Lords of Trillium Read Online Free PDF Page A

looked at little Julius, and it was as though he were looking into a mirror, a vision of himself, only a great deal smaller. Intently, Billycan watched Silvius as the old rat extended a long, snow-white arm, grasping the fire poker in his tarnished yellow claws, his crimson eyes glinting off the dying embers. The little mirror image Billycan had seen in Julius had suddenly grown full size.
    Silvius was not exaggerating when he said
bad
tea. Apart from its burnt aftertaste, it was watery and flat, though tea was the last thing on Billycan’s mind. He glanced around the mildewed quarters as Ajax filled Silvius in on recent Toscan happenings. The room was a shambles. Ink-stained quills and crumpled papers were strewn about. Crates of rolled-up parchments and documents of all shapes and sizes were stacked in crooked towers all the way up to the ceiling; others were piled on anyavailable shelf, stool, or dresser. Ajax and Billycan managed to clear off two armchairs near the fire.
    The walls, once covered in fine cloth, had been painted black; drawings, words, and diagrams in white chalk scrolled across them, crowding together, forming a jumbled sea of frenzied thoughts and shapes.
    Silvius stood as he spoke, pitching his arms passionately, as though every word had profound meaning. “Hallowtide!” he declared after Ajax told him of their little celebration for the children. Abruptly he held an offended paw to his chest and gave Ajax a wounded look. “And why was
I
not invited? Surely the children would have delighted in my presence.”
    With a visible gulp, Ajax said evenly, “We didn’t want to keep you from . . . your work.” He nodded toward the muddle of words snaking across the walls. “We know how important it is, and your time—it’s so valuable.” He looked at Silvius expectantly, his expression an odd mix of dread and hope.
    Silent for a long moment, Silvius finally said, “Oh. Well of course!” Ajax exhaled. “My findings are quite pressing. I can’t be frolicking with little ones when there is work to be done.” His eyes twinkled. “Why, I haven’t thought of Hallowtide in decades. What a delicious, albeit creepy, occasion—stealing candy, scaring the life out of one another! What fun I used to have back in Trillium, skulking about, pretending to be Batiste. Oh, the days. . . .”
    Billycan studied Silvius from his chair. “That’s my birthday,” he said, almost in a whisper. “I was born on Hallowtide.”
    Silvius cocked his head, his left ear drooping slightly. His eyes widened. He regarded Billycan with a strange air. “Were you?” he asked.
    â€œYes . . . in a lab, in Trillium.” Billycan mustered a thin smile, hoping his comment didn’t spark questions about the lab, theshots . . . his mother. He tried to change the topic. “When did you leave Trillium?”
    Scratching his chin, Silvius leaned against the fireplace mantel, nearly setting the edges of his robe ablaze. “Probably before you were born,” he finally said. He shook his head rapidly. “In fact, I’m sure I had left Trillium by then. I’m far older than you, to be sure.” He leaned in, inspecting Billycan’s face. “How old
are
you? You’re battle-worn without a doubt, but by no means an old mossback like me!” He laughed. “Did you know, most rats pay little attention to their years in this world? Come to think of it, I can’t recall a single Toscan who’s mentioned his birthday.”
    â€œI’m—”
    Before Billycan could answer, Silvius snatched up a filthy mirror lying atop a stack of ragged maps and regarded himself. He yanked up a side of his mouth and inspected his ruddy gums and graying teeth. “I’m not entirely certain how old
I
am either, but I’m over one hundred, to be sure.”
    Billycan needed no