Mareth lifted a photograph off of the bedside table and handed it to him. "This?"
There they were. Luxa and Gregor. Dancing. Laughing. Captured in one of the few really happy moments they had shared. Just a few weeks ago at Hazard's birthday party. Gregor slid the photo into the pocket of his shirt. "Thanks."
Mareth did not make him explain that, either. Which was good because Gregor was not sure how to put into words what had begun to happen between himself and Luxa. How their rocky friendship was transforming into an entirely different relationship.
"My parents?" Gregor asked.
"Your father has been told of your safe return. A bat was sent to the Overland with the news as soon as you arrived. He said to tell you that your grandmother and sister Lizzie are well," said Mareth. Then he paused.
"And my mom?" Gregor prompted him.
"She has had a relapse," said Mareth.
"You mean the plague came back?" said Gregor anxiously.
"No, no, but an infection of her lungs," said Mareth. "She will mend but it has weakened her greatly."
This was not good. Whatever else happened, Gregor needed to get her home. If he had to die, he had to die. But that made it a hundred times more crucial for his mom and Boots to get back to New York City safely. His parents and grandma and sisters had to have one another.
The nurse brought another serving of pudding and left. Gregor no longer felt so hungry. He poked at the pudding with his spoon.
"Where are the rats now? The ones Ares and I saw headed for Regalia on our way back?" asked Gregor. "Have they attacked the city yet?"
"No. The rats turned back to the Firelands when they saw our troops fly over," said Mareth.
"What?" said Gregor in surprise.
"I am sure they mean to bolster the Bane's defenses," said Mareth.
"You mean... there's no one here to fight?" Gregor's mind suddenly cleared. He had completed this phase of his mission. He had brought back the kids and the wounded to Regalia. He had read "The Prophecy of Time." And most of all, he had taken possession of Sandwich's sword. His next step, he'd assumed, would have been to help defend Regalia from a massive rat attack. But there was no attack on Regalia. "This is bad," he mumbled. A rat army waiting at the walls of a well-fortified city was scary, but a rat army descending out in the open was much worse. So what was he doing here, lying in bed stuffing his face with pudding, while his friends were caught in a battle in the Firelands?
Gregor shoved his tray off of his legs so quickly that the bowls clattered to the floor. He jumped out of bed and grabbed the sword belt.
"What are you doing?" said Mareth.
"I'm going back," said Gregor. "I'm going back to fight those rats."
Chapter 2
Mareth rose to block his way. "Wait, Gregor. It is not so simple now. We are at war."
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about," said Gregor. His fingers fumbled in their eagerness to buckle on the belt. "Is Ares still in the hospital?" He knew his bond would be as anxious as he was to rejoin their friends.
"Yes, down the hall. But listen a moment —" Mareth began.
"Great, then we can get going," said Gregor. He moved for the door only to find he was being lifted in the air and thrust back against the bed. Mareth might have lost his leg, but he could still toss Gregor around, no problem.
"Listen!" said Mareth. "During wartime, you are a soldier. Perhaps the most valuable one we have. You cannot go running off when the mood strikes you. You will be expected to follow orders."
"Whose orders?" asked Gregor.
"Solovet's," said Marefh.
"Solovet's?" said Gregor, genuinely thrown. As far as he knew, she was no longer in a position to give anyone orders. "I thought she was locked up in her room and had to go on trial for causing the plague."
"The trial was put on hold once it was known that Luxa had declared war," said Mareth.