Page 92 of The Study of Poisons
You have my heart.But that wasn’t what she needed to hear. “You have my attention. But give me what I want, and you can have everything.” He promised.
She met his gaze, then turned and left his office. She needed time. He knew that. He’d give her all the time she needed. Deep inside, he sensed that it’d be worth the wait. That, if…no, when she committed and trusted him, revealing her true self, she’d knock him off his feet.
* * *
The generalsand their retinues assembled to leave the next morning. Valek had five minutes to breathe a sigh of relief before sending Ari, Janco, Maren, and a soldier named Annika to ensure the safe passage of the Sitian delegation, who was due to arrive late the next afternoon.
In the meantime, he had a black market dealer to hang. It was the third day of the cold season, and he hadn’t wanted the spectacle of a hanging when the generals and all those soldiers were in residence. Nor did he wish for the Sitians to witness it, so today was the day.
The carpenters had already constructed the gallows. Bunton stood between two guards. He wore a standard prison jumpsuit and had shaved. His swagger from his arrest was long gone. During questioning, he had confessed to murdering Sven, waiving his right to a trial—the first bit of good news for Valek. The second bit was learning Bunton’s son, Loman had killed one of Valek’s agents. Valek had given Bunton the option to pretend to be Tentil, including wearing a fake nose and makeup, to save his son’s life. Because Bunton agreed, Loman would spend ten years in prison and be released.
Aware of this deal, Bunton’s wife stood with the small group of witnesses along with Loman and his guards, Tentil’s sister and mother. Once Tentil settled into his new life, Valek would arrange for his mother and sister’s family to move to MD-4, where they’d learn of Tentil’s real fate. Valek’s family had been destroyed by murder and he didn’t wish for anyone else’s family to suffer unduly.
Also in attendance was Adrik, Sven’s son; and Trevar, both new members of Valek’s corps and still in training.
Bunton was led over to where Valek waited. The guards removed his manacles.
“This is your final opportunity to apologize to your family and your victims’ families for your actions,” Valek said.
The prisoner turned to the small crowd. “I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
Short and sincere, just the way Valek liked it. He took Bunton’s arm and led him up the ramp. Then he looped the noose around his neck. The Commander usually announced the prisoner’s crime, but Valek thought it was unnecessary. When he yanked the lever, he met Loman’s gaze. The man flinched when his father’s body jerked to a stop. Then he looked at Adrik. Sven’s son was grim, but he nodded when he met Valek’s gaze.
Afterwards, Valek talked to Adrik and Trevar. “This job is very dangerous,” he said. “And you don’t always get justice. Some missions go sideways, and you barely escape with your life. You can be severely injured. It’s hard to have a family when you’re gone on missions for months, maybe years.”
“Are you trying to scare us?” Trevar asked.
“No. I want you to know all the risks involved when you become an agent. They outweigh the rewards.”
“What are the rewards?”
“Saving a life, preventing a crime, outsmarting the bad guys, keeping people safe.”
“How does hanging a murderer keep people safe?” Adrik asked. “The person they killed is still dead.”
“It makes another potential murderer stop to consider the consequences before they act.Ifthey can think. Sometimes, it’s a crime of passion and there’s no logic. And sometimes they believe they’re smart enough to get away with it. Very few are, most are caught. Since the takeover, the number of murders has gone down significantly.”
“I’ll take those risks,” Trevar said. “If I prevent one crime, it’d be worth it.”
“My dad didn’t spend a lot of time with me when I was growing up, but he made up for it during those long breaks he had between missions,” Adrik said. “He believed in you and the Commander, and I do, too.”
Valek was glad they were dedicated, but a part of him worried about them. So many of his agents had died and he tried to keep his distance from his corps. Tried to not get emotionally attached. Yet they were his family. Like all the members of his corps, he would be there when Adrik and Trevar graduated from training. He’d give them each a special gift and a small piece of his heart.
* * *
The Sitian delegationarrived at the castle without trouble. Ari and Janco reported that the two teams had encountered no one, which meant the danger from Star remained.
Valek stood in the war room with the Commander and several high-ranking officials and advisers. A nervous excitement flowed through everyone, along with a simmering nervousness. Dressed in his formal uniform, Valek resisted tugging at the collar. He glanced at Yelena standing behind him. Did she still think he was stunning? Her gaze was firmly fixed on the entrance. The Sitians had arrived.
They wore colorful silk robes with animal figures embroidered on the fabric. The floor-length garments could be hiding any number of weapons. He counted five of them, all wearing animal-shaped masks that covered their faces. Exotic feathers and fur trimmed the masks. A status symbol or an intimidation tactic? Not being able to see their expressions or read their body language unnerved him. Was that the point of their clothing? To hide as much from the Ixians as possible?
The Sitians stopped three feet before the Commander. They fanned out into a V pattern like birds flying south during the cooling season. Fittingly, the lead bird wore a mask fashioned into a hawk.
“We bring you greetings and salutations from your southern neighbors,” the leader said formally. “We hope this meeting will bring our two lands closer together. To show our commitment to this endeavor, we have come prepared to reveal ourselves to you.” The hawk and her four companions removed their masks at the same time.
Valek recognized the woman who stood too close to the Commander—the southern master magician. The most dangerous person in the room by far. Valek braced for a magical attack, but nothing happened. Not yet. She had the power to reach the Commander anywhere in the castle complex. He met Yelena’s gaze. Her horrified expression said it all—this was the worst possible situation.
“Ixia welcomes you to our land, and hopes to make a fresh start,” the Commander said.
