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

тАЬThese must have belonged to Oscove, the old food taster,тАЭ Dilana said. A sad expression gripped her
face for a moment before she shook her head as if to rid herself of an unwanted thought.

All my fantasies of friendship fled me as I realized that being friends with the CommanderтАЩs food taster
was a big emotional risk. My stomach hollowed out while DilanaтАЩs warmth leaked from me, leaving a
cold bitterness behind.

A sharp stab of loneliness struck me as an unwanted image of May and Carra, who still lived at BrazellтАЩs
manor, flashed before my eyes. My fingers twitched to fix CarraтАЩs crooked braids and to straighten
MayтАЩs skirt.

Instead of CarraтАЩs silky ginger hair in my hands, I held a stack of clothes. Dilana guided me to a chair.
Kneeling on the floor, she put socks on my feet and then a pair of boots. The boots were made of soft
black leather. They came up over my ankle to midcalf, where the leather folded down. Dilana tucked my
pant legs into the boots and helped me stand.

I hadnтАЩt worn shoes in seasons and I expected them to chafe. But the boots cushioned my feet and fit
well. I smiled at Dilana, thoughts of May and Carra temporarily banished. These were the finest pair of
boots IтАЩd ever worn.

She smiled back and said, тАЬI can always pick the right-size boots without having to measure.тАЭ
Margg harrumphed. тАЬYou didnтАЩt get poor RandтАЩs boots right. HeтАЩs too smitten with you to complain.
Now he limps around the kitchen.тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt pay any attention to her,тАЭ Dilana said to me. тАЬMargg, donтАЩt you have work to do? Get going or
IтАЩll sneak into your room and shorten all your skirts.тАЭ Dilana shooed us good-naturedly out the door.

Margg took me to the servantsтАЩ dining room and served me small portions of soup and bread. The soup
tasted divine. After devouring the food, I asked for more.

тАЬNo. Too much will make you sick,тАЭ was all she said. With reluctance I left my bowl on the table to
follow Margg to my room.

тАЬAt sunrise be ready to work.тАЭ

Once again I watched her retreating back.

My small room contained a narrow bed with a single stained mattress on a stark metal frame, a plain
wooden desk and chair, a chamber pot, an armoire, a lantern, a tiny woodstove and one window
shuttered tight. The gray stone walls were unadorned. I tested the mattress; it barely yielded. A vast
improvement over my dungeon cell, yet I found myself somewhat dissatisfied.

Nothing in the room suggested softness. With my mind and eyes filled with ValekтАЩs metal face and
MarggтАЩs censure, and the harsh cut and colors of the uniforms, I longed for a pillow or blanket. I felt like
a lost child looking for something to clutch, something supple that wouldnтАЩt end up hurting me.

After hanging my extra uniforms in the armoire, I crossed to the window. There was a sill wide enough
for me to sit on. The shutters were locked, but the latches were on the inside. Hands shaking, I unlocked
and pushed the shutters wide, blinking in the sudden light. Shielding my eyes, I squinted beneath my hand,
and stared at the scene in front of my window in disbelief. I was on the first floor of the castle! Five feet