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"Does coffee taste sweet?" I asked

"No It’s bitter My ar and milk to half of her finished pots, but I liked it plain"

My beans were bitter I couldn’t sit still any longer; I had to find out if Valek re Rand, unsure if Valek wanted hi farewell to Rand, who stared morosely into the failed batter as he drank his wine, I rushed back to Valek’s suite The sound of slareetedpiles of books over Gray rock debris littered the floor and clung to impact craters on the walls He clenched a stone in each fist

I had wanted to discuss my coffee hypothesis with him, but decided to wait Unfortunately, Valek spotted ," I mumbled and fled to my room

For three days, I endured Valek’s temper He vented his ill hu the antidote atwhenever I entered a roo in my room, I decided to approach him He sat at his desk, his back to me

"I may have discovered what those beans are" It was a weak opening What I really wanted to say was, "What the hell’s the ht a soft approach er had dissipated, replaced by a bone-chilling cold "Really?" His voice lacked conviction The fire in his eyes had extinguished

I stepped back His indifference was er "I…" I sed,coffee Do you remember coffee? A southern drink"

"No"

"I think our beans ht be coffee If you don’t knohat coffee is, perhaps I should show theestion had sounded like a child pleading for a sweet

"Go ahead; share your ideas with Rand Your buddy, your best friend You’re just like him" Icy sarcasm spiked Valek’s words

I was stunned "What?"

"Do as you like I don’t care" Valek turned his back on me

I stuers Leaning against the wall, I replayed the last week in my mind to see if there had been so that stood out We had barely said a word to each other, and I had believed his anger had been directed toward the Coic book Perhaps he suspected I had so on ling, I waited for Valek’s attack I kneas overreacting, but I was unable to stop I couldn’t erase the way he had looked at me as if I was already dead

Dawn arrived, and I nored ood humor couldn’t snapthe beans along to show Rand He was in better spirits A big sreeted ry," I said

"You haven’t eaten in days What’s theabout the Criollo

"Your plan worked I infor He said he’d take care of it Then he inquired about the kitchen staff: were they working well? Did I need more help? I just stared at hireeted with suspicion and disood relationship"

Rand stacked a fels and straightened a row of spoons His smile faded "My interaction with the Co rather young and rebellious right after the takeover, I attee possible I served the Coetables and even rawto be a nuisance" He picked up a spoon and tapped it against his knee "It became a battle of wills The Commander was determined that I cook for hined"

Thump, thump, thump went the spoon, and Rand continued his story, his voice husky "Then Valek made my mother the food taster--that was before they implemented that daarbage I served the Commander" Old sorrows pulled at Rand’s features He twirled the spoon in circles between his fingers

Words failed me Dread crept up my spine as I contemplated the fate of Rand’s mother

"After the inevitable happened, I tried to run away, but they caught me just shy of the southern border" Rand rubbed his left knee "They shatteredif I ran again And here I a all the spoons off the table They clattered on the stone floor "Shows you how ed The Commander’s nice tothe bastard, of taking that final step in our battle But I have this weakness of caring for the food taster When Oscove died, I proain" Rand pulled out a bottle of wine "Only I failed Again" He retreated to his rooms