Page 108 of The Study of Poisons
Yelena relaxed. “I thought you had orders to stay at the castle. Won’t you be court martialed?”
“And I thought your killing days were over,” he replied. He’d reached the thug with the blue lips and examined the man. As expected, he’d died of suffocation. Probably a bo strike to his windpipe. Damn. “Tell you what. If you don’t tell, I won’t. That way we can both avoid the noose. Deal?”
Yelena jerked her head toward Star. “What about her?”
“There’s an arrest warrant out for her. Did you even consider taking her to the Commander?”
“No.”
“Why not?” Valek couldn’t hide his shock. She’d dispatched two men in self-defense. With Star, it would clearly have been premeditated murder. Was that what happened with Reyad? “Killing isn’t the only solution to a problem. Or has that been your formula?”
“Myformula! Excuse me, Mr. Assassin, while I laugh as I remember my history lessons on how to deal with a tyrannical monarch by killing him and his family.”
Low blow. The King and his family needed to die. Star was no longer a threat. Valek glared at her.
“My actions were based on what I thought you would do if you were ambushed,” she said.
She really thought Valek would kill everyone. That he wouldn’t disarm them and arrest them first? Did she believe he was just a killing machine? If that was the case, Yelena would never trust him.
“You really don’t know me at all,” Valek said.
“Think about it, Valek, if I took her to the Commander and explained the details, what would happen to me?”
Yelena would be arrested for killing Star’s men and executed. He hadn’t considered it from her point of view. “Well, then, it was fortunate for both of you that I arrived.”
Star broke for the forest. Valek signaled Inrick and Hildred as she dashed down the small trail. Yelena moved to give chase, but Valek told her to wait. His agents materialized from the dark forest and tackled Star, who yelped in surprise.
“Take her back to the castle,” Valek ordered. “I’ll deal with her when I get back. Oh, and send a cleanup crew. I don’t want anyone stumbling onto this mess.”
They pulled Star away.
“Wait,” she yelled. “I have information. If you release me, I’ll tell you who plotted to ruin the Sitian treaty.”
“Don’t worry.” Valek used his flat tone. “You’ll tell me.” He took a step away, then paused. “However, if you want to reveal your patron now, then we can skip a painful interrogation later.”
Star’s expression turned shrewd.
“Lying would only worsen your predicament,” Valek warned.
“Kangom,” she said through clenched teeth. “He wore a basic soldier’s uniform with MD–8 colors.”
“General Dinno.” Valek was not surprised.
“Describe Kangom,” Yelena said.
“Tall. Long black hair in a soldier’s braid. An arrogant bastard. I almost kicked him out, but he showed me a pile of gold I couldn’t refuse,” Star said.
“Anything else?” Valek asked.
Star shook her head. Valek snapped his fingers. His agents would escort Star back toward the castle.
“Could it be Mogkan?” Yelena asked.
“Mogkan?” Valek glanced at her. “No. Brazell was far too happy about the delegation. Why would he jeopardize the treaty? That doesn’t make sense. Dinno on the other hand, was furious with the Commander. He probably sent one of his men to hire Star.”
Yelena wiped her blood-stained hands on her pants, which were torn. Her shirt was soaked with more blood. Was she injured? She shivered and hunted for something in the woods.
When she was about to swing her cloak over her shoulders, he said, “You better leave your clothes here. There would be quite a fuss if you showed up for dinner soaked with blood.”
