Lords of Trillium by Hilary Wagner Read Free Book Online

the guard at our sector’s exit, who was preoccupied with another citizen, and set off Topside on his own.”
    â€œYou’re lucky you were not seen by the guard. He would have skinned you alive,” said Ulrich.
    â€œIt was a foolish thing to do,” said Duncan. “I know.”
    â€œHow did you survive Topside all alone, lad?” asked Ragan. “It’s dangerous enough for a full-grown rat.”
    â€œI found my way to the city museum quite by accident. I lived there for about a week until I decided to come home.” Duncan sighed longingly. “I—I loved it there. It was so different from the gloomy Catacombs, so much to explore.”
    â€œAnd you still remember it,” asked Virden, “after all this time?”
    Cole smiled proudly at his adopted son. “Duncan’s memory is as sharp as a tack when it comes to that museum. I wish I’d known he knew the place so well
before
you and I set out on our little investigation last year.”
    â€œAgreed,” said Virden. “The museum is near impossible to navigate without a map of some sort. Your help will be most valuable, Duncan.”
    â€œI’ll gladly guide you through the museum,” said Duncan. “I wanted to take my brothers back to the museum after I returned, but the army quickly rounded us up. There was something special about that place—and more than just the fact that it was far away from the Catacombs. If I hadn’t missed my brothers so much, I never would have left.”

CHAPTER FOUR
Bed Bugs
    B ILLYCAN ENTERED THE STOREROOM as if his worst enemy waited inside. His mind raced back to the Bloody Coup. He’d carried out his plan with ease that night, but he remembered wondering at the time where Hecate was.
    How naturally High Major Hecate had taken to his ways! Before Hecate, Billycan never valued the few females who had joined Killdeer’s ranks, but she changed all that. His eyes flashed with twisted approval as he recalled her talent for torture. She’d enjoyed it just as much as he did, possibly more. How effortlessly she’d killed, a deft hand with both sword and dagger.
    â€œThe blasted flood!” he shouted. He slashed at the golden tapestries that covered the walls, shredding them to ribbons, carving the wall with deep claw marks. “It ruined all my plans for her!”
    Certainly the Great Flood had many benefits at the time.It was the event that had allowed them to take over the Catacombs. It had covered up his crimes that night, too—the murder of Julius Nightshade and his wretched wife and children. If only he’d gotten to those scrawny brothers sooner, before they could escape! Hecate was supposed to be by his side that night, taking the lead! Vincent and Victor would have been hacked to pieces along with their Loyalist father. They never would have escaped! How different everything would have been. Before he saw her back in Nightshade, he’d thought she’d simply been stranded in Tosca all this time since the flood—but no! She’d been plotting, scheming, ruling a kingdom, dripping with silk and jewels. “Garish little shrew! Selfish little fiend!” he screamed.
    â€œThe little traitor snake, with her lying serpent tongue!” Billycan roared, his wrathful shrieks growing louder with every word. He scrambled up a stack of crates and grabbed for the velvet curtains that hung from the ceiling, swinging across the room as he ripped them to the ground.
    His chest burned. He couldn’t breathe. Panting, Billycan grabbed his knees and put his head down, thinking his heart might burst if he couldn’t catch his breath. As he looked up he caught his reflection in the mirror. He stared intently at himself. Foam dripped from his mouth down his chest. His teeth were bared, ready to rip out the throat of anyone who might dare cross his path. His eyes glowed an acrid copper. The sight made him smile.
    Dragging