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

тАЬOscove was my friend. He was the CommanderтАЩs best food taster. He used to come to my kitchen
every morning after breakfast and help me invent new recipes. I have to keep things interesting or the
Commander will start looking for a new cook. Know what I mean?тАЭ

I nodded, wiping butter off my chin.

He thrust out his hand. тАЬMy nameтАЩs Rand.тАЭ

I shook his hand. тАЬYelena.тАЭ



I stopped at an open window on my way to ValekтАЩs office. The rising sun was just cresting the Soul
Mountains to the east of the castle. The colors in the sky resembled a ruined painting, as if a small child
had spilled water on the canvas. I let my eyes feast on the vibrant display of life as I inhaled the fresh air.
Everything was in full bloom, and soon the cool morning breeze would warm to a comfortable level. The
hot season was in its infancy. The days of sweltering heat and limp, humid nights were still a few weeks
away. I had been training with Valek for a fortnight, and I wondered how long My Love had held me
unconscious.

Tearing myself away from the window, I walked toward ValekтАЩs office, arriving at his door just as he
was leaving.

тАЬYelena! You made it.тАЭ Valek smiled. тАЬItтАЩs been three days. I was beginning to worry.тАЭ

I studied his face. He seemed sincerely glad to see me.

тАЬWhereтАЩs Margg?тАЭ he asked.

тАЬI havenтАЩt seen her.тАЭ Thank fate, I thought.

тАЬThen youтАЩll need your antidote,тАЭ Valek said while moving back to his cabinet.

Once I swallowed the liquid, Valek headed toward the door. When I didnтАЩt follow, he gestured to me.

тАЬI have to taste the CommanderтАЩs breakfast,тАЭ he said, setting a quick pace.

I huffed along behind him.
тАЬItтАЩs time you meet the Commander and watch how food tasting should be done.тАЭ

We turned into the main hallway of the castle. Valek didnтАЩt miss a step, but I stumbled and stifled a gasp.
The famous tapestries from the KingтАЩs era were torn and soiled with black paint. In BrazellтАЩs orphanage
we had been taught that each tapestry represented a province of the old kingdom. Hand-quilted with
gold threads during the course of many years, the colored silk pictures told a story about the history of
each province. Now in rags, they still told a very powerful tale about the CommanderтАЩs rule.

The CommanderтАЩs disdain for the opulence, excesses and injustices of the former ruler and his family was
well known throughout Ixia. From monarchy to military, the changes in Ixia were severe. While some
citizens embraced the simple but strict rules in the Code of Behavior, others rebelled by refusing to wear