Page 152 of Vicious Princess

Ghost takes an envelope out of the inner pocket of his tailored black tunic. He places it on the table and slides it over to me.

“In this envelope you’ll find jin, a flower found in the fields of southern Ekios. It’s a beautiful flower and only blooms one month out of the year. But what’s even more beautiful about it is that if you dry it and grind it into a fine powder, it’s an effective poison that will stop even the heart of a sea serpent.”

“Good to know,” I say, tracing a finger over the envelope. “At least I don’t have to stab someone. Just poison them. Who?”

“You’ll need to grind the dried flower just before you poison the target, as the powder has a short time when it’s active,” Ghost explains. “Three days from today, in the evening, you’ll be working as a bartender in one of the most prominent lounges in Jaakii, Golden Dragon. A very important meeting will take place there, and a lot of prominent people from House Dzuni and the Order of Ezkai will be present. Your target is one of those important people, and you’ll have to poison him during the evening without getting caught. Can you do that, Mister Kregger?”

“Yes. As easy as slicing a pie.”It’s not.

“If you do get caught, I trust you not to reveal my identify to the authorities.”

“Of course. I’m as loyal and trustworthy as a criminal can be.”

Ghost smiles, but it doesn’t reach his dark eyes.

“So, how important is my target? Which one of the nobles will it be? I’m not familiar with all the families, but I’m a fast learner,” I say, desperate for more details.

Truth be told, I want to knowexactlyhow much trouble I am getting myself into here. After all, what is my freedom worth if I don’t have my head on my shoulders to enjoy it?

Finally, Ghost says, “Your target is the Ezkai General, Kitajo Hiromasa, Mister Kregger.”

Well, spirits of the gods be damned.

Craving more?