Merce

he white stone pavilion in the palace gardens. I sat with the e

icked on the

ached with a heavy silver-domed platter. He

tray on the stone table. "A messenger from

a brow. "

fted th

northern spices. Beneath the heavy aroma of rosemary and pepper, an unmistakable me

the hunt," Lily murmured. "She sent it as a peace

ess laugh esca

vigilance, or simply a poison to keep me bed

lchemy chamber. Have them identify every substance in the me

rried the platter toward the rear colonnade

ied roar tore through the garden air, followe

lked swiftly towa

ennel path. Grease and torn herbs streaked

unds-hulking, four-legged reptilian beasts with blood-red scales and crimson eyes-were tearing

e, fed the poisoned meat to my war

round with a guttural hiss, and leaped ac

the golden flame g

a blur of dark linen dropped from

rmly between t

eft boot into the gravel and released a burst

air

n invisible wall of solid granite. It dropped to the stones with

st the dirt, whining and leaking urine across t

teady, but the sharp tension around his ma

osed to danger," he ra

id softly, looking at the b

sudden crimson. He tightened his grip on his scabbard and

d toward the dense juniper h

appeared behind the bushes. A sharp shriek pierced the

rson onto the g

that morning. Grease stained the front of her apron, crushed rosemary

pulled out a crumpled roll of parchme

ntained detailed notes on my gu

is?" I asked, lo

ness! It was Lady Nora! She ordered me to steal the bird, feed it to the war hounds,

o

erved me since childhood-and the very woman who had unlocke

ngeons," I told Kae

weeping woman aw

vate study, the cold wind r

to House Bradley, I would provide her

eet of heavy parchment stamped with the highe