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

their uniforms, by not requesting permission to travel, and by escaping to the south.

Based on the offense, the insurgentsтАЩ punishment matched exactly what was written in the Code. No
uniform meant two days chained naked in the townтАЩs square. It didnтАЩt matter if the offender had a
legitimate reason; the punishment was always the same. IxiaтАЩs people discovered that there wasnтАЩt going
to be any guessing about their punishment. No bribing or good-old-boy networking either; the
Commander meant business. Live by the Code or face the consequences.

I pulled my eyes away from the tapestries in time to see Valek disappear through an arched doorway
decorated with lavish stonework. Splintered wooden doors hung crookedly on their hinges, but the
intricate carvings of trees and exotic birds were still visible. Another victim of the takeover, and another
reminder of the CommanderтАЩs intent.

I stopped in amazement just past the broken doors. This was the castleтАЩs throne room. Inside was a sea
of desks occupied by numerous advisers and military officers from every Military District in the Territory.
The room hummed with activity.

It was hard to distinguish individuals in the commotion, but I finally spotted ValekтАЩs smooth stride as he
went through an open door at the back of the room. Finding a path around the maze of desks took some
time. When I arrived at the door, I heard a manтАЩs voice complaining about cold sweet cakes.

Commander Ambrose sat behind a plain wooden desk. His office was stark in comparison to ValekтАЩs
and lacked personal decorations. The only object in the room that did not have a specific purpose was a
hand-size statue of a black snow cat. The catтАЩs eyes glinted with silver, and bright specks of the metal
peppered the beastтАЩs powerful back.

The CommanderтАЩs black uniform was perfectly tailored and immaculate, indistinguishable from ValekтАЩs
except that the diamonds stitched on his collar were real. They twinkled in the morning light. The
CommanderтАЩs black hair was sprinkled with gray and cut so short that the strands stood straight up.

In BrazellтАЩs classroom, we had learned that the Commander avoided public appearances and having his
portrait painted. The fewer people who knew what he looked like, the less his chances were of being
assassinated. Some thought he was paranoid, but I believed that since he had gained power by using
assassins and covert warfare, he was merely being realistic.

This was not the Commander I had envisioned: burly, bearded and weighed down with medals and
weapons. He was thin, clean shaven, with delicate features.

тАЬCommander, this is Yelena, your new food taster,тАЭ Valek said, pulling me into the room.

The CommanderтАЩs gold almond-shaped eyes met mine. His gaze had the sharpness of a sword point. It
pressed against my throat and fastened me to the floor. I felt myself being drawn out and examined.
When he looked over at Valek, I swayed with relief.

тАЬFrom what BrazellтАЩs been hollering about, I expected her to breathe fire,тАЭ the Commander said.

I stiffened on hearing BrazellтАЩs name. If Brazell was complaining to the Commander, I could be back in
line for the noose.

тАЬBrazellтАЩs a fool,тАЭ Valek said. тАЬHe wanted the drama of a public hanging for his sonтАЩs killer. I personally