"1 poison" - читать интересную книгу автора (Snyder Maria V)

УIncluding the food taster?Ф
УNo.Ф
УWhy not?Ф I hadnТt even thought about receiving wages until Valek mentioned it.
УThe food taster is paid in advance. How much is your life worth?Ф
Chapter Ten
N ot expecting an answer, Valek swiveled back to his desk.
Ah, well, he had a point. I finished the cold food. When I set the tray aside to go to my room, Valek turned back to me.
УWhat would you buy with the money?Ф
A list rushed from my mouth, surprising even me. УA hair brush, nightclothes, and IТd spend some at the festival.Ф
I wanted nightclothes because I was tired of sleeping in my uniform. I didnТt dare sleep in my undergarments for fear IТd have to run for my life in the middle of the night. And the annual fire festival was approaching. It was sort of an anniversary for me. It had been during the previous fire festival that I had killed Reyad.
Although the Commander outlawed all forms of public religion, he encouraged the festivals as a form of boosting morale. Only two annual festivals were permitted.
I had been in the dungeon during the last ice festival, missing the indoor event where artists and craftsmen displayed their work. The ice festival was always held during the cold season when there was nothing to do but huddle by the fire and make crafts. It was a local event with each town hosting its own festival.
The fire festival was a massive carnival that traveled from town to town during the hot season. The festival began in the far north, where the warm weather lasted a few short weeks, and then wound its way south.
Traditionally, additional performances and contests were scheduled for the weeklong celebration at the castle in the middle of the hot season, and I was hoping I might be permitted to attend. Valek had indicated to me that he would be teaching me additional tasting techniques in the afternoons, but the rest of the time between meals had, so far, been mine.
I had always loved going to the fire festival. Brazell had given the children in his orphanage a small allowance so we could go each year. It had been the most anticipated event at BrazellТs manor house. We would practice all year to qualify for the various contests, and save every penny possible for the entry fee.
ValekТs practical voice interrupted my thoughts. УYou can get some nightclothes from the seamstress, Dilana. She should have included them with your uniforms. As to the rest, youТll have to make do with what you can find.Ф
ValekТs words brought home the realities of my life; meaning fire festivals were not included. I might get a chance to see the festival, but I wouldnТt be able to sample the spicy chicken steaks or taste the wine.
Sighing, I picked up my journal and went into my room. A dry, warm breeze caressed my face. I cleaned the rest of the dust, but I only wiped away half of MarggТs message. She had been right in a way. The noose did wait for me. A normal life was not in my future. Her message would serve as a reminder to me to not get too comfortable.
I was either going to screw up and be replaced as the food taster, or I was going to foil an assassination attempt with my own death. I might not technically die from a broken neck, but the haunting image of an empty noose would always plague me.

The next morning I hovered outside DilanaТs workroom. She sat in a small patch of sunlight, humming and sewing. Her golden curls gleamed. Unwilling to disturb her, I turned to go.
УYelena?Ф she called.
I stepped back into view.
УMy goodness, girl, just come in. YouТre always welcome.Ф Dilana put her sewing down, and patted the chair next to her. When I joined her in the sunlight, she exclaimed, УYouТre as thin as my finest thread. Sit. Sit. Let me get you something to eat.Ф
My protests didnТt stop her from bringing me a large slice of buttered bread.
УMy Rand sends me a steaming loaf of honey bread every morning.Ф Her light brown eyes glowed with affection.
I knew she would stand over me until I took a bite. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I suppressed my desire to taste the bread for poisons. Only when my mouth was full was she satisfied.
УHow can I help you?Ф she asked.
Between bites, I asked about nightclothes.
УMy goodness! How could I have forgotten? You poor dear.Ф She bustled around the room, assembling quite a collection.
УDilana,Ф I said to stop her. УI only need a few things.Ф
УWhy didnТt you come sooner? Margg should have said something to me.Ф Dilana was genuinely upset.
УMargg,Ф I began, then quit. I wasnТt sure how Dilana felt about her.
УMarggТs a mean old grump, a spiteful hag and an overgrown bully,Ф Dilana declared.
I blinked at her in surprise.
УShe instantly dislikes anyone new, and sheТs basically a plague on the rest of us.Ф
УBut she was nice to you.Ф
УShe hounded me for weeks after I first arrived. Then I snuck into her wardrobe and tightened all her skirts. It took her two weeks of physical discomfort to figure out what was happening.Ф Dilana swooped down next to me, smiling. УMargg canТt sew a stitch, so she had to tuck in her pride and ask for my help. Since then sheТs treated me with respect.Ф
Dilana grabbed my hand in hers. УUnfortunately, youТre her new target. But donТt let her get to you. If MarggТs nasty, be nasty right back. When she sees youТre not easy prey, sheТll lose interest.Ф
I had trouble believing that this lovely woman was capable of such underhandedness, but her smile held a glimmer of mischief.
She draped a pile of nightclothes over my arms, and added an array of brightly colored ribbons.
УFor the festival, my dear,Ф she said, answering my quizzical look. УTo augment your beautiful dark hair.Ф

УHave you found a fugitive for the exercise?Ф the Commander asked Valek as soon as Valek arrived in his office for lunch.
I was tasting the CommanderТs food when Valek once again destroyed my tentative sense of well-being. Granted, I had been working as the official food taster for the last ten days, but my stomach had finally stopped its painful contractions whenever I was near the Commander.
УYes. I know the perfect person for the job.Ф Valek settled into the chair facing the Commander.
УWho?Ф
УYelena.Ф
УWhat!Ф Having given up all pretense of minding my own business, my exclamation echoed the CommanderТs.
УExplain,Ф the Commander ordered.