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True to his word and much to the Commander’s annoyance, Valek didn’t leave the Coe in routine, but Ithe Commander’s ivelocks

The Generals’ departure was scheduled for the next day, which meant it was ti and I knew Valek would still be with the Co to bed early, and bade the an hour, I slipped back into the hallway

The corridors of the castle were not as deserted as I had hoped, but Valek’s office was located off thethe hallway for activity Seeing no one, I inserted my picks into the first of the three keyholes, butthe lock iain

I had two locks sprung when I heard voices approaching Standing, I pulled the picks out of the keyhole and knocked on the door just as two uard on the left

"Thanks," I replied and started to walk in the opposite direction with lanced behind one, then raced back to Valek’s office The third lock proved to be the most difficult I was covered with sweat by the ti the door behind me

My first task was to open the small wooden cabinet that held my antidote Perhaps Valek had locked the recipe in there I lit a dim lantern to peer inside Glass bottles of various shapes and sizes glearowing sense of urgency consue bottle containing the antidote I poured only a few doses into the flask I had hidden inthat Valek would notice if I took too an a syste with the desk drawers Even though his office was streith books and anized I found files on Margg and the Commander and was te any folder bearing my name or a reference to Butterfly’s Dust Valek had writtenabilities in my personnel file, but there was no mention of the poison or the antidote

When I finished with the desk, I moved to the conference table Books on poisons were interspersed with files and other espionage docu out I had to be back in Valek’s suite before he escorted the Commander to his apartment

I suppressed my disappointment as I finished with the table There was still half of his office left to search

I was halfway across the quiet roo inserted into the lock One click, then the key ithdrawn I snuffed out the lantern as the second lock clicked open Diving behind the conference table, I hoped the boxes piled underneath would hide me frog and not Valek A third click ht tread of footsteps crossed the roo, but I kneas Valek Had the Coer options: be discovered or wait Valek out I eased into a more comfortable position

A few minutes later, someone knocked on the door

"Coe has arrived, sir," said ahim in" Valek scraped his chair on the stone floor