The old man grinned white, exhaled grey. ‘Excitable one, aren’t you?’ ‘What do you bloody expect? Did you see that thing?’ Aelius blinked. ‘Eh?’ ‘That monster. That thing! What the ’byss was it?’ The old man shrugged. ‘Bookworm.’ ‘Book …’ ‘… worm.’ Aelius nodded. ‘That’s what I call ’em, anyways.’
