Текст книги "Poison Study"

Автор книги: Maria V. Snyder

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Текущая страница: 13 (всего у книги 20 страниц)

  The top floor of the house was ablaze with light, and I squinted in the harsh brightness. A profusion of candles ringed the room on multiple levels, heating the air with the smoky scent of apples. I glanced at the window. With the amount of light in the room, I was sure it would spill out into the street, but black curtains covered the glass and pooled on the floor.

  Bookshelves, a desk and a scattering of comfortable armchairs led me to believe that the room was used as a study. The woman who had let us in sat behind the desk. Odd metal statues that resembled lanterns with rings around the top graced each side. Other strange and gleaming objects had been artfully arranged on shelves and tabletops. Some even hung from the ceiling. These spun in the air stirred by our passage.

  The sharp-nosed woman didn’t offer us a seat, so Margg and I stood before her desk. Most of her ruby hair was confined in a bun, but small, curly wisps had sprung free.

  “The food taster,” she said with a satisfied curl to her lip. “I knew it was only a matter of time before I had you in my employ.”

  “Who are you?” My bluntness informed her that I wouldn’t tolerate games.

  “You can call me Captain Star.”

  I looked at her innkeeper’s uniform.

  “I’m not part of Ambrose’s military. I have my own. Has Margg explained how I work?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. This will be a simple exchange. This isn’t a social call; I don’t want gossip or hearsay. And don’t inquire about my business or about me. All you need to know is my name. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.” Since I wanted to gain her trust, I wasn’t about to cause any trouble, at least not yet.

  “Good. What do you got?” With her nose leading the way, she leaned forward in her chair.

  “The Commander has changed his successor,” I said.

  Star’s body stilled as she absorbed this tidbit. I glanced at Margg, who looked shocked and annoyed that I had such interesting news.

  “How do you know?” Star asked.

  “I overheard the Commander and Valek talking.”

  “Ah, yes. Valek.” Star tilted her nose at me. “Why are you living in his apartment?”

  “None of your business,” I said with a firm tone.

  “So why should I trust you?”

  “Because Valek would kill me if he knew I was here. You know it as well as I do. How much is my information worth?”

  Star opened a black velvet purse and pulled out one gold coin. She tossed the coin to me like a master would throw a bone to a dog. I snatched it from the air, suppressing a wince. The cuts on my hands started to throb.

  “Your fifteen percent.” She sent one silver and one copper coin flying at Margg, who knew Star’s ways, and caught them easily. “Anything else?” Star asked me.

  “Not at this time.”

  “When you have something for me, tell Margg. She’ll arrange another meeting.”

  Dismissed, I followed the silent Margg out of the house and down the street. Just as she guided me into a dark alley, Valek appeared out of the shadows. Before I could wonder why, he pulled me through a doorway and into a small room.

  I was surprised and confused by his sudden arrival; I had thought he would wait a while before arresting Margg. She had followed me into the room, and stood with a sneering grin on her round face. It was the closest expression to pleasure that I had ever seen from her, and the opposite of what I had anticipated when she was caught as the leak. I tilted my head at Valek, hoping to prompt an explanation.

  “I was right, Valek. She sold the Commander out for a gold coin. Check her pocket,” Margg urged.

  “Actually, Yelena came to me before the meeting. She believed she was going to expose you,” Valek said to Margg.

  Her gloating grin disappeared. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded.

  “No time.”

  “Margg’s not the leak?” I asked, still confused.

  “No. Margg works for me. We’ve been feeding Star some rather unique information and hoping to find out who her other clients are. Star’s been pestering Margg to get you involved, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to test your loyalty.”

  A complete understanding of Valek’s ill temper snapped into my mind. He had expected me to betray him and the Commander. How could he have believed that? I wondered. Didn’t he know me at all? Anger, disappointment and relief warred in my heart. I was unable to propel any words past my throat.

  “I had hoped to send this rat back to the dungeon where she belongs,” Margg complained to Valek. “Now she’ll still be scurrying around. Still a threat.” Annoyed, she poked my arm with a meaty finger.

  I moved. In a heartbeat I twisted her arm behind her back. She yelped as I raised her hand up high, forcing her to bend forward.

  “I am not a rat,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’ve proved my loyalty. You will get off my back. No more nasty messages in the dust. No more prying into my things. Or the next time, I’ll break your arm.” I shoved her hard as I released my grip.

  She stumbled and landed on the ground in a heap. Pinkfaced, she lurched to her feet. As she opened her mouth to protest, Valek stopped her with a glance.

  “Well said, Yelena. Margg, you’re dismissed,” Valek said.

  Margg’s mouth snapped closed as she spun on her heel and left the room.

  “She’s not friendly,” I said.

  “No. That is precisely why I like her.” He studied the door for a moment, then said, “Yelena, I’m going to show you something you’re not going to like, but I think it’s important that you know.”

  “Oh yeah? Like I enjoyed your test of faith?” Sarcasm rendered my voice sharp.

  “I warned you that I tested the food taster from time to time.”

  Before I could reply, he stopped me. “Be quiet and stay close behind me.” We went back out into the alley. Keeping in the shadows, we walked back to Star’s house, where Valek guided me into a dark entrance within sight of Star’s door.

  “The person who has been leaking information to Star is due to arrive soon,” Valek whispered close to my ear. His lips lightly rubbed my cheek. Shivers rippled down my spine at his touch, distracting me from what he had said.

  The impact of Valek’s words didn’t hit me until I saw a lone figure with an uneven gait walking down the street.

Chapter Twenty-Two

  I recognized that stride. My heart melted as I watched Rand limp to Star’s house, knocking twice.

  She admitted Rand into her home without a moment’s hesitation. The faint thump of the closing door echoed hollowly in my chest.

  “Another test?” I asked Valek with desperate urgency. “Is he working for you?” But I knew the answer deep in my soul, even before I saw the sad shake of his head. I felt empty, as if every emotion had been wrenched out of me. It was just too much. After Reyad’s ghost, Nix’s attack and Valek’s test, I was mentally unable to handle another blow. I just stared at Valek with no thoughts, no feelings and no desires.

  Valek motioned for me to follow him. I complied. We circled around to the back of Star’s house. Entering the building to the left, we padded up three stories. The interior was dark and empty except for the top floor. One of Valek’s men sat cross-legged with his back resting against the wall shared with Star’s study. He wrote in a notebook, using a single candle as illumination.

  Rand’s voice could be heard clearly. Using hand signals, Valek communicated with the man. He gave the notebook to Valek and disappeared down the steps. Valek sat in the man’s spot, and then tapped the floor next to him.

  I crouched beside him, facing the wall. I had no desire to hear Rand’s deceit, but I didn’t have the willpower to leave. Valek pointed to an array of small holes in the wood. I peered through. All I could see was the back of a piece of furniture. I guessed that the holes were for listening purposes only. Squatting on the floor, I rested my forehead against the wall and closed my eyes as I eavesdropped on Rand’s conversation.

  “Generals are coming to town this week. That’s nothing new, but the Commander ordered a feast, so something’s up. Something significant. But I haven’t been able to figure out what,” Rand said.

  “Let me know as soon as possible,” Star replied. Then she paused. “Maybe Yelena knows what’s going on.”

  My heart lurched when I heard my name. Run away, run away, run away, my mind screamed, but I only pressed my forehead harder on the wall.

  “I doubt it. She was surprised when I mentioned the feast, so I didn’t ask her. She might know more later this week. I’ll try again.”

  “Don’t bother. I’ll ask her myself.” The sleek tone of Star’s voice implied that she had concealed this revelation until the time when exposing it would cause maximum damage.

  “Yelena?” Rand sputtered. “Working for you? Impossible. That’s not her style.”

  “Are you suggesting she’s working for Valek?” Alarm tightened her voice.

  Equally upset, I glanced at Valek. He shook his head, waving his hand in a “don’t worry” gesture.

  “No. She wouldn’t.” Rand had recovered. “I’m just surprised, but I shouldn’t be. She could use the money, and who am I to think any less of her for it?”

  “Well, you shouldn’t be thinking of her at all. As I see it, she’s disposable. The only concern I’ll have when she dies is, who’s going to replace her and how quickly can I bribe him?”

  “Star, once again you’ve shown me in the most repulsive way that the sooner I pay off my debt to you the better. How much credit do I get for tonight’s information?”

  “Two silvers. I’ll mark it in my book, but it won’t make much difference.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Haven’t you figured it out by now? You’ll never pay off your debt. As soon as you get close, you always gamble yourself right down another hole. You’re too weak, Rand. Too swayed by your own emotions. Easily addicted, and lacking in willpower.”

  “Oh, that’s right. You claim to be a magician. Have you read my mind, Captain? ‘Captain Star’-what a laugh! If you really had magic, Valek would have taken care of you long ago. I know you’re not as smart as you claim.” The heavy uneven tread of footsteps resounded through the wall as Rand started to walk away.

  I was astounded. I had never heard Rand speak with such harsh sarcasm before, and more than that, if Star was a magician, I could be in serious danger. My mind spun, but it was all too complex to contemplate at this time.

  “I don’t need to read your mind,” Star called after him. “All I have to do is review your history, Rand. It’s all there.”

  Silence settled. The only noise coming from Star’s study was the crinkle of papers being turned. Valek stood, pulling me up with him. His man had returned. Handing him the notebook, Valek descended the steps.

  I followed Valek through the dark streets of Castletown. We kept to the shadows, avoiding the patrolmen. Once we had escaped the city’s limits, Valek relaxed and walked beside me on the main road to the castle.

  “I’m sorry,” Valek said. “I know Rand was your friend.”

  His use of the past tense jabbed like a knife’s point between my ribs.

  “How long have you known?” I asked.

  “I’ve suspected for the last three months, but only procured the hard evidence this month.”

  “What tipped you off?”

  “Rand and his staff helped me with that poison test I gave you. He stayed while I laced the food with poison. I left that goblet of peach juice on my desk to keep it clean. It was a fair test. Blackberry poison was in that cup, but I didn’t put it there.” Valek paused, letting the information sink in.

  “An interesting property of blackberries is that only when they’re prepared in a special solution of grain alcohol and yeast and cooked with extreme care to the proper temperature are they poisonous. Most cooks, and certainly not their assistants, don’t possess the skills or the knowledge to achieve that result.” Valek sounded as if he admired Rand’s ability to brew the poison.

  The full understanding that Rand had tried to poison me almost knocked me off my feet. I stumbled as a surge of nausea boiled in my stomach. Dashing to the side of the road, I vomited into the bushes. Only when my body had ceased its convulsions did I realize Valek was supporting me. One of his arms was wrapped around my waist, while a cold hand pressed against my forehead.

  “Thanks,” I said, wiping my chin clean with some leaves. With trembling legs, I let Valek lead me to the castle. If he hadn’t continued to support me, I would have curled up on the ground and called it a night.

  “There’s more. Do you want to hear it?” Valek asked.

  “No.” The truth, but as we drew closer to the outer wall of the castle complex, I made an ugly connection. “Did Rand set me up at the fire festival?”

  “In a way.”

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “The goons that nabbed you waited for you near the baking tent, so I suspected that Rand had told Star you would be there. But then he wouldn’t let you out of his sight. It was as if he was protecting you. Remember how upset he was when he couldn’t find you. How relieved he was when he spotted you alive and whole?”

  “I thought he was drunk,” I said.

  “I suspect Rand is an unwilling participant. At the time of the poison test, he hardly knew you, but as your friendship grew, I imagine he finds himself in a difficult situation. He doesn’t want to hurt you, but he needs to pay off his gambling debt. Star has an extensive organization, with plenty more thugs to replace the ones I took care of, thugs who would be willing to break a few bones for their boss. Does that make you feel any better?”

  “No.” My reaction to Rand’s betrayal seemed extreme even to me, but I couldn’t switch it off. It wasn’t the first time someone had played false with me and it wasn’t going to be the last. Brazell had deceived me. I had loved him like a father, and been loyal to him. In the end, it took almost a year of enduring his experiments before my feelings dwindled to the point where I could see him as he really was. But I had always known my young devotion to him was one-sided. Since he had never given me any reason to think he cared for me, his actions had been easier to stomach.

  Rand’s friendship, on the other hand, appeared genuine. I had begun to feel as if I had finally made a decent-size hole in the stone barricade I had built around myself. Big enough for me to slip through and enjoy our time together. Now the wall was crumbling. I felt stones pelting me and burying me deep beneath the rubble. How could I trust anyone again?

  “Anything else you want to tell me?” I asked Valek as we stopped a few feet short of the castle’s south entrance. “Did Ari and Janco set me up for Nix’s attack? Do you have another test of loyalty for me up your sleeve? Maybe the next time, I’ll actually fail. A prospect that seems appealing!” I pushed away Valek’s supporting arm. “When you warned me that you would test me from time to time, I thought you meant spiking my food. But it seems there is more than one way to poison a person’s heart, and it doesn’t even require a meal.”

  “Everyone makes choices in life. Some bad, some good. It’s called living, and if you want to bow out, then go right ahead. But don’t do it halfway. Don’t linger in whiner’s limbo,” Valek said, his voice gruff. “I don’t know what horrors you faced prior to your arrival in our dungeon. If I had to guess, I would think they were worse than what you have discovered tonight. Perhaps that will put things into perspective.”

  He strode into the castle. I leaned against the cold wall, resting my head on the unyielding surface. Maybe if I stayed here long enough, my heart would turn to stone. Then betrayals, tests of loyalties and poisons would have no effect on me. But the cold eventually drove me inside.

  “Apply a force on the wrench. Not too much. You need a firm yet gentle touch,” Janco said.

  With healing hands still sore, I clumsily placed the tension wrench into the keyhole and applied pressure.

  “Now use your diamond pick to lift the pin that’s trapped by the tension, lift it until it breaks,” he instructed.

  “Breaks?” I asked.

  “Reaches alignment. When you put a key into a lock, the metal ridges push the pins up so you can turn the cylinder and open the lock. The pins hold the cylinder in place. You’ll need to do one pin at a time, and continue the pressure.”

  I slid the pick into the lock past the wrench. I maneuvered the pick, lifting each of the five pins. I could feel a tiny vibration in my finger joints as each pin broke with a subtle yet distinct click. When they were all aligned, the cylinder turned and the door unlocked.

  “Good job! Damn, Yelena, you’re a fast learner.” Janco paused, his brow creased in concern. “You’re not going to use this to do something stupid, right? And get us into trouble?”

  “Define stupid,” I said. When Janco’s eyes widened, I added, “Don’t worry. I’m the only one who would get into trouble.”

  He relaxed, and I practiced on another lock. We were in the lower level of the castle where no one would surprise us. It had been four days since the night I had learned about Rand. Valek’s orders had been to act as if nothing had happened. He wanted to discover the full extent of Star’s organization before exposing them. Valek was a true predator, I thought sourly, eyeing his prey before pouncing for the kill.

  I knew I wasn’t ready to play the friend to Rand, so I had been avoiding him, which wasn’t hard to do. The castle crawled with Generals and their retinues, making every worker in the complex busy, including Rand.

  Brazell was another reason I was glad to be out of sight. His black-and-green soldiers had infected the castle, and keeping away from them was becoming difficult. Although, I didn’t mind hiding in Valek’s suite. He had stolen a box of Criollo, and I was contented to munch a piece each time I tasted the Commander’s food.

  Ari, Janco and I had postponed our training sessions for the duration of the Generals’ visit, but I had managed to rope Janco into teaching me to pick locks. Giving him the gold coin from Star had provided an added incentive. Valek had said I could keep it since working undercover wasn’t part of the food taster’s job. But the heavy weight of it in my pocket had been a constant reminder of Rand’s treachery, so I decided to put it to good use.

  “This last lock has ten pins. If you can open this one, you’ll be able to handle all the pin-tumbler locks or key locks in the castle. Except the dungeon bolts. They’re complicated, and it’s not like we can practice on them.” Janco’s forehead furrowed. “You’re not going to need that skill, are you?”

  “I sincerely hope not.”

  “Good.”

  After several failed attempts, I managed to pop the lock open.

  “Now you need to practice. The quicker you can spring a lock the better,” Janco instructed. “I would let you borrow my picks, but I never know exactly when I might need them.” He winked, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes. “So…” He pulled another set from his pocket. “I used that coin you gave me to buy a set for you.” He handed me a black cloth case.

  “That money was for you.”

  “Oh, there’s plenty left. Even after I bought you this.” He flourished an ebony-colored wooden rod as long as my hand. It was decorated with a bright silver button, and silver symbols were engraved on the side.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Push the button,” he said with glee.

  I pressed down with my thumb, and started when a long gleaming blade shot out. It was a switchblade.

  Amazed, I stared at my gifts. “Thank you, Janco. But why did you buy these for me?”

  “Guilt, I suppose.”

  “Guilt?” Not the answer I had expected.

  “I called you a criminal. I was once a criminal, but I’ve gone past it, and no one has held it against me. Besides, I have a terrible feeling you may need them. General Brazell’s soldiers have been swaggering around the barracks, bragging about who is going to ‘take out’ Reyad’s killer. They’re quite imaginative, and I had to hold Ari back from challenging the lot a couple of times. Ten against one isn’t good odds, even for Ari and me.”

  “I’ll stay away from them,” I said.

  “Good. I’d better get moving. I’ve drawn the night shift. But, first, I’ll escort you to your room.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “Ari would kill me if I didn’t.”

  We walked together toward Valek’s suite. When we reached the corner before the main doors, Janco stopped just out of sight of the guards.

  “Almost forgot,” he said, reaching into his uniform pocket. He pulled out a sheath for the switchblade. “It goes around your right thigh. Remember to make a nice big hole in your pants pocket, so when you pull the weapon it won’t get caught in the fabric.”

  He was about to leave when I stopped him. “Janco, what are these symbols?” I pointed to the silver markings on the handle of the knife.

  Janco smiled. “They’re the old battle symbols used by the King when he sent out messages and orders during war times. It didn’t matter if the enemy intercepted them, because they were unintelligible to anyone who didn’t know how to decipher them. Some of the soldiers still use them. They work well in military exercises.”

  “What do they say?”

  His grin widened. “Too easy, Yelena. I’m sure you’ll figure it out…eventually.” Always the prankster, Janco laughed with delight.

  “Come here,” I said, “so I can punch you.”

  “I’d love to oblige you, my dear.” Janco dodged beyond my reach. “But I’m late.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

  A fter hiding Janco’s gifts deep in my uniform pocket, I went into Valek’s suite. He was working at his desk, but he looked up as soon as I entered the room, giving me the impression that he had been waiting for me.

  “Where have you been?” he asked.

  “With Janco,” I said. But I was wary. As long as I arrived at the scheduled times during the day, Valek didn’t ask about what I did with my free time.

  “Doing what?” Valek demanded, standing with his hands on his hips.

  The comical image of a jealous husband popped into my mind. I stifled a smile. “Discussing fighting tactics.”

  “Oh.” Valek relaxed his stance, but moved his arms awkwardly as if he felt he had overreacted and was trying to cover it up. “Well, that’s all right. But from now on, I need to know where you are at all times, and I suggest you stay in the castle and keep a low profile for a while. General Brazell’s guards have set a bounty on your head.”

  “A bounty?” Fear pulsed through my chest.

  “It could be a rumor or just drunken soldiers’ talk. But until they leave, I want you protected.” Valek’s tone was firm, but then he added, “I don’t want to train another taster.”

  “I’ll be careful.”

  “No. You’ll be paranoid. You’ll move in a crowd, keep to well-lit areas and you’ll make certain to have an escort with you whenever you’re walking down empty hallways late at night. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. The Generals’ brandy meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening. Each General will bring a bottle of his finest brandy to share as they discuss Ixian business late into the night. You will be needed to taste the Commander’s drinks.” Valek lifted a box of eight bottles from the floor. They clinked musically as he set the carton on the table.

  Pulling out a small drinking glass, he said, “I want you to sample each brandy once tonight and at least twice tomorrow, so you know how each tastes clean of poisons.” He handed me the glass. “Each bottle is labeled according to the type of brandy, and which General brings it.”

  I grabbed a decanter at random. It was General Dinno’s cherry brandy made in MD-8. Pouring a mouthful, I took a sip and rolled the liquid around my tongue, attempting to commit the taste to memory before swallowing. The strong alcohol burned down my throat, leaving behind a small fire in my chest. My face flushed with the heat.

  “I suggest you use the ‘slurp and spit’ method so you don’t get drunk,” Valek said.

  “Good point.” I found another glass for spitting, and then worked my way through the remainder of the bottles.

  On the day of the meeting, I tasted each brandy twice more in Valek’s suite, and then tested myself with a third round. Only when I could pinpoint by taste alone which cordial belonged to which General was I satisfied.

  That night, I waited for Valek to escort me to the war room. He came downstairs decked out in full dress uniform. Red braids draped his shoulders; medals were lined up six deep over his left breast. He oozed dignity, a man of stature. I would have been impressed, except for the uncomfortable and peevish look he wore. A petulant child forced to wear his best clothes. I covered my mouth, but was unable to block my laughter.

  “Enough. I have to wear this damn thing once a year and, as far as I’m concerned, it’s one time too many.” Valek tugged at his collar. “Ready?”

  I joined him at the door. The uniform enhanced his athletic body, and my thoughts drifted to how magnificent he would look with his uniform puddled around his feet.

  “You look stunning,” I blurted. Mortified, I blushed as a rush of heat spread through my body. I must have swallowed more brandy than I’d realized.

  “Really?” Valek glanced down at his uniform. Then he set his shoulders back and stopped yanking at his collar. His cross expression changed to a thoughtful smile.

  “Yes. You do,” I said.

  We arrived in the Commander’s war room just as the Generals assembled. The long, slender, stained-glass windows glowed with the weak light of the setting sun. Servants scurried around the circular chamber, lighting lanterns and arranging platters of food and drink. All military personnel were attired in their dress uniforms. Medals and buttons sparkled. I knew only three Generals by sight; the rest I deduced by the color of the diamonds on their otherwise black uniforms. Scrutinizing their faces, I memorized their different features in case Valek tested me later.

  Brazell glared when I made eye contact. Adviser Mogkan stood next to him, and I shivered as Mogkan’s eyes slid over me with cunning appraisal. When Brazell and Reyad had performed their experiments on me, Mogkan had always hovered nearby. His presence, sensed but unseen, had given me violent nightmares. Brazell’s usual advisers were missing; I wondered why he had brought Mogkan instead.

  The Commander sat at the tip of the egg-shaped conference table. His uniform was simple and elegant with real diamonds stitched onto his collar. The Generals, flanked by their advisers, seated themselves around the rest of the table. Valek’s chair was to the Commander’s right, and my stool was placed behind them, against the only stone wall in the room. I knew the meeting would last all night, and I was glad I would be able to rest my back. Another advantage to my position was that I wasn’t in direct sight of Brazell. Although I could avoid seeing the poisonous looks he might flash my way, I couldn’t hide from Mogkan’s pointed stares.

  The Commander pounded a wooden gavel on the table. Silence fell. “Before we launch into the scheduled topics,” the Commander said, indicating the detailed agenda which had been distributed earlier, “I have an important announcement. I have appointed a new successor.”

  A murmur rippled through the war room as the Commander walked around the table and handed a sealed envelope to each General. Inside the envelopes were eight pieces to an encoded puzzle that would reveal the new successor’s name when deciphered by Valek’s key.

  Tension permeated the room. I felt it pressing against me like an overfilled water-skin about to burst. A maelstrom of expressions, surprise, anger, concern and contemplation crossed the Generals’ faces. General Rasmussen of MD-7 whispered into his adviser’s ear, the General’s cheeks turning as red as his hair and mustache. I leaned forward in my seat and saw Brazell struggle to keep his face neutral as delight tweaked at his features.

  Instead of erupting, the tension simmered, and leaked away as the Commander ignored it by beginning the meeting. Items related to MD-1 were the first order of business, to be followed by each district in order. As a bottle of General Kitvivan’s special white brandy slid around the table, the Generals discussed snow cats and mining rights.

  “Come on, Kit. Enough about the cats. Just feed them up on the pack ice like we do, and they won’t bother you,” General Chenzo of MD-2 said in exasperation, running a meaty hand through his moon-white hair. His full mane stood out starkly against his tanned skin.

  “Feed them so they’ll get healthy and fat and start breeding like rabbits? We’ll go broke supplying the meat,” Kitvivan shot back.

  My interest in the proceedings waxed and waned depending on the subject. After a while I began to feel light-headed and warm as the brandy influenced my body, since protocol dictated that I swallow when tasting for the Commander.

  The Generals voted on various topics, but the Commander held the final vote. Mostly he ruled in favor of the majority. No one ventured a complaint when he didn’t.

  Commander Ambrose had lived in MD-3, scratching out a meager existence with his family in the foothills of the Soul Mountains. Nestled between the mountains and the ice pack, his home was atop a vast diamond mine. When the rich find had been discovered, the King had claimed the diamonds, and “allowed” the Commander’s family to live there and work in the mines. He lost many family members to cave-ins, and to the damp and dirty environment.

  As a young man seething at the injustices of the monarchy, Ambrose educated himself and began preaching about reform. His intelligence, bluntness and pervasiveness gained him many loyal supporters.

  My mind focused back on the meeting when the Generals reached issues regarding MD-5. General Brazell caused a considerable stir. Instead of sliding around his best brandy, he sent a silver tray containing what looked like small brown stones. Valek handed one to me. It was a round drop of Brazell’s Criollo.

  Before protests about ignoring tradition could escalate, Brazell rose and invited everyone to take a bite. After a brief moment of silence, exclamations of delight filled the war room. The Criollo was filled with strawberry brandy. I gave the Commander the all-clear sign so I could savor the rest of my morsel. The combination of the sweet, nutty taste of the Criollo mixed with the smooth texture of the brandy was divine. Rand would be upset that he hadn’t thought of mixing the two, I supposed, then regretted feeling sorry for Rand as I envisioned his deceitful face.