Gregor and the Prophecy of the Overland (Book VI)

Bloodstain

    "Is she going to be alright?" I ask the doctor after they put she-bat to sleep. We're standing in the hallway outside her room. I've been waiting here, out of sight until they finished stitching her up.
    "She has lost her bond, Overlander." He says. "She will mend, but she will never be alright."
    I know all too well what he means. I find myself realizing how similar our sadness is. We both lost a bond. Both of our bonds were killed by someone evil. And both of us have someone to blame. But it seems like we're both blaming me. I can't ever help thinking that if I hadn't told Ares to get in closer, hadn't urged him to attack, had only moved a little faster, then maybe he would be alive, too.
    The she-bat also blames me. She said I brought someone here. Someone who had killed her bond. I find myself thinking of the shadowy man in the tunnels over the Waterway. Could he be the one to blame? Or is it really my fault... Could this be a result of the prophecy I started?
    The questions keep swirling through my head as I make my way to the baths. I can't go anywhere else until I change and get rid of the fake blood.
    In the water I scrub at the red stains on my hands. But--just like before--the blood won't come off. It leaves it's mark and I know that I deserve it. The flier was hurt and her bond died because of me. Their blood is on my hands.
    I scrub at the stains until my skin is red and raw but it doesn't fade. My shoulders and back are bruised from being slammed into the ground. I rub soap through my hair and find a big lump from where it struck as well. I'm lucky I don't need stitches. But I do have a headache.
    I climb out of the tub and hurry to dry myself off. A set of silver Underland clothes--including a pair of soft gray boots--is sitting on the stone bench. My Overland outfit is nowhere to be found. After I'm dressed I step outside to find an unfamiliar guard waiting for me.
    "Overlander." He bows. "I was sent to tell you that your clothes are being cleaned and washed. They will be placed in your quarters along with the sword you used during training today." I'm not surprised about the clothes. It seems that since humans are on peaceful terms with all the Underland species, there's no need to rid me of my Overland scent. "Also Queen Luxa requests your presence. She is on the outer wall. I have my flier waiting if you do not wish to walk."
    "Thank you." I say and wonder why Luxa would want to meet with me so soon after training. Doesn't she know that I want to be alone? Maybe she wants to discuss what this could mean for the prophecy. "I'll be up on the wall in just a minute. I need to grab something from my quarters first." The word 'quarters' instead of 'room' comes so easily that I surprise myself. I've spent so much time in this place that I'm starting to sound like an Underlander. Pretty soon I'll be saying 'shall not' and words like 'mend' instead of fix. My vocabulary grade will go up, that's for sure.
    I hurry to Luxa's quarters and find my sword already propped against the bed I slept in the night before. I quickly buckle it on, trying hard not to think about whose blood had stained it only hours ago.
    The flight to the outer wall is quick and the guard doesn't speak again. I arrive to find Luxa and Aurora standing alone, gazing out on what had been a battlefield months ago. Patches of black oil still sit beneath the walls, but the bodies and blood have been washed away. I again push away memories that would freeze me in my tracks.
    I thank the flier and guard, then hurry over next to Luxa, slipping my hand in hers. It's strange how much closer we are now than when I left the Underland. It's as if our time apart has brought us together. Before my departure it would have never been this easy to hold hands with her. I probably would have been too scared to even think about it. But there's something about shared trials that brings people together. Blood memories have beset us both.
    "Greetings, Overlander." Aurora hisses.
    "Good to see you, Aurora." I say, relieved to be united with another one of my Underland friends. It helps to fill the hole Ares left.
    "I've been thinking about the prophecy." Luxa says. Great. She's probably come to the same conclusion as I have: that I am to blame for the Underlander dying. But strangely, when Luxa turns her blazing violet eyes on me, her anger is directed for a different reason. "And this is not your fault, Gregor. Don't you dare to think that for even a second. You are meant to be here because we need your help. We need the Warrior. Someone else is attacking us and would have even if you had not returned. So don't put the fault on yourself because you are not to blame!"
    I'm taken aback by her tone. Of course she knows me well enough to know I blame myself. But why is she so angry about it? "Luxa--"
    "We don't have anymore time to discuss it now, Gregor." Her voice is softer but still insistent. "Just promise me you will not blame yourself."
    "I promise." I hold her gaze and squeeze her hand in gratitude. She has somehow made me feel a whole lot better about accidentally wounding the she-bat.
    "Good." Luxa turns back to Regalia. Something about her manner surprises me. At first I can't put my finger on it but then I see the way she squares her shoulders and lifts her chin. She's done this before but this time it seems different. But why? "There he is."
    "Who?" I ask, but the question is answered when a small figure on a white bat comes into view flying toward us. It takes me a moment to recognize the black shaggy hair. But how could I not recognize him? After all he did try to kill me a few hours ago...
    "Thank you for coming, Kel." Luxa says when the bat lands. Kel dismounts and crosses to us, keeping a respectful distance to the Queen.
    "I could hardly refuse the orders of my Queen." Kel bows to Luxa, then directs a disdainful look at me. Anger flashes in his green-flecked eyes.
    "You could always have refused if you so wished." Then I realize what I saw differently in Luxa a moment ago. There's a regal, confident air about her. Something she hadn't possessed before I left Regalia, before she truly assumed her role as Queen. Now as she converses with Kel I hear the formality and regality.
    "If I wished to be placed behind bars then yes, I could have refused." Kel argues.
    "It was a request, not an order." Luxa's annoyance is obvious.
    "It didn't sound much like it when the messenger held a sword..."
    "All the guards have swords in the castle, Kel. You know this!"
    "That doesn't change the circumstances."
    "You are impossible!" Luxa's formal bearing shatters and she whips around to gaze back across the battlefield. My hand comes loose from hers.
    I eye Kel to find him strangely grinning. He tried to get Luxa riled up and it worked, although I don't see the point. Both of us were requested to meet her here and I want to know why. So I try to draw Luxa back toward us. "So why did you request for us to come?"
    Luxa sighs. "This should not be discussed here. We must go to the cave first so as not to be found." I don't have to ask about the cave. I know she's referring to the cave Ares and Henri used to keep stocked with supplies before they died. There was no correlation between their deaths however. Ares died a hero, Henri a traitor.
    "Alright." I follow Luxa onto Aurora. Kel mounts his own flier, a small bat with stark white fur and dark eyes. The two look strange together: a dark haired human in dark clothes and a small pale bat too white to ever blend into darkness.
    My head aches during the flight to the cave. I just want to close my eyes and sleep, despite it hardly being lunchtime. Lunch. My stomach growls. I skipped breakfast before training and now I'm regretting it. I should have at least grabbed a piece of bread. Oh well, too late now.
    As we fly I practice my echolocation in the dark. I slow my breathing so air is continuously moving in or out of my lungs, creating an unending, shifting noise. I'm quiet enough that even Luxa in front of me won't be able to hear. But I achieve the desired result: a continuous view of the stone walls around us, Kel following on his bat, and the crashing Waterway beneath. My vision is so clear that i can see better with echolocation than with my eyes. I can see every crack and crevice in the rock, every drop of spray from the river, every fleck of warm green in Kel's eyes that bore into the back of my head. I can sense the heat in his gaze and for a moment I even think I can see anger. But that's not something I should be able to sense without actually looking at him. It has to be my imagination.
    There is something strange about Kel though. His green-flecked eyes remind me of Hazard's--Luxa's Halflander cousin. And despite Kel being my age, I haven't ever seen him until this morning's training, although I went to several of the lessons before leaving the Underland. Kel is also such a good fighter that I would think he would have fought in the battle against the rats. But I didn't notice any scars on his arms when we trained. Even being a rager I still have plenty of them all over my body. Something just doesn't add up with Kel. He doesn't seem to fit. I want to ask Luxa about it, but before I can the cave comes into view and we land.
    I'm surprised to find Ares' cave full of supplies. There are blankets, torches, fuel, clothes, non-perishable food, and even a couple of swords and knives. This is obviously Luxa's doing. Maybe this was something to keep her busy over the last few months: smuggling supplies out to the cave as a precaution.
    Kel and his white bat land moments after Aurora and us. Being in this place reminds me so much of Ares that I have to resist the urge to scan the Waterway for him to join us. He's gone, and won't ever be back, but I can't help but hope to see him again. Strangely Aurora and the white bat don't crouch next to each other, but as far apart as the small cave will allow. They obviously don't get along.
"Now we can speak freely." Luxa says and fumbles in the dark for one of the torches. I come up beside her and light it easily, able to see everything while she's blinded. She gives me a grateful smile before turning back to our companion. "Kel, there has been a prophecy."
I expect the boy's eyes to widen, for fear to cross his arrogant face. But he simply nods and waits for Luxa to continue.
       "The prophecy tells of Overlanders threatening the Underland. Do you know anything of this?"
Kel shakes his head and I wonder why Luxa is asking him. Is he a Half-lander like Hazard? Or descended from one? That would explain the green eyes.
"I know nothing of an invasion..." Kel elaborates. "But I may know someone who can tell us if something is going on. That depends on how the Overlanders are invading. Is it through the tunnels over the Waterway? From the park entrance? Or that laundry room?"
Kel's obvious knowledge of the Overland is a bit surprising. I'll have to ask Luxa about him as soon as we're alone. "I saw a man in the tunnels under the park when I came here." I answer, then describe the encounter and how he threatened to kill me.
Kel nods again in confirmation. "Then I do know someone who may be able to tell us about that man's activity. But you're not going to like where he lives."
"And why wouldn't I?" Luxa challenges.
"Because I believe you lost a few friends near the place. And because Greenthorn will not show himself if their are fliers present. He is deathly afraid of them, despite the absurdity of it. So we will have to walk much of the way."
"Alright then, but where is it specifically? I have lost many friends in the battles of late." Luxa says lightly, but I can hear the pain in her voice. The sorrow for her people in general, and more specifically for Thalia. Ares, Pandora, Henry and everyone else we've lost. I can't but help think of Twitchtip too. I really hope we don't have to visit the pit she starved in. But nothing could be worse than returning to the cave where I killed the Bane. I reach out and grip Luxa's hand tightly, warding off the memories.
"The place I am speaking of will be too dangerous for you to visit, Queen Luxa. The Council will not consent to let you leave." Kel grins playfully and I find myself shifting closer to Luxa, unsure if his smile is more than just a friendly gesture.
"In case you haven't noticed, Kel." I say. "We have already left Regalia. Without the Council's consent. All we need to know is where to go."
Kel turns his grin on me, the expression transforming into a smirk. "Well, Warrior. You would know the place as well. Do you want to go back to Hamnet's grave?"