Page 18 (1/2)

Chapter 18

It started simply, with just one claw on one stone surface Then another and another joined it until the scratching rang through Regalia, blocking out any other sound

"I've heard that before" Gregor had to raise his voice for Howard to hear hi pretty near like it"

"In the Underland?" asked Howard

"No, in my apartment back home Ripred sent a bunch of s for the plague or

"And did it scare you?" asked Howard

Gregor re to escape the claws that were threatening to break through the plaster "You bet"

"Then I am less ashamed to admit it scares me as well," said Howard "It is only to affect our minds The rats cannot possibly scratch their way into the palace"

"Well, it works," said Gregor He needed to get away from the creepy sound, before it really did a nuet me back to the code room? I could lie down there"

Now that his ribs were back in place, Gregor could walk okay "But do not try any strenuous movements for a while," Hoarned hiain If they do and I am not there to help you, you kno to re salts with you" He pressed a sor's hand

"Great," thought Gregor "Not only do I have to breathe until I black out, I have to revivein the High Hall that seemed a little whiny The floor was sticky with blood Many of the injured had not been attended to yet "You stay here, Howard I can get to the code room on my own," he said

"I will stop by later to check on your condition," said Howard

"Whenever you get a chance Really, I'h the crowded halls toward the code rooet by, please?"

A path opened when people saas asking Many of the Underlanders reached out to touch him or allowed themselves a smile Some seemed amazed to see him at all "You live!" cried out one old an to worry what ruotten back to his sisters and tried to ot back to the code roo on Ripred's shoulder while the rest of the code tea Lizzie's hair, but she looked on the verge of tears herself It was like a dress rehearsal of ould happen when he really was killed Gregor wished he could have avoided seeing it

"There, what did I tell you? He left the battle alive," said Ripred, nudging Lizzie's chin so her head turned to see Gregor "He's just fine"

"Gregor!" said Lizzie "I thought you were dead!"

"No, just kind of bruised up," said Gregor, rubbing his hand over his bandage

"Gre-go!" Boots ran over, stood on her tiptoes, and planted three kisses on the bottos "All better?" she asked

"All better Thanks, Boots," said Gregor

"You ht have sent word of your whereabouts," said Ripred reproachfully "We lost track of you after you retreated That was hours ago"

Gregor had the feeling the rat would really like to bite his head off, but he didn't dare do anything else to upset Lizzie "Oh, my ribs were messed up Couldn't do much until Howard and a doctor found me and popped the" Luxa had appeared in the arch of the rat roo

"Yeah, a lot like when Aurora dislocated her wing in the jungle," said Gregor "Now she's as good as new, and so a The cockroach had a clean shirt in his or tried hard not to wince as he put it on Clearly he had to downplay his injury ason here? Any luck with the code?"

But apparently this was the wrong thing to say because it only set Lizzie off on a fresh round of sobs

"No, we have not had any luck on the code, because your poor sister has been so worried about you," said Ripred "It has cost us precious hours"

"It's not his fault I'ood at all If the rats coht I'm worthless," Lizzie choked out

"Don't be ridiculous You can't throw a rock without hitting thirty warriors down here, but code-breakers are as rare as trees," said Ripred

"I'm not the code-breaker I want to be, but I'm not Maybe it's Boots after all," said Lizzie

"Well, stranger things have happened, but I' on you," said Ripred "Now cli?" asked Lizzie

"Yes, I'," Ripred said "Solovet , Lizzie scooted up onto Ripred's back She lay on her stomach with her elbows on his head and peered down at a strip of cloth on the floor "Maybe if we reversed the Copernicus Cipher," she said, wiping her nose on her sleeve

"Let's give it a try," said Ripred The rest of the code teaathered around and silence fell on the roo It was very faint here, so far froor could still hear it

Luxa ca?" He nodded and let her lead hiratefully sank onto the bed, positioning hiht side to avoid any pressure on his bruised ribs and the wound on his hip She sat next to hi his hand "One or the other of us always seeet to see each other," said Gregor

"True enough," said Luxa "They say you and Ares fought the Bane or

"Well, not Ripred But he did admit you did better than he had hoped And then he took all of the credit for it," said Luxa

They both laughed, and there was Ripred's nose poking over the end of the bed "So to work, if you don'tthis code is, do I?"

"No, we are sorry," said Luxa

"Why don't you two do soor asked

"Like running some nize it as so other than a tail It will at least keep her out of everyone's hair," said Ripred "Report anything of interest, just in case she is the princess"

"I know 'WHAT SHE SAW, IT IS THE FLAW OF THE CODE OF CLAW,' " said Luxa

"Whatever that or mumbled to Luxa after Ripred had left