Page 79 of The Study of Poisons
Valek’s arms ached by the time he reached his apartment. He shifted the heavy box to one arm as he opened the door. No light shone from inside. Not quite panicking, he entered, set the box down, and lit a lantern.
Perhaps Yelena was taking a nap.
Her room was empty.
He kept a firm grip on his emotions as he searched the castle for her. She wasn’t in the training room. Or the kitchen. Or the library. Or the Commander’s office, but she had tasted his dinner. Did Brazell’s goons nab her on her way back to their suite? Was Valek too late?
CHAPTER15
Valek refused to panic. Yelena had shown she could defend herself. Besides, he couldn’t tear the complex apart looking for her. It would draw too much attention and let everyone know how much he cared for her. A food taster wasn’t considered missing until they failed to show up for a scheduled meal. At that point, he could search the entire area, and everyone would believe she’d escaped.
Despite his hammering heart, Valek returned to their apartment to wait. He lit the lanterns and tried to focus on work. The next execution was scheduled for after the Sitian delegation and Valek needed to get the paperwork for Tentil finalized.
When a key rasped in the lock, Valek just about jumped out of his skin.Yelena.Thank fate.He drew in a deep breath and released it along with all his pent-up fear. Then he replaced it with a neutral expression before he turned to her.
“Where have you been?” he asked a bit harsher than he’d planned.
“With Janco,” she said.
A sudden image of the two of them kissing in some abandoned storeroom flashed in his mind. “Doing what?” Valek demanded, hopping to his feet.
“Discussing fighting tactics.”
“Oh.” Valek relaxed.Bloody hell, get a grip, man. “Well, that’s all right. But from now on, I need to know where you are at all times, and I suggest you stay in the castle and keep a low profile for a while. General Brazell’s guards have set a bounty on your head.”
“A bounty?” Alarm filled her eyes and she paled.
He hadn’t meant to scare her. “It could be a rumor or just drunken soldiers’ talk. But until they leave, I want you protected.” Valek’s tone was firm. Too firm? “I don’t want to train another taster,” he added.
“I’ll be careful.”
“No. You’ll be paranoid. You’ll move in a crowd, keep to well-lit areas and you’ll make certain to have an escort with you whenever you’re walking down empty hallways late at night. Understood?” That was over the top. Apparently, his emotions had decided to stop taking orders.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good.” Time to change the subject before he revealed just how much he cared for her. “The generals’ brandy meeting is scheduled for tomorrow evening. Each general will bring a bottle of his finest brandy to share as they discuss Ixian business late into the night. You will be needed to taste the Commander’s drinks.” Valek lifted the box of brandy bottles from the floor and set it on the table. He pulled out a small drinking glass that had been nestled inside. “I want you to sample each brandy once tonight and at least twice tomorrow, so you know how each one tastes clean of poisons.” He handed Yelena the glass. “Each bottle is labeled according to the type of brandy, and which general brings it.”
Yelena grabbed one of the bottles. It was General Dinno’s cherry brandy. She poured a mouthful, performed the five S-steps, and swallowed. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as a ruddy flush spread on her cheeks. Adorable.
“I suggest you use the ‘slurp and spit’ method, so you don’t get drunk,” Valek said, keeping a straight face.
“Good point.” She found another glass in the box and picked up a different bottle.
Valek returned to his work. He tried concentrating on the forms before him, but he kept stealing glances at Yelena. She dutifully worked on tasting the various brandies. Her face creased in distaste over a few of the stronger flavors. After spitting out General Rasmussen’s peach brandy, Yelena licked her lips. All of Valek’s attention suddenly focused on them as he imagined kissing her and tasting the sweet liquor. Fire burned in his core.
He wrenched his thoughts from going further down that dangerous path. Forms. Needed. To be. Filled out. Valek worked on them as if his life depended on it.
* * *
The day of the generals’meeting, Valek received nothing but bad news. Still no insight into what Star planned. And his agents had discovered ten of Brazell’s soldiers passed out in the barracks. They reeked of alcohol, but also sported bloody noses, black eyes, cuts, and bruises. They’d been on the losing side of a fight, but none of the other soldiers could recall who else had been involved or when it happened.
Valek spotted Ari in the training yard after his afternoon bouts. He called the big man over.
“Sir?” Ari asked. Despite the cold air, he wore a sleeveless tunic and short pants.
“Seems several soldiers from MD-5 were attacked last night. Do you know anything about it?”
“I know they were drunk. I know they were obnoxious. I know they said things about our food taster that they really shouldn’t have in mixed company,” Ari said.
