Clasping the closest mug, she took a sip and choked on the strong mint flavor.
Valek grinned. “Taste anything else?”
She took another mouthful. “No.”
“All right. Now pinch your nose tight and try again.”
After giving him a questioning look, she fumbled with her bandaged arm. Then she pinched her nose and took another sip. “Sweet. No mint.” Her voice sounded funny, and she released her nose.
“Correct. Now try the others.”
Yelena repeated the test on the other three cups and successfully discovered the hidden tastes. More proof she’d make an excellent taster.
“This technique works for any drink or food. Blocking your sense of smell eliminates all flavors except sweet, sour, bitter, and salt,” He lectured. “Some poisons are recognizable by one of those four flavors.” Valek paged through his folder. “Here is a complete list of human poisons and their distinct tastes for you to memorize. There are fifty-two known poisons.”
She scanned the list and then brandished it in the air. “Why didn’t you just give me this list instead of making me sample My Love?”
“What would you learn from a list? Kattsgut tastes sweet. What does that taste like? Honey sweet? Apple sweet? There are different levels of sweetness and the only way to learn them is to taste them yourself. Theonlyreason I’m giving you this list is because the Commander wants you working as soon as possible.” Valek snapped his folder shut. “Just because you aren’t going to taste those poisons now doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. Memorize that list. Once the medic releases you from the infirmary, I will test your knowledge. If you pass, then you can start work.”
“And if I fail?”
Then you’ll die, and I’ll be…upset.“Then I’ll be training a new taster.” His voice was flat, monotoned despite his unsettling thoughts. No other taster’s death caused him any emotion other than annoyance. He continued. “Brazell will be in the castle for another two weeks. He has more business to attend to. I can’t have you guarded all day, so Margg is preparing a room for you in my suite. I’ll come back later to see when you’ll be discharged.”
He left before she could react to the news that she would be staying with him. Beforehecould react to the same news. Valek had fully intended to assign his corps to dress as servants and castle staff and covertly guard her at all times. He didn’t want anyone to think he cared about her—because he didn’t. But that wasn’t what popped out of his mouth. Of course, he could change his mind. He should. Except his apartment had plenty of room and it’d be nice to have some company.
* * *
Valek hurriedto his office to create a schedule to have Yelena followed and protected every time she left his apartment. He resisted taking a shift. Why did he even contemplate it? Not only was he far too busy, but there was absolutely no reason. His corps were more than capable of keeping her safe, and once Brazell and his goons were gone, she could return to her own room. At least, Adviser Mogkan had already left. Brazell wanted him to start construction on the factory right away.
When Valek finished, he tracked down his current spy manager. She had an office on the third floor of the six-story hexagon which housed his corps. Unlike his, hers was neat and sparsely furnished. A good thing, as she kept track of all his corps and assigned them to the various operations that Valek didn’t personally oversee. Not quite a second-in-command, but close.
Kenda greeted him with a smile and gestured to the empty seat in front of her desk. Whip smart with a keen memory, she’d worked her way up through the ranks, proving her worth. With her unremarkable appearance, Kenda had the ability to blend into any situation and not leave an impression. He handed her the schedule for Yelena before he sat.
“What type of trouble are you expecting, sir?” Kenda asked.
“An attack or ambush from one or more of General Brazell’s people.”
“How many more?”
“I doubt he’d send more than two. He doesn’t want the Commander to know so they’ll be incognito.”
She drummed her fingers on the desk as she studied the parchment. “There’s no night shift.”
Here we go.“Correct. She’ll be sleeping in one of the extra rooms in my suite.” Both his and the Commander’s apartments were only accessible through one entrance that was always guarded.
Kenda was too much of a professional to voice the curiosity dancing in her brown-eyed gaze.
He suppressed a sigh. “It’s a tactical decision. Her room is on the ground floor, so we’d need two people to watch her at night and I’m not willing to use up too many of my corps.”
“And I know just who to assign. Hildred is back from MD-2 and is already bored. Inrick can take the second shift. They both can handle up to three opponents.”
Valek approved. They chatted about the current operations, and he updated her on the black market op. After they finished, he left and searched for Margg. She mopped the floor inside the Commander’s war room.
“I need you to clean out one of the extra bedrooms in my suite,” he said.
“Why? They’re all filled with junk.”
An old argument—what was junk to her was treasure to him. “Yelena will be staying there until Brazell leaves the castle.”
