The Antidote for Longing II — Karl Dandenell

Lars Bjornsen, the exiled imperial poisoner, has reunited with his old friend, Fredrik Magnusson, who now serves as physik to the imperial family. Together they race to unravel two mysteries: the sudden illness of Emperor Gustavus and the death of the newest imperial poisoner, Lord Anders. While the clues point to a possible coup attempt, Lars begins to suspect that Spymaster Maja Viklund and Lord Anders were dosing the emperor with an aphrodisiac known as Sweet Agony to ensure a new heir. While Sweet Agony is not part of the Society of Poisoner’s arsenal, its side effects could be fatal for an old man like Emperor Gustavus.

Narrated by Thomas Baxter.
Published in Metaphorosis on 25 August 2023.
Find the original at magazine.metaphorosis.com.