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Upon hearing Brazell’s name, fear coiled in my stomach I steadied myself with a reminder that I was soon to be out of his reach forever

The Territory of Ixia’s o, but the rule had produced strict laws called the Code of Behavior During peacetih for theof a human life If someone committed murder, the punishment was execution Self-preservation or an accidental death were not considered acceptable excuses Once found guilty, the eon to await a public hanging

“I suppose you’re going to protest the conviction Say you were framed or you killed out of self-defense” He leaned back in his chair, waiting with a weary patience

“No, sir,” I whispered, all I could e from unused vocal cords “I killed him”

Thehed aloud “Thisyou a choice You can either be executed, or you can be Commander Ambrose’s new food taster His last taster died recently, and we need to fill the position”

I gaped at hi He was probably ah Watch hope and joy shine on the prisoner’s face, then s the accused to the noose

I played along “A fool would refuse the job” My voice rasped louder this time

“Well, it’s a lifeti can be lethal After all, how can you identify poisons in the Commander’s food if you don’t knohat they taste like?” He tidied the papers in the folder

“You’ll get a room in the castle to sleep, but most of the day you’ll be with the Commander No days off No husband or children Some prisoners have chosen execution instead At least then they know exactly when they’re going to die, rather than guessing if it’s going to coether, a feral grin on his face

He was serious My whole body shook A chance to live! Service to the Coeon and infinitely better than the noose Questions raced through my mind: I’m a convicted killer, how can they trustthe Co?

“Who tastes the Commander’s food now?” I asked instead, afraid if I asked the other questions he’d realize his allows

“I do So I’m anxious to find a replacement Also the Code of Behavior states that someone whose life is forfeit must be offered the job”

No longer able to sit still, I stood and paced around the roo ictechniques The condition and aested soht

I looked back at the man in the adviser’s uniform He had to be Valek, the Commander’s personal security chief and leader of the vast intelligence network for the Territory of Ixia

“What shall I tell the executioner?” Valek asked

“I am not a fool”

2

VALEK SNAPPED THE folder closed He walked to the door; his stride as graceful and light as a snow cat traversing thin ice The guards waiting in the hall snapped to attention when the door opened Valek spoke to theuard caeon had not been part of Valek’s offer Could I escape? I scanned the roouard spun me around and removed the manacles and chains that had been draped around me since I’d been arrested

Raw bands of flesh circledskin where there used to be roped for the chair Being freed of the weight of the chains caused a strange sensation to sweep overto float away or pass out I inhaled until the faintness passed

When I regained my co two drinks An opened wooden cabinet revealed rows of odd-shaped bottles and multicolored jars stacked inside Valek placed the bottle he was holding into the cabinet and locked the door

“While we’re waiting for Margg, I thought oblet filled with an aoblet, he made a toast “To Yelena, our newest food taster May you last longer than your predecessor”

My goblet stopped short of my lips

“Relax,” he said, “it’s a standard toast”

I took a long swig The shtly as it slid down my throat For a moment, I th

oughtto rebel This was the first ti other than water Then it settled

Before I could question him as to what exactly had happened to the previous food taster, Valek askeda smaller portion, I replied, “Peaches sweetened with honey”

“Good Now take another sip This ti”

I complied and was surprised to taste a faint citrus flavor “Orange?”

“That’s right Now gargle it”

“Gargle?” I asked He nodded Feeling foolish, I gargled the rest of es!”

The skin around Valek’s eyes crinkled as he laughed He had a strong, angular face, as if someone had stamped it fro me his drink, he asked me to repeat the experiment

With soe taste Bracing led Valek’s drink and was relieved that gargling only enhanced the orange essence

“Better?” Valek asked as he took back the empty cup

“Yes”

Valek sat down behind his desk, openingup his quill, he talked to“You just had your first lesson in food tasting Your drink was laced with a poison called Butterfly’s Dust Mine wasn’t The only way to detect Butterfly’s Dust in a liquid is to gargle it That rotten-orange flavor you tasted was the poison”