"There is no great joy in killing for any of us," said Luxa. "We do it to survive."
"So, what are you saying? You think he's a coward?" said Gregor.
"Not a coward in that he is afraid to die. But I think it is easier for him to live here in the jungle, than return and face his true life," said Luxa.
Gregor thought about it. First of all, living in the jungle was no picnic. And Hamnet had left everyone he loved behind. He couldn't have known he would meet an Overlander woman and have Hazard. He probably didn't think he would even live. He had given up everything, his home, his loved ones, his life, because he felt so strongly that what he did for Regalia was wrong.
"I don't know, Luxa. I think he made a pretty brave choice. And I think in his mind it was the only one he could have made," said Gregor.
"Perhaps. I do not know." Luxa gave her head a shake. "But would you have abandoned your family, Gregor?"
"That's different. My family doesn't even allow hitting," said Gregor. "Your family's always in a war."
"So is yours, now," said Luxa and ripped off a piece of duct tape with her teeth.
Hamnet had assembled all the available bundles in the haystack, so he came to help them tape up some more. Luxa and Hamnet avoided speaking much to each other. It was too bad, really, since Gregor actually liked them both and they were related and all. He wasn't exactly sure how to get them to talk, but he gave it a try.
"Man, you two sure look alike," he said. "You even smile the same."
Luxa and Hamnet glanced at each other warily but said nothing.
"So, Luxa must look just like her mom did, huh? Ripred said she was the spitting image of your twin," Gregor continued.
It was more of a question, so Hamnet had to answer. "It is remarkable how much she resembles Judith. Even as a baby —" He broke off.
"Oh, yeah, you must have still been around when Luxa was a baby," said Gregor.
"Yes, we were good friends then, Luxa and I. I took her on her first flier ride outside the city," said Hamnet.
"To the beach with the crystals," said Luxa softly.
Hamnet looked at her in surprise. "You remember that? You could not have been more than two years."
"Just bits and pieces. I still have a chunk of crystal. It is blue," said Luxa.
"And shaped like a fish," said Hamnet. "I remember." Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears. "Of everything I left behind in Regalia, Luxa, you were my greatest regret. You and your mother."
"You could have come and seen us," said Luxa and her voice sounded very young.
"No. I could never have left twice. You know how Solovet works. She would have had me leading an army again in no time," said Hamnet.
"She could not have forced you," said Luxa.
"Bet she could have," muttered Gregor. Solovet would have found a way to make her son fight again. Guilt. Shame. Duty. Something.
"I could not do that again," said Hamnet. "Not after...I still dream of it every night....The voices crying out for me to save them....And what did it solve? That battle at the garden? Nothing. It solved nothing at all. When it was over, the humans and gnawers hated one another more than ever. The Underland only became a more dangerous place."
There was a long pause in the conversation before Gregor spoke up again.
"So, don't you ever fight now? I mean, what if something attacks you or Hazard?" he asked.
"I do fight on occasion, but only as a last resort," said Hamnet. "It is a method of survival I have learned from Frill. It turns out there are many alternatives to violence if you make an effort to develop them."
"Like what?" asked Gregor.
"Well, say that Frill is in danger. Her first reaction is to make herself unseen. Camouflage," said Hamnet.
Gregor remembered the first time he'd seen Frill. He wouldn't have noticed her if she hadn't opened her mouth to catch Boots's ball. "Oh, right. So, what if that doesn't work?"
"Then she attempts to scare off whoever is threatening her. She hisses and opens her ruff, which makes her look much larger and more frightening," said Hamnet.
"Didn't work on Boots." Gregor laughed.
"No, Boots tried to frighten her right back." Hamnet grinned. "If Boots had been a true threat, Frill would have begun to lash her tail on the ground."
"And if something still tries to attack?" asked Gregor.
"She runs. Very fast, too, once she gets up on those hind legs. She runs to a place where the vines will support her weight and climbs high above her attacker," said Hamnet.
"But if there are no vines, and she is cornered, and something is trying to kill her?" said Luxa.
"Then she fights. She has very wicked teeth if she chooses to use them. But it is always her last choice, as opposed to the Regalians, who seem to conclude it is their only option almost immediately," said Hamnet. "Living out here, I have found that many creatures would prefer not to fight. But if your first instinct is to reach for your sword, you will never discover that." Gregor did not know if Hamnet had convinced Luxa he'd done the right thing, but at least she seemed to be considering it.
The field of starshade was about half harvested. They had a huge pile of the plants now. With every bundle he taped, Gregor could feel his heart grow lighter. They had the cure. All they had to do now was get it back to Regalia and into the victims. His mom would get better, and they could all go home. And if she still wanted to move to Virginia then, Gregor would be the first one packed.
For a few minutes he let his mind wander to his dad's family's farm in Virginia. It was pretty nice there, even if it was kind of far away from, well, other people and buildings and stuff. He loved New York City, he would miss his friends, but if it meant his family didn't have to spend every minute afraid, it would be more than worth it.
He was just thinking about how maybe he might learn to ride a horse when he saw Aurora's head snap up. Nike's went up, too. And suddenly, Ripred and Lapblood had their noses in the air. They were all facing the far end of the field.
"What? What is it?" said Gregor. Usually, the bats reacted to rats, but the rats were reacting as if something dangerous were around, too. "Is it some kind of plant?" He still felt shaky from the silvery flowers.
"No!" snarled Ripred. "How did they even get in here?"
"They ate their way in, I imagine," said Nike. Her wings were beating open and shut in apprehension.
"Who?" said Gregor, grabbing Boots up in his arms. "Who ate their way in?"
But before Nike could answer, Gregor saw the red wave beginning to seep into the field. They were so close together that they appeared to be one entity, a thick bloody liquid oozing toward him. He shot the beam of his best flashlight in that direction and could see the wave was made up of individuals.
Ants. Hundreds of red ants were descending on the field, destroying everything in their path.
CHAPTER 23
Ripred took command of the situation immediately.
"You!" he called to Aurora. "Get those pups and fly out of here. Take them to the nibblers and then back to Regalia if we don't show up in twenty-four hours!"
Hamnet swung Hazard and Boots up onto Aurora's back. "You look after Boots for us, all right, Hazard?" he said, giving his son a hug.
Gregor began to object. "No, I don't want Boots to go!"
"Aurora and I are bonds. We do not separate!" said Luxa.
"Your sister, Overlander, is about to be torn apart by cutters," said Ripred. "And I need you on Nike, Your Highness. Your bond is in no condition for battle."
"Battle?" said Gregor numbly. "The ants are here for a battle?"
"Well, they aren't here for a picnic! They're here to destroy the starshade and all the warmbloods along with it! Now move!" Ripred snapped his teeth at Aurora's shoulder and she shot into the air.