Read Online Gregor the Overlander - 1 by Suzanne Collins - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Suzanne Collins
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Detective, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Brothers and sisters, Animals, Siblings, Missing Persons
Ads: Link
from the wind and the horror of what he'd witnessed. Of what he'd taken part in.
Boots was in better condition. Her backpack seemed to be waterproof, and she was pressed up against him. Still, her toes felt like ice when they brushed his arm.
Fatigue washed over Gregor, and he wished he could lie down, just lie down and fall asleep and wake up in his bed where he could see the car lights flashing across the walls. But he had given up thinking this was a dream.
What had happened to the Underlanders? Perdita? Her wounded bat? And Mareth's? If they died, it would be his fault. He wouldn't even try to argue that.
Just then Luxa appeared. Burning white with fury, she crossed the room and struck him on the face. His head snapped to the side and Boots let out a cry.
"No hitting!" she squeaked. "No, no, no hitting!" She shook her tiny index finger at Luxa.
Hitting was absolutely forbidden in Gregor's house, and it had only taken Boots a few time-outs to realize it.
Apparently it wasn't acceptable among the Underlanders, either, because Gregor heard Vikus's voice ring out sharply from the doorway. "Luxa!"
Looking like she'd love to slap him again, Luxa stalked to the mantel and glared into the fire.
"For shame, Luxa," Vikus said, crossing to her.
She turned on him, spitting venom. "Two fliers are down, and we cannot awaken Perdita because the Overlander must escape! Strike him? I say we throw him into the Dead Land and let him take his chances!" shouted Luxa.
"Be that as it may, Luxa, this is not seemly," said Vikus, but Gregor could see the news had upset him. "Both rats are dead?" he asked.
"Dead and in the river," said Luxa. "We scorched the land."
"This matter of 'we' you and I shall take up later," said Vikus severely. "The council is not pleased."
"I care not what pleases the council," muttered Luxa, but she avoided Vikus's gaze.
"So she wasn't supposed to be there," thought Gregor. "She's in trouble, too." He wished he could enjoy the moment, but he was too wracked with worry, guilt, and exhaustion to care.
Besides, Luxa had saved his life taking out Shed. He owed her one, he guessed, but he was still stinging from the slap, so he didn't bring it up.
"No hitting," said Boots again, and Vikus turned to them.
Like Luxa, Gregor was unable to meet his eyes.
"What did the Overlander, Luxa? Fight or flee?" asked Vikus.
"Henry says he fought," Luxa admitted grudgingly. "But without skill or knowledge of weapons."
Gregor felt like saying, "Hey, all I had was a stupid torch!" But why bother?
"Then he has much courage," said Vikus.
"Courage without caution makes for early death, or so you tell me daily," said Luxa.
"So I tell you and do you hear?" said Vikus, raising his eyebrows. "You hear not as he hears not. You are both very young for deafness. Unleash his hands and leave us," he said to the guards.
Gregor felt a blade cut through the ropes on his wrists. He rubbed the marks trying to restore circulation to his hands. His cheek throbbed, but he wouldn't give Luxa the satisfaction of seeing him touch it.
Boots reached over his shoulder and touched the creases on his wrists. "Ow," she whimpered. "Ow."
"I'm okay, Boots," he said, but she just shook her head.
"Gather us here," said Vikus, sitting at the table. Neither Gregor nor Luxa moved.
"Gather us here, for we must discuss!" said Vikus, slapping his hand on the stone surface. This time, they both took seats as far from each other as possible.
Gregor pulled Boots up over his head and out of the backpack. She settled on his lap, wrapping Gregor's arms tightly around her and looking at Vikus and Luxa with large, solemn eyes.
"I guess after tonight Boots won't think the whole world is her friend," thought Gregor.
She had to find out sometime, but it still made him sad.
Vikus began, "Gregor the Overlander, there is much you do not understand. You do not speak, but your face speaks for you. You are worried. You are angered. You
Boots was in better condition. Her backpack seemed to be waterproof, and she was pressed up against him. Still, her toes felt like ice when they brushed his arm.
Fatigue washed over Gregor, and he wished he could lie down, just lie down and fall asleep and wake up in his bed where he could see the car lights flashing across the walls. But he had given up thinking this was a dream.
What had happened to the Underlanders? Perdita? Her wounded bat? And Mareth's? If they died, it would be his fault. He wouldn't even try to argue that.
Just then Luxa appeared. Burning white with fury, she crossed the room and struck him on the face. His head snapped to the side and Boots let out a cry.
"No hitting!" she squeaked. "No, no, no hitting!" She shook her tiny index finger at Luxa.
Hitting was absolutely forbidden in Gregor's house, and it had only taken Boots a few time-outs to realize it.
Apparently it wasn't acceptable among the Underlanders, either, because Gregor heard Vikus's voice ring out sharply from the doorway. "Luxa!"
Looking like she'd love to slap him again, Luxa stalked to the mantel and glared into the fire.
"For shame, Luxa," Vikus said, crossing to her.
She turned on him, spitting venom. "Two fliers are down, and we cannot awaken Perdita because the Overlander must escape! Strike him? I say we throw him into the Dead Land and let him take his chances!" shouted Luxa.
"Be that as it may, Luxa, this is not seemly," said Vikus, but Gregor could see the news had upset him. "Both rats are dead?" he asked.
"Dead and in the river," said Luxa. "We scorched the land."
"This matter of 'we' you and I shall take up later," said Vikus severely. "The council is not pleased."
"I care not what pleases the council," muttered Luxa, but she avoided Vikus's gaze.
"So she wasn't supposed to be there," thought Gregor. "She's in trouble, too." He wished he could enjoy the moment, but he was too wracked with worry, guilt, and exhaustion to care.
Besides, Luxa had saved his life taking out Shed. He owed her one, he guessed, but he was still stinging from the slap, so he didn't bring it up.
"No hitting," said Boots again, and Vikus turned to them.
Like Luxa, Gregor was unable to meet his eyes.
"What did the Overlander, Luxa? Fight or flee?" asked Vikus.
"Henry says he fought," Luxa admitted grudgingly. "But without skill or knowledge of weapons."
Gregor felt like saying, "Hey, all I had was a stupid torch!" But why bother?
"Then he has much courage," said Vikus.
"Courage without caution makes for early death, or so you tell me daily," said Luxa.
"So I tell you and do you hear?" said Vikus, raising his eyebrows. "You hear not as he hears not. You are both very young for deafness. Unleash his hands and leave us," he said to the guards.
Gregor felt a blade cut through the ropes on his wrists. He rubbed the marks trying to restore circulation to his hands. His cheek throbbed, but he wouldn't give Luxa the satisfaction of seeing him touch it.
Boots reached over his shoulder and touched the creases on his wrists. "Ow," she whimpered. "Ow."
"I'm okay, Boots," he said, but she just shook her head.
"Gather us here," said Vikus, sitting at the table. Neither Gregor nor Luxa moved.
"Gather us here, for we must discuss!" said Vikus, slapping his hand on the stone surface. This time, they both took seats as far from each other as possible.
Gregor pulled Boots up over his head and out of the backpack. She settled on his lap, wrapping Gregor's arms tightly around her and looking at Vikus and Luxa with large, solemn eyes.
"I guess after tonight Boots won't think the whole world is her friend," thought Gregor.
She had to find out sometime, but it still made him sad.
Vikus began, "Gregor the Overlander, there is much you do not understand. You do not speak, but your face speaks for you. You are worried. You are angered. You
Similar Books
