Page 115 of The Study of Poisons
“Yelena, settle down,” he said. “Get some sleep; you’ll need your strength for tonight.”
“Oh yeah, everyone needs to be well rested to die,” she snarked. Then after a few moments of silence, “I’ll try.”
While she slept, Valek planned. It didn’t take long. He had few options and only if certain things happened. Otherwise, they were out of luck. He took his own advice and lay down on the dirty straw.
* * *
Yelena cried out,waking Valek. There was a solid thump then the sound of a large critter scurrying away.
“Nice nap?” he asked.
“I’ve had better. My sleeping companion snored,” Yelena said.
Valek grunted in amusement.
“How long was I out?” she asked.
“It’s hard to tell without the sun. I’m guessing it’s close to sunset.”
“Valek, I have a confess—” She grunted.
“What’s the matter?”
“Stomach cramp from hell,” she said, gasping. “Is this the start?”
“Yes. They begin slowly, but soon the convulsions will be continuous.” And he wouldn’t be able to help her.
She groaned. “Valek, talk to me. Tell me something to distract me.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t care. Anything.”
Time to be honest. Past time, really. “Here’s something you can take some comfort from—there’s no poison called Butterfly’s Dust.”
“What?” Her outcry was interrupted by retching sounds.
Valek pressed against his bars, wishing he could hold her and keep her hair from her face. When the sounds of her distress stopped, he explained, “You’re going to want to die, wish you were already dead, but in the end, you’ll be quite alive.”
“Why tell me now?”
“The mind controls the body. If you believed that you were going to die, then you might have died from that conviction alone.”
“Why wait until now to tell me?” she angrily demanded.
“A tactical decision.”
There was a long pause. He understood and deserved her anger and should elaborate on why he waited, but he hoped her fury would fuel her recovery.
“What about the cramps?” she asked.
“Withdrawal symptoms.”
“From what?”
“Your so-called antidote,” Valek said. “It’s an interesting concoction. I use it to make someone sick. As the potion wears off, it produces stomach cramps worthy of a day in bed. It’s perfect for putting someone temporarily out of commission without killing them. If you continue to drink it, then the symptoms are forestalled until you stop.”
“What’s the name?”
