Read Online The White Assassin by Hilary Wagner - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Hilary Wagner
Ads: Link
Billycan. “So she has chosen our esteemed snake killer as a mate?”
“Yes sir,” said Cobweb. “Mannux is pleased with his daughter’s choice.”
“Mannux would be pleased if she chose a raccoon, the dithering old fool. It is a pity, though,” said Billycan. “It seems a shame for one so pretty to unite with a swamp dullard, even if she herself is one. Of no matter. Victory is far more important than the intricacies of the horde’s mating rituals. Go fetch this snake killer. Stono, I’m sure, is being his slow, cloddish self, plodding along as if he had bricks for feet. Billycan will not be made to wait any longer.”
“Yes sir,” said Cobweb, dashing off to find them.
“Montague,” barked Billycan, glaring up at him. “What’s wrong with you? You seem out of sorts.”
“Sorry, sir,” said Montague, trying to hide his anxiety. “I was thinking of the attack, going over our directives in my head. I want things to go perfectly.”
“Well, be seated. Seeing you fidget over me from the corner of my eye makes me uneasy. Never has Billycan seen a rat so constantly racked by nerves.”
Montague did as he was told, forcing himself not to wring his paws as he took his seat. He’d already drawn enough attention to himself. “Sir,” said Montague, thankful to see his brother reappear from the dark, “they’re here.”
Billycan rose to his feet, eager to meet his newest enforcer. His arrogant expression quickly knotted into unqualified disapproval as Corn the snake killer made his entrance. The rat’s face was absurd, his muzzle round and bulbous, his lips stretched like a carp’s! It was almost insulting to see a pretty rat like Oleander hanging on him so.
Thicket and Stono ran up to Billycan. “Here he be!” announced Thicket proudly. “Corn, the snake killer!”
The bugbane suddenly hit Billycan’s nostrils. Stepping back in disgust, he folded his arms and inspected Carn doubtfully. “So, you’re the snake killer Thicket has been pestering me about. Is it you who kills them, or that putrid scent wafting from your hide?”
Carn stuck his chin out proudly. “I rip their jaws to pieces,” he said boldly. “Then I pull them apart, right down the middle. That be how I kill the snakes.”
Carn’s wheezy voice and clogged nose did not help Billycan’s impression of him.
“Sir,” said Thicket, pushing in between them, “Corn smell bad,’cause he fell in some bugbane and then a bee done bit him on the nose, puffing up his face.”
Billycan rolled his eyes. It all made sense now. Corn no doubt looked like a typical swamp rat beneath all the swelling. “Yet another idiot Billycan must endure,” he grumbled. Carn’s ears perked at the remark. At least he knew his disguise was working.
“Oh, how absolutely horrid,” said Billycan, feigning concern. “What an awful chain of events for our esteemed snake killer.” He looked at Oleander, who hung on Carn like a new appendage. “Miss Oleander, I see you’ve found yourself a friend.”
“Yes sir,” she said, “swept me off my feet, Corn did!”
There was something about Oleander that appealed to Billycan, something different—something familiar. He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Well, then,” he purred in an oily tone, “you and your snake killer must sit at my side.” He took her paw in his and patted it gently. “Would you like that, my dear?”
Despite her physical urge to recoil at his cold, bristly touch, Oleander batted her eyelashes and smiled shyly. “Yes, indeed. That would be just fine.”
His hackles rising, Mannux held himself back from sinking his teeth into Billycan’s white neck. Oleander turned to her father. She grabbed his arm, pulling herself free from Billycan’s grip. “Papa, ain’t this wonderful? We can all sit together!”
“Yup,” said Mannux stiffly. “It be wonderful news.”
“It’s settled, then,” said Billycan. “Let’s all take our places. The horde grows restless for
“Yes sir,” said Cobweb. “Mannux is pleased with his daughter’s choice.”
“Mannux would be pleased if she chose a raccoon, the dithering old fool. It is a pity, though,” said Billycan. “It seems a shame for one so pretty to unite with a swamp dullard, even if she herself is one. Of no matter. Victory is far more important than the intricacies of the horde’s mating rituals. Go fetch this snake killer. Stono, I’m sure, is being his slow, cloddish self, plodding along as if he had bricks for feet. Billycan will not be made to wait any longer.”
“Yes sir,” said Cobweb, dashing off to find them.
“Montague,” barked Billycan, glaring up at him. “What’s wrong with you? You seem out of sorts.”
“Sorry, sir,” said Montague, trying to hide his anxiety. “I was thinking of the attack, going over our directives in my head. I want things to go perfectly.”
“Well, be seated. Seeing you fidget over me from the corner of my eye makes me uneasy. Never has Billycan seen a rat so constantly racked by nerves.”
Montague did as he was told, forcing himself not to wring his paws as he took his seat. He’d already drawn enough attention to himself. “Sir,” said Montague, thankful to see his brother reappear from the dark, “they’re here.”
Billycan rose to his feet, eager to meet his newest enforcer. His arrogant expression quickly knotted into unqualified disapproval as Corn the snake killer made his entrance. The rat’s face was absurd, his muzzle round and bulbous, his lips stretched like a carp’s! It was almost insulting to see a pretty rat like Oleander hanging on him so.
Thicket and Stono ran up to Billycan. “Here he be!” announced Thicket proudly. “Corn, the snake killer!”
The bugbane suddenly hit Billycan’s nostrils. Stepping back in disgust, he folded his arms and inspected Carn doubtfully. “So, you’re the snake killer Thicket has been pestering me about. Is it you who kills them, or that putrid scent wafting from your hide?”
Carn stuck his chin out proudly. “I rip their jaws to pieces,” he said boldly. “Then I pull them apart, right down the middle. That be how I kill the snakes.”
Carn’s wheezy voice and clogged nose did not help Billycan’s impression of him.
“Sir,” said Thicket, pushing in between them, “Corn smell bad,’cause he fell in some bugbane and then a bee done bit him on the nose, puffing up his face.”
Billycan rolled his eyes. It all made sense now. Corn no doubt looked like a typical swamp rat beneath all the swelling. “Yet another idiot Billycan must endure,” he grumbled. Carn’s ears perked at the remark. At least he knew his disguise was working.
“Oh, how absolutely horrid,” said Billycan, feigning concern. “What an awful chain of events for our esteemed snake killer.” He looked at Oleander, who hung on Carn like a new appendage. “Miss Oleander, I see you’ve found yourself a friend.”
“Yes sir,” she said, “swept me off my feet, Corn did!”
There was something about Oleander that appealed to Billycan, something different—something familiar. He chuckled at her enthusiasm. “Well, then,” he purred in an oily tone, “you and your snake killer must sit at my side.” He took her paw in his and patted it gently. “Would you like that, my dear?”
Despite her physical urge to recoil at his cold, bristly touch, Oleander batted her eyelashes and smiled shyly. “Yes, indeed. That would be just fine.”
His hackles rising, Mannux held himself back from sinking his teeth into Billycan’s white neck. Oleander turned to her father. She grabbed his arm, pulling herself free from Billycan’s grip. “Papa, ain’t this wonderful? We can all sit together!”
“Yup,” said Mannux stiffly. “It be wonderful news.”
“It’s settled, then,” said Billycan. “Let’s all take our places. The horde grows restless for
Similar Books
