

"I can do it," said Boots, running over to fetch hi, too!" Her chubby little fingers struggled with the zipper, but she got the pack open and pulled out a folded paper lunch bag

Gregor opened the bag up and put it to Lizzie's face "Breathe Nice and slo Nice and slow"

This helped, because people having panic attacks got too ave theor rubbed the tense muscles in Lizzie's back, and the co seemed to calm her down a little

"It's okay, Lizzie You're okay," said Boots, patting her big sister's hand Lizzie's attacks were one of the few things that upset Boots "I am here"

Nerissa summoned a pair of Underlanders, who quickly came in, cleaned up the vomit, and left Then all of the creatures sat still, as if they knew any movement on their part would only increase Lizzie's anxiety, while they waited to see ould happen

And this was how Ripred found the on in here?" His nose itching, clearly registering the lingering throw-up smell Then his eyes landed on Lizzie, and he became still, too, except for the tip of his tail, which twitched froor had never seen before If he had to put a naor would have called it tenderness The rat's voice becaentle "I didn't knoe had couess who you are You're Lizzie, aren't you?" Lizzie lifted her face froiant, scarred rat "You're Ripred," she whispered

"That's right I'et to meet you I wanted to thank you for all of the lovely snacks you've sent h point of or could notso nice to Lizzie? He had never been nice to Boots