The Turning Tide by Rob Kidd Read Free Book Online Page A

sauce were chicken, while the white lumps in the dark green sauce were pieces of cheese. He was sure he could smell lamb and other vegetables as well. His stomach let out a prolonged rumble.
    Lakshmi glanced at him, startled. “For a moment I thought a tiger was creeping up on us,” she whispered, amused.
    “Why aren’t they serving the rest of us?” he whispered back.
    “Sri Sumbhajee is always served first,” she said. “And believe me, you want to wait.”
    Jean’s stomach growled again, as if disagreeing with her.
    Sri Sumbhajee glowered at the man kneeling before him. He flicked his fingers at the twin aides standing behind him.
    “Who has been near this food?” Askay demanded.
    “N-n-n-no one, sir,” the kneeling man stammered. “Please, spare me, sir, I am certain it is safe, I prepared it carefully myself—”
    “That’s what the last three said,” Pusasn snarled. “The life of our lord must be protected. Eat, you cowering cur!”
    Sri Sumbhajee tore off a piece of flat round bread from a second platter and handed it to the man in blue. With the eyes of the entire court upon him, the man leaned forward to dip the bread in one of the sauces. His hand was shaking so badly, he had to try a few times before he got the bread into the right compartment.
    “What’s going on?” Diego whispered to Carolina.
    “I think he’s a food taster,” she whispered back. “Our king back in Spain used one to make sure no one was trying to poison him. If the taster dies…well…”
    “…you will know the food has been poisoned,” Diego finished, his eyes wide.
    Jack was twisting the braids in his beard, watching intently.
    Silence fell over the courtyard as the man chewed slowly and swallowed. After a moment, a smile spread across his face.
    “You see?” he said, lifting his hands toward Sri Sumbhajee. “As I said, perfectly saaaaaaaugh.” His face turned purple and his eyes rolled back. Clutching his neck, he toppled over sideways. “Uh-oh,” Jack said. “Not good.” Sri Sumbhajee leaped to his feet. “Sri Sumbhajee knew it!” Askay bellowed, drawing his sword. “Sri Sumbhajee knows all!” Pusasn roared. “Someone is trying to poison him!”

C HAPTER S IX
    “W ell, it wasn’t me,” Jack said immediately. He leaned over to Barbossa. “We didn’t do it, did we?” he mumbled out of the corner of his mouth.
    Barbossa rolled his eyes.
    “Sri Sumbhajee is aware that this is not the doing of our distinguished guests,” Pusasn said with a small bow. “This is the fourth time now that his food taster has keeled over dead, so unless your assassins invisibly preceded you, someone here at court is the culprit.”
    “Sri Sumbhajee is most displeased!” Askay announced. “Sri Sumbhajee does not like to be nearly poisoned!”
    “The feast is hereby cancelled!” said Pusasn.
    “What?” Jean cried. “Why? What about us? I don’t mind a little poison! Wait, don’t go!” With a look of abject despair, he watched the silver platters being marched away. Lakshmi patted his hand sympathetically as his stomach growled again.
    “Whoever is trying to kill Sri Sumbhajee will be punished most severely,” Askay said, glaring around at the seated courtiers.
    Sri Sumbhajee banged his fist into the palm of his hand.
    “He will be trampled by elephants!” Pusasn declared. “And then fed to crocodiles!”
    “Um, yuck,” Marcella said, wrinkling her nose.
    “Are you sure we can’t eat the food?” Jean said plaintively. “ Any of the food?”
    “Of course, you have to catch the scoundrel first,” Jack said to Sri Sumbhajee, lifting his spoon and twisting it to see his reflection. It gleamed as if it were made of gold. “You know, before the delightful spectacle of elephant-trampling and crocodile-feeding. But I’m sure you have the situation well in hand.”
    Sri Sumbhajee and his aides shifted their glares to him.
    “No?” Jack said, noticing their expressions. He breathed on the spoon and