The White Assassin (25 page)

Carn furrowed his brow, still skeptical of the earlier declaration. “Juniper, I don’t wish to argue your claim, but I’d be foolish if I didn’t ask how you came to learn he was your brother. How can you be so sure it’s true? Where is your
evidence?”

“That’s a fair question,” said Juniper, “Shortly after we brought Clover to Nightshade, she gave me a few things she thought Barcus
would have wanted me to have, among them a metal tag. It belonged to our mother from her time in the lab. On the front of the tag was etched the number 111 and the word ‘mother.’ On the back of the tag it read ‘Prince Laboratories’ and the date, October 31.

“On her deathbed, long before Kildeer came into power, my mother had told me about her time in the lab, letting me know the ugly truth of what happened there but never revealing that any of her litter had survived. She was a bit incoherent at the end, in and out of consciousness, but she kept mumbling about a white rat in the lab, whose cage was right across from hers—number 111. She said she’d looked at that rat every day, watching him grow from a fragile infant into the oversized rat he became, but never being close enough to speak a word to him. She kept saying, ‘My son, my son.’ She said, ‘He’s lost Topside. You must find him!’”

“That still doesn’t mean he’s your brother,” said Vincent. “You said it yourself—your mother was very ill, confused. If she was losing her grip on reality, she could have been talking about any number of rats—even you or Barcus. Back in the Combs, when Victor and I lost our guardian, Missus Cromwell, she was like that. All her thoughts were jumbled, Juniper. She had everything mixed up. Maybe that’s what happened to your mother.”

“My boy, I’ve wished many times for that to be the case, but facts ring louder than mere wishes. When Billycan attacked me all those years ago—you all know the story—I grabbed hold of that bony alabaster throat, trying to squeeze the life out of it. In the process I ripped off his lab tag, still attached to his neck. I kept it all this time, a sort of souvenir—something to keep me going after the attack, signifying who the citizens of the Catacombs were up against and why it was so important that Billycan be defeated.”

“It’s true,” said Cole. “When we pulled Juniper from the scene, bloody mess that he was, he insisted we take the tag.”

“I still have it, a grim reminder of how lucky I was to still be alive, disfigured or not. Billycan’s tag, number 111, with the word ‘offspring’ etched along the bottom. On the other side, ‘Prince Laboratories, October 31.’ My mother’s and Billycan’s tags are identical—mother and offspring, both numbered 111, both dated October 31. Without a shred of doubt, Billycan is my brother—born on Hallowtide, no less.”

Stunned, Clover suddenly looked at Juniper. “This means Billycan is my … uncle.”

Smiling weakly, Juniper nodded. “It also means little Julius is really a blood member of our family.” He leaned his head back, resting it on the chair, and looked up at the ceiling. “There was one night, back in the Combs, when I thought I’d lost you forever, that I would be the sole survivor of the Belancort Clan. Now I have a daughter, a brother, and a nephew—and of course I have you.”

Clover took a seat at the table. “I don’t know how to feel about this, Uncle.” She shook her head. “Billycan … family?”

Juniper rested a paw on Clover’s. “In the months I’ve been carrying this information, I’ve asked myself over and over—how can any of this be? How could the Saints do this to us, after all we’ve been through? But then it occurred to me, it is not for us to ask why. They have their reasons. Perhaps we’ll learn them in the future.”

“Perhaps,” said Clover, “but what about now?”

“Now we—”

“Juniper!” screamed a voice from down the corridor. “Juniper, he’s
gone
!”

“Maddy?” called Juniper, leaping up from his chair.

Clutching Nomi in her arms, Mother Gallo and Lali raced into the chamber. “Juniper, he’s gone!” she shouted once more.

“Who’s gone?”

“Julius,” she said, choking out his name. “He’s vanished! We’ve looked everywhere. He went missing during Longtooth’s reading at the library—we’ve been looking ever since! All the children and parents helped us search. He’s nowhere to be found!”

“We searched high and low,” said Lali. “We scoured the library, Texi’s quarters, your quarters, the city square, everywhere.”

“All right,” said Juniper, trying to keep his composure. “We’ll break into groups. Lali, please take Maddy and Nomi back to our quarters. He may have just wandered off for a while. You know how he is, always wanting to explore. He probably lost track of time. He could be sitting at home as we speak, wondering where we are. Cole, Virden, you come with me, we’ll search Nightshade Passage. Ragan and Ulrich, you take Bostwick Hall.” He ran an uneasy paw down his face. He looked at the younger rats. “Vincent, you and the others search everywhere else—any place you can think of. Pound on every door, call his name down every corridor. Enlist everyone in sight to aid in the search.”

“Wait,” said Carn. “Where is Oleander?” With all the excitement, he’d only just realized she hadn’t arrived yet. “She was supposed to meet us here. Juniper, she knew why we were coming to see you—about the Cortexa. She should have been here.”

“She left to have tea with Elvi,” said Clover, “to talk about their homelands, but she said she’d be gone only a short while. Maybe Julius is there! You know how close Texi and Elvi are! Maybe Julius thought Texi would be there.”

Sighing with relief, Mother Gallo put her paw over her heart. “Oh, Clover, I didn’t even think of that!”

“Okay, then,” said Juniper. “Children, start the search there. Meet us back at Nightshade Passage in exactly one hour’s time—or the moment you find them.”

Oleander awoke to a soft tapping on her cheek. “Oleander? Oleander, dear, it’s time to wake up. It seems you fell asleep while I was telling you about Tosca.” Elvi chuckled. “I must say, I thought I was a better storyteller than that!”

Oleander woke with a jolt. “What?” she said. “I—I fell asleep?”

“Why, yes, dear. You’ve been asleep for a few minutes. Are you sure you’re all right? I was just telling you how I landed in Tosca, and you nodded off. Don’t you remember?” Oleander shook her head. “You looked so peaceful. I let you rest while I made some more tea. Perhaps you’re under the weather.” Elvi set a paw on Oleander’s forehead. “After I came here from Tosca, I found myself sick often. I think the climate change is what did it. And you, coming from that hot, humid swamp. It only makes sense that you could have taken ill from Nightshade’s drafty corridors.”

Slowly, Oleander lifted her head. Everything felt fuzzy. “Now that you mention it, I really don’t feel like myself.” She looked around the room. “Are you sure it was only for a few minutes? It feels much longer.”

“Some of my deepest sleeps happen when I’ve been out for only a few moments. I wake up in such an awful haze. It seems like I’ve been asleep for hours.”

“Yes, that’s exactly how it feels.” Oleander rubbed her brow. “Maybe I’m just exhausted from the journey from the swamp—not to mention Texi’s snoring. I woke up so early this morning, but still, even tired, I never sleep during the day.” She smiled. “How rude you must think me. I was so interested in your story, too. I don’t know what came over me. I feel so silly.”

“You’ve nothing to feel silly for, darling, as long as you’re all right.”

Oleander stood and stretched. Her muscles were sore and her head ached. Elvi was right. She
must
be getting sick. She looked at the fire, still blazing, the same as when Elvi set it earlier. Surely if she’d been asleep longer than a few minutes, the fire would have died down. Everything seemed so foggy. She could barely remember their conversation … something about the rats taking Elvi onto the boat, that was all she recalled. She supposed it didn’t matter. She and Elvi could talk another time. Besides, she should leave—they were going to confront Juniper about the document they’d found. “Elvi, I really should go. I’m supposed to meet Clover back at her quarters.”

“But we’ve barely had a chance to talk. I want to hear about the swamp and your family.”

“I know, but I made a promise to be—”

“Elvi,” called Vincent, banging on the door. “We’re looking for Julius. He’s gone missing from the library. We thought maybe he’d come to see you.”

Oleander and Elvi looked at each other. Elvi raced for the door. “Vincent,” she said, wrenching it open. “He hasn’t been here. I have no idea where the poor dear could be.”

“We’ve been here since lunchtime,” said Oleander. “Where else might he have gone?”

“We don’t know,” said Carn, entering the room with the others. “No sign of him anywhere.”

“Oh dear,” said Elvi, shaking her head.

“What is it?” asked Clover.

“It’s just that … Clover, when I told you I was going to meet your uncle earlier, it was a white lie. I was going to see Billycan. I thought I could help get the truth out of him.”

“What of it?” asked Carn.

“Billycan remembers Julius. He told me no matter what, he would soon reclaim his son.”

“Billycan,” growled Vincent. “We need to see him—now! Maybe whoever the traitor is took Julius.”

“I have the key to his cell,” said Elvi, feeling around her neck. “Juniper gave it to me.” Suddenly she gasped, her eyes widening. “It cannot be!”

“What can’t be?” asked Vincent.

“The key … it’s gone!”

The guard lay facedown on the ground, just outside the door to Billycan’s cell. Vincent tried to rouse him, but he would not stir.

“He’s out cold,” said Vincent. “Someone knocked him out from behind. He’s got a sizable bump on the back of his head. He didn’t know what was coming.”

“His breathing is strong,” said Elvi, leaning over him. “Victor, go find Virden. He can help him. Then bring the others here.” Victor nodded and took off at a gallop, disappearing down the corridor.

“Elvi, please stay here and watch over him,” said Vincent, nodding at the guard. He picked up the fallen guard’s spear and approached the heavy wooden door leading to Billycan’s cell. Armed with only their claws, Suttor and Carn followed.

Carn turned to Oleander. “Stay here with Elvi and Clover,” he said. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“Boys,” said Clover, rolling her eyes. “They’ll never learn.” She raised her eyebrow at Carn. “We’re going too. You can’t stop us.”

“You forget,
Corn
, I’m just as strong as you,” said Oleander. “Maybe stronger.”

“Suit yourselves,” said Carn with a scowl. “Maddening sort, you two are.”

“Take it from me,” said Vincent, “they only get worse.” With that, Vincent kicked open the door.

They stormed the cell at full force, Vincent’s spear poised to strike, the others with claws at the ready. They halted dead in their tracks. The barred door hung wide open, blood smears everywhere, Billycan’s cot strewn with trails of murky crimson.

Elvi came in behind them. She covered her mouth and gasped.

The cell was vacant.

“Bless the Saints!” said Suttor. “What happened in here? Where’s Billycan?”

“Where’s Julius?” asked Vincent grimly.

H
OLDING HIS HAND SNUGLY
, Texi steered Julius down corridor after pitch-black corridor with nothing more than a small candle to guide them. They scuttled around fallen beams and heaping piles of powdery earth that had dropped from the crumbling ceilings of the Catacombs. Texi burned away scores of cobwebs with the candle’s flame.

“It’s dark, Texi, and cold,” said Julius uneasily. “I don’t like this place.”

“Don’t be frightened, Julius,” said Texi, putting an arm around him. “Everything will be all right. I promise.”

“But where are we going?” asked Julius.

“We’re going to see the aunties.”

“The aunties? I don’t think I have any aunties.”

“Well, they’re not
really
your aunties, but they said you should think of them that way. Besides, it’s easier to remember my sisters that way. There are ten of them, after all.”

“Why?”

Texi stopped walking. She knelt down in front of Julius and held him by the shoulders. “The aunties are friends of your father.”

Julius felt relieved hearing that. “They know Papa?”

“No … not your papa, not Juniper, your other father. You’ve never met him. His name is Billycan.”

Julius quieted, thinking. He shuddered as he heard something skitter in the walls behind him. Finally he said, “Texi, isn’t that the bad rat—the one that everyone talks about?” His voice dropped to a whisper. “The only albino left in all of Trillium.”

Texi cocked her head. “Julius, you’re an albino, too. Didn’t you know that?” Julius shook his head. “Why do you think you’re so special, with snow-white fur and eyes red like fresh apples? Why, you’re like no other rat in Trillium—
except
Billycan.” She smiled. “And Billycan would never be mean to you. I was promised. My sisters told me a boy should know his father, that it would be cruel of me to keep you from him. I couldn’t do that to you. Does that make sense?” Julius nodded. “You know what else? Billycan looks just like you.”