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

тАЬI am not a fool.тАЭ

Chapter Two
V alek snapped the folder closed. He walked to the door; his stride as graceful and light as a snow cat
traversing thin ice. The guards waiting in the hall snapped to attention when the door opened. Valek
spoke to them, and they nodded. One guard came toward me. I stared at him, going back to the
dungeon had not been part of ValekтАЩs offer. Could I escape? I scanned the room. The guard spun me
around and removed the manacles and chains that had been draped around me since IтАЩd been arrested.

Raw bands of flesh circled my bloody wrists. I touched my neck, feeling skin where there used to be
metal. My fingers came away sticky with blood. I groped for the chair. Being freed of the weight of the
chains caused a strange sensation to sweep over me; I felt as if I were either going to float away or pass
out. I inhaled until the faintness passed.

When I regained my composure, I noticed Valek now stood beside his desk pouring two drinks. An
opened wooden cabinet revealed rows of odd-shaped bottles and multicolored jars stacked inside.
Valek placed the bottle he was holding into the cabinet and locked the door.

тАЬWhile weтАЩre waiting for Margg, I thought maybe you could use a drink.тАЭ He handed me a tall pewter
goblet filled with an amber liquid. Raising his own goblet, he made a toast. тАЬTo Yelena, our newest food
taster. May you last longer than your predecessor.тАЭ

My goblet stopped short of my lips.

тАЬRelax,тАЭ he said, тАЬitтАЩs a standard toast.тАЭ

I took a long swig. The smooth liquid burned slightly as it slid down my throat. For a moment, I thought
my stomach was going to rebel. This was the first time I had taken something other than water. Then it
settled.

Before I could question him as to what exactly had happened to the previous food taster, Valek asked
me to identify the ingredients of the drink. Taking a smaller portion, I replied, тАЬPeaches sweetened with
honey.тАЭ

тАЬGood. Now take another sip. This time roll the liquid around your tongue before swallowing.тАЭ

I complied and was surprised to taste a faint citrus flavor. тАЬOrange?тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs right. Now gargle it.тАЭ

тАЬGargle?тАЭ I asked. He nodded. Feeling foolish, I gargled the rest of my drink and almost spat it out.
тАЬRotten oranges!тАЭ

The skin around ValekтАЩs eyes crinkled as he laughed. He had a strong, angular face, as if someone had
stamped it from a sheet of metal, but it softened when he smiled. Handing me his drink, he asked me to
repeat the experiment.

With some trepidation, I took a sip, again detecting the faint orange taste. Bracing myself for the rancid
flavor, I gargled ValekтАЩs drink and was relieved that gargling only enhanced the orange essence.