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"No The added commotion will increase the level of difficulty for our pursuers"

"Well, Yelena, that gives you only a few days to prepare Fair enough, since some prisoners plan an escape route, while others see an opportunity and bolt Are you interested in the challenge?" Valek asked

"Yes" The word sprang frout before the rational "no" in my mind could escape "On the condition that Brazell not be infor a room in my personal suite an indication that I’?" Valek’s voice huffed I realized that I had insulted him

When I had offended Rand, I quickly tried to make amends With Valek, I tried to think of another comment to annoy hi of Brazell," the Coift A new dessert that his chef invented He thought I ht like it"

Commander Ambrose showed us a wooden box full of thick, brown squares stacked on top of each other like tiles They were ses looked as if they had been cut with a dull knife, ragged and shedding brown flakes

Valek picked up a piece and sniffed it "I hope you didn’t try any"

"It’s too blatant, even for Brazell, to be poisoned But, no I didn’t"

Valek handed the container to me "Yelena, take soh the squares and selected four They were each about the size of my thumbnail and all four fit on the palm of my hand If I hadn’t been told they were a dessert, I probably would have guessed they were pieces of brown candle wax My fingernail left an ireasy after handling them

I hesitated These were fro especially inventive I shrugged offwax, I anticipated tasting wax I bit into the hard cube expecting it to crumble between my teeth It must have been the expression on my face that caused the Commander to rise, because I didn’t say a word The sensations in , the dessert ue with a cascade of flavor Sweet, bitter, nutty and fruity tastes followed one another Just when I thought I could say it was one, I would taste the I had ever encountered Before I knew it, all four cubes were gone I longed for more

"Unbelievable! What is it?"

Valek and the Coed puzzled looks

The Commander said, "Brazell called it Criollo Why? Is there poison in it?"