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"A woman? The next prisoner to be executed is a wo the word executed aloud The cal to the floor if the guards weren’t with uards tored at the black ringlets of his hair "I should have taken the tiuards away "You’re disone, he motioned ed as I perched on the edge

He opened a folder on his desk and scanned the pages "Yelena, today may be your lucky day," he said

I sed a sarcastic reply An ieon stay was never to talk back I bowedeye contact

The man was quiet for a while "Well-behaved and respectful You’re starting to look like a good candidate"

Despite the clutter of the room, the desk was neat In addition toimplements, the only other ite with streaks of silver--a set of panthers carved to lifelike perfection

"You’ve been tried and found guilty ofGeneral Brazell’s only son, Reyad" He paused, stroking his teers "That explains why Brazell’s here this week, and why he has been unusually interested in the execution schedule" TheBrazell’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 hi hed 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 "A fool would refuse the job" My voice rasped louder this ti 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 er 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"

Chapter Two

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