Something else caught his eye. It was a hard hat like construction workers wore. There was a built-in light on the front, so they could see in the inky tunnels beneath New York City. He grabbed the hat and crammed it on his head.
"We must go!" ordered Mareth. "We must get your sister and take flight!"
Gregor turned to follow him and then he saw it.
Root beer! An honest-to-goodness, unopened, only slightly dented can of root beer. It looked pretty new. He knew it was an extravagance, that he should only take essentials, but he had to have it. It was his favorite drink, plus it made him think of home. He stuffed the can in his bag.
The nursery was nearby. Gregor ran in and saw Boots sitting happily among three Underlander toddlers having a tea party. For a second, he almost changed his mind and left her there. Wouldn't she be safer here in the palace? But then he remembered the palace would soon be under siege by rats. Gregor knew he couldn't leave her to face that alone. Whatever happened, they would stay together.
Dulcet quickly helped Gregor into a backpack and slid Boots inside. She fastened a small bundle to the base of the backpack. "Catch cloths," she said. "A few toys and some treats."
"Thanks," said Gregor, grateful someone had thought of the practical side of traveling with Boots.
"Fare you well, sweet Boots," said Dulcet. She kissed the baby's cheek.
"Bye-bye, Dul-cee," said Boots. "See you soon!"
That was what they always parted with at Gregor's house. Don't worry. I'll be back. I'll see you soon.
"Yes, I will see you soon," said Dulcet, but her eyes filled with tears.
"Take care, Dulcet," said Gregor, giving her hand an awkward shake.
"Fly you high, Gregor the Overlander," she said.
In the High Hall, the mission was readying for departure. Several bats had lit on the ground and were being loaded with supplies.
Gregor saw Henry hugging a painfully thin teenage girl good-bye. She was weeping uncontrollably despite his attempts to comfort her.
"The dreams, brother," she sobbed, "they have worsened. Some terrible evil awaits you."
"Do not distress yourself, Nerissa, I have no plans to die," said Henry soothingly.
"There are evils beyond death," said his sister. "Fly you high, Henry. Fly you high." They embraced, and Henry swung up onto his velvety black bat.
Gregor watched nervously as the girl came his way. He could never think of the right things to say when people cried. But she had pulled herself together by the time she'd reached him. She held out a small roll of paper. "For you, Overlander," she said. "Fly you high." And before he could answer, she had moved away, leaning on the wall for support.
He opened the paper, which wasn't paper but some sort of dried animal skin, and saw that "The Prophecy of Gray" had been carefully written upon it. "That's so weird," thought Gregor. He had been wishing he could read it again to maybe figure more of it out. He had meant to ask Vikus but had forgotten in the rush. "How did she know I wanted this?" he murmured to Boots.
"Nerissa knows many things. She has the gift," said a boy mounting a golden bat beside him. On second glance, Gregor realized it was Luxa, but her hair had been cropped off close to her head.
"What happened to your hair?" asked Gregor, stuffing the prophecy in his pocket.
"Long locks are dangerous in battle," said Luxa carelessly.
"That's too bad, I mean -- it looks good short, too," said Gregor quickly.
Luxa burst out laughing. "Gregor the Overlander, think you my beauty is of any matter in such times?"
Gregor's face felt hot with embarrassment. "That's not what I meant."
Luxa just shook her head at Henry, who was grinning back at her. "The Overlander speaks true, cousin, you look like a shorn sheep."
"All the better," said Luxa.. "For who would attack a sheep?"
"Baa," said Boots. "Baaaa." And Henry laughed so hard, he almost fell off his bat. "Sheep says baa," Boots said defensively, which set him off again.
Gregor almost laughed, too. For a moment, he had felt as if he were among friends. But these people had a long way to go before he could consider them friends. To cover his slip, he concentrated on finding a comfortable way to carry his leather bag that would leave his hands free. He tied it to the side strap of the pack.