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"No, relieved actually I wondered when you would search my office for the recipe to the antidote"

Sudden fury welled in ht try to escape? That I rifled through your papers? You’re that confident that I won’t succeed?"

Valek cocked his head to one side, considering "I’ the standard steps of escaping, and not inventing a unique plan If I knohat you’re doing, then I can anticipate your nexthow to pick locks naturally leads to this" Valek gestured around the room "But, since the formula has not been written down and only I know it, I’ht fists to keep the’s superior neck "Okay, so there’s no chance for escape How about this? You gave Tentil a new life, why not me?"

"How do you know I haven’t already?" Valek put his feet on the floor and leaned forward "Why do you think you were in the dungeon for almost a year? Was it only luck that you happened to be the next in line when Oscove died? Perhaps I waswhen I seemed so surprised that you were a woman"

It was too much to bear "What do you want, Valek?" I de? Be content with this poisoned life?"

"Do you really want to know?" Valek’s voice intensified He stood and walked over toservant, but as a loyal staffa decent fighter I want you to be as dedicated as I aerous job, but, on the other hand, one htrope could break your neck That’s what I want Will you be able to give it tofor an answer "Besides, where would you go? You belong here"

I was tempted to concede But I knew that if I wasn’t poisoned or ic inme with it The only physical mark I would leave on this world would be a ripple in the power source Without the antidote, I was lost anyway

"I don’t know," I said "There’s too much…

"That you haven’t told ical abilities, I thought, would only getwho to trust, even harder," Valek said

"And my track record has been rather horrendous A weakness of th Look at Ari and Janco They appointed thened them All because you stood up for them to the Commander, when their own Captain wouldn’t Think about what you have right now before you give ained the Commander’s and Maren’s respect, and Ari’s and Janco’s loyalty"

"What have I earned from you, Valek? Loyalty? Respect? Trust?"

"You have ive "

The next , the Generals prepared to leave It took four hours for eight retinues to assemble Four hours of noise and confusion When everyone had finally passed through the outer gates, it seeh of relief In the wake of this sudden release of tension, servants and guardsa break before cleaning the eight guest suites It was during this lull in activity that the Commander inforation was scheduled to arrive the next day His words struck like lightning A flash of stunned silence was followed by a frenzy of activity as servants dashed off to h happy to see the backs of Mogkan and Brazell, I wandered listlessly about the castle I hadn’t given Valek his answer To live, I had to go south, but without the antidote, I wouldn’t survive Dread filled my heart as the reality of my inevitable fate filled my mind