Lords of Trillium by Hilary Wagner Page A

face.”
    Hecate looked at Vincent, who shifted anxiously on his feet, eyeing Juniper for a signal. “Texi, if you please, hold your knife to Vincent’s throat.”
    â€œWhat?” said Texi. “I—I can’t. Elvi, please.”
    â€œYou will be helping him,” replied Hecate, “allowing him to remain unharmed. Young male rats are unpredictable. They sometimes do silly things which will get them . . . 
hurt
.”
    Swallowing, Clover nodded at Texi. “It’s all right, Texi,” she said in the calmest voice she could muster. She let go of Vincent’s paw. “Do as she says.”
    Of his own accord, Vincent took two steps down, allowing Texi to stand above him on the stairs and hold the knife to his throat. “I’m so sorry,” she said weakly.
    â€œDon’t be sorry, Texi,” whispered Vincent. “You’re doing nothing wrong. It’s Elvi—or whatever her name is—who is to blame. She’s tricked all of us. Please, don’t let her trick you again.”
    Ulrich couldn’t take it anymore. He was distraught that he’d never spotted Elvi’s deception, and that she’d had her hooks in Texi all this time. He bolted to his feet. “Do you really think your little scheme will work?” he shouted. “Do you really think we’ll allow you to go back to the old ways?” Two guards grabbed for him, as did Ragan, trying to stop his brother from getting hurt. “High Minister, my backside!” A guard punched him in the ribs, but he would not relent. “Trilok was the real High Minister—the
only
High Minister!” The guard kickedRagan in the chest, hurling him back in his chair, while the other tripped Ulrich, knocking him to the ground, an ax aimed at his forehead.
    â€œUlrich!” yelled Texi.
    Hecate held up her paw. “It’s all right,” she said to the guard. “Let
former
Chief of Security Ulrich speak.” The guards dragged Ulrich to his feet and pushed him in front of her. Her mouth curved into a satisfied smirk as she spoke. “After all, if I’m not mistaken, it was you and your brother who enjoyed my tea
most
of all.”
    Her words struck Ulrich like a slap to the face. He stood before her and closed his eyes for a moment. Why had he never picked up on it before? He should have known! “The tea,” he said dimly, trying to keep himself together. “All along, it was your tea. It clouded our thoughts, didn’t it? Softened our judgment, bending us to your will.”
    â€œAh, at long last one of you fools figures it out,” said Hecate. “You’re a real detective, aren’t you? Too bad it took you so long.” She smiled at Texi. “These rats don’t deserve you. They have no spirit, not like yours, my little lion.”
    The majors laughed as Texi trembled, trying to blink her tears away. Ulrich looked up at her. “Texi, don’t listen to her, understand?” He looked at the other Council members. “We’re your friends. We care about you. She only cares about herself.”
    â€œYou all but
gave
her to me,” said Hecate. “None of you wanted to be troubled with poor pitiful Texi anymore. All of you were only too glad to shove her off on me!”
    â€œShut your deceitful mouth!” shouted Ulrich. “We trusted you. Texi admired you, but it was all a lie! Why, that senseless moth you keep caged in your quarters is of more value than you! You are nothing to her—you are nothing to any of us!”
    In a flash, Hecate took the knife aimed at Juniper andslashed Ulrich across his cheek, cutting him all the way to his lip.
    â€œHow’s that for nothing?” she said.
    He let out a wrathful howl, grabbing the side of his face, his paw quickly drenched in blood. He snarled at her and spat disdainfully on her feet.
    Vincent yelled from the altar, “I spent most of my