"Maria V. Snyder - Poison 1 - Poison Study" - читать интересную книгу автора (Snyder Maria V)

тАЬBetter?тАЭ Valek asked as he took back the empty cup.

тАЬYes.тАЭ

Valek sat down behind his desk, opening my folder once more. Picking up his quill, he talked to me while
writing. тАЬYou just had your first lesson in food tasting. Your drink was laced with a poison called
ButterflyтАЩs Dust. Mine wasnтАЩt. The only way to detect ButterflyтАЩs Dust in a liquid is to gargle it. That
rotten-orange flavor you tasted was the poison.тАЭ

I rose, my head spinning. тАЬIs it lethal?тАЭ

тАЬA big enough dose will kill you in two days. The symptoms donтАЩt arrive until the second day, but by then
itтАЩs too late.тАЭ

тАЬDid I have a lethal dose?тАЭ I held my breath.

тАЬOf course. Anything less and you wouldnтАЩt have tasted the poison.тАЭ

My stomach rebelled and I started to gag. I forced down the bile in my throat, trying hard to avoid the
indignity of vomiting all over ValekтАЩs desk.

Valek looked up from the stack of papers. He studied my face. тАЬI warned you the training would be
dangerous. But I would hardly give you a poison your body had to fight while you suffered from
malnutrition. There is an antidote to ButterflyтАЩs Dust.тАЭ He showed me a small vial containing a white
liquid.

Collapsing back into my chair, I sighed. ValekтАЩs metal face had returned; I realized he hadnтАЩt offered the
antidote to me.

тАЬIn answer to the question you didnтАЩt ask but should have, thisтАФтАЭ Valek raised the small vial and shook
it тАЬтАФis how we keep the CommanderтАЩs food taster from escaping.тАЭ

I stared at him, trying to understand the implication.

тАЬYelena, you confessed to murder. We would be fools to let you serve the Commander without some
guarantees. Guards watch the Commander at all times and it is doubtful you would be able to reach him
with a weapon. For other forms of retaliation, we use ButterflyтАЩs Dust.тАЭ Valek picked up the vial of
antidote, and twirled it in the sunlight. тАЬYou need a daily dose of this to stay alive. The antidote keeps the
poison from killing you. As long as you show up each morning in my office, I will give you the antidote.
Miss one morning and youтАЩll be dead by the next. Commit a crime or an act of treason and youтАЩll be sent
back to the dungeon until the poison takes you. I would avoid that fate, if I were you. The poison causes
severe stomach cramps and uncontrollable vomiting.тАЭ

Before full comprehension of my situation could sink in, ValekтАЩs eyes slid past my shoulder. I turned to
see a stout woman in a housekeeperтАЩs uniform opening the door. Valek introduced her as Margg, the
person who would take care of my basic needs. Expecting me to follow her, Margg strode out the door.

I glanced at the vial on ValekтАЩs desk.

тАЬCome to my office tomorrow morning. Margg will direct you.тАЭ