"Torture all the kitchen staff until the truth is found!" The prime minister yelled, meanwhile running over to Gladius who had fallen unconscious, blood dribbling from his nose, "no! Not you too, Gladius! Noooo!"
***
I was srubbing plates with Suhzane behind Araharn's chamber when someone jumped over the low fence and landed like a cat on all fours.
"Follow me, Nei!" She hissed.
"Who is--" Suhzane had not finished speaking when I had scaled the fence back with the masked girl.
"We've freaked Suhzane out,"
"That's okay. Let her deal with the plates," Iria snapped, "Nei-- this is urgent. Here," she shoved my medicine belt into my hands, "run now to the prime minister's manor-- his son is gravely ill,"
"Helloo," I gaped, "when did we become pallies of the prime minister?--"
"I'll explain later, Nei, just go!"
"Don't push me-- the prime minister's manor is on the other side of town. I couldn't get there if--"
"Use your magic powers," Iria snapped
"I should what?" I couldn't believe my ears, "is the prime minister's son so--"
"Go now! If he dies, you'll be responsible!"
***
"Your eminence-- I am afraid there is nothing I can do--" the imperial physician bowed deeply, "the poison used is too concentrated--"
The prime minister grabbed the imperial physician by the scruff of his neck.
"You aren't getting out of here too if Gladius dies. Do something!!"
"Your eminence--" the imperial physician was struggling to breathe.
"He's all I have left! Do something!!"
"Your eminence--*cough*--"
"Your eminence-- I'll do something --*cough*-- let me examine him again,"
"Do!!" And the prime minister flung him onto the floor, "do something!!"
Nei crawled in under an eunuch's arm.
"Your eminence-- let me see the young master. I'll cure him," she muttered.
The prime minister didn't care if it was a human or an elf who could cure Gladius now...he threw back the curtains that had been drawn round the bed on which Gladius had been laid.
Nei took the young man's hand and noticed that there were purple dots spreading from the wrist upwards. Also, the hand was very cold. She used a finger to lift Gladius' eyelids and glassy eyes stared out of the sockets onto the ceiling.
Picking a pint of salt-like powder from one of the many pouches on the belt, she applied it to each of the purple dots with precision. One after the other the dots started to disappear.
A groan from Gladius' mouth convinced the prime minister that this girl was not just doing nonsense. He ordered the imperial physician thrown from the room so Nei could better focus on her work.
Three excruciating hours later Gladius opened his eyes and stared at his saviour.
"You are a--"
"I have half a dozen powders here which will surely end you without remedy," Nei warned.
Gladius shut his mouth but the knowledge never left him.
.....
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