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She motioned for them to follow her As the advisers exited the roorabbed my arm

"Not yet," he said "We have special plans for you"

Alar in one of the chairs The abundant purple fabric of the cushion exaggerated his pale face and slight build No expression touched his features; he stared into the distance A puppet waiting for his kan

"We put on a show for a few days Take hiestured toward the Commander "Keep his advisers happy Once everyone’s hooked, then we don’t have to pretend"

"And her?" Satisfaction bent the edges of Brazell’s mouth

I kept the picture of the brick wall in kan said, "you’ve learned a new trick Red brick, how rinding on stone

"Weak spots Here and here" Mogkan pointed a finger in the air "And I do believe this brick is loose"

Mortar crumbled Small holes appeared in my mental wall

"When I have a kan pro his sword "Dead Now" He advanced within his eyes I flinched back a step

"Stop," Mogkan ordered "We need her to keep Valek in line"

"But we have the Commander," Brazell whined like a child

"Too obvious There are seven other Generals to consider If we kill the Commander while he’s here they would be suspicious You’d never become his successor Valek knows this, so any threat to the Co eyes on me "But who cares about a food taster? No one except Valek And if she dies here, the Generals will agree that it was justified"

Mogkan leaned over the Co in his ear The Commander opened his briefcase, withdrew a flask and handed it to Mogkan My antidote