Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 53

An attendant opened a glass door, bowing humbly. Induen paid the attendant little heed, ducking through the glass structure and entering the greenhouse proper. The place was incredibly beautiful and well-kept. The plants were bright and colorful, yet they did not block off the marble pathway winding throughout the entire place. A small brook wound its way around, letting off faint babbling sound. Small bugs no bigger than a coin flew about everywhere, letting out small sparks of multi-colored electricity.

Induen looked about the place for a moment, expression indiscernible. After fixing his gold-lined black clothes, he waved away the doorman without a word. The attendant bowed once more and shut the glass door. Induen took a deep breath and exhaled, and then walked through the greenhouse.

The path was lined with plant life unending. Small trees with red knobby fruits, strange black plants that shone with purple dew, or blue vines wrapped around a fence with fruits that might’ve passed as grapes… Induen noticed them, but he did not seem awed with them as one might be. He headed towards the center of the greenhouse.

He came to a central square with little plant life and plenty of space for movement. A grand fountain stood in the center, spouting water five feet in the air. Small streams of water branched off it and ran underneath the marble walkway, eventually forming the brooks that lined the rest of the greenhouse. There was a single table by the fountain. It was pink and fanciful, as were the chairs beside it. Two people sat.

Both were female. One of the two people was dressed just the same as the doorman Induen had just left. The other was a beautiful young woman who wore a white and green gown without much adornment. She sat in a strange chair that had handles and two wheels on the side. A blanket covered her legs, and her eyes were wrapped in a white cloth. She had the same obsidian-colored hair that Induen did.

Induen walked closer quietly with his hands behind his back. As he drew closer, he heard the servant speaking. She was reading from a book. The blind woman sat there quietly, listening intently. Induen waited patiently. Eventually, the servant woman noticed him and stood quickly.

“Ah…” she said, surprised. “Princess Elenore, your brother is here to see you.”

Elenore grabbed the table at once, clearly uneasy. “Who?”

“It’s me, sister,” Induen said warmly, stepping forward with his hand on his chest.

“Induen?” she questioned, face brightening. Her expression quickly returned to neutral as though she was hiding her emotions.

“Yes,” Induen confirmed. “Give us a moment alone,” he said towards the servant, voice considerably colder.

“At once, my Prince,” the servant said prudently, walking away from the marble square quickly.

Induen stayed standing for a moment, and then slid into the chair. His sister waited there, her blindfolded face not quite in the right direction. Induen picked up the book the servant had left. “’The Golden Void,’” he read the title, opening the first page.

“It’s a book about economy,” Elenore answered quickly.

“Diligent as ever,” Induen said, setting down the book. “I missed you. How have you been, Elenore?”

“You don’t care. Why do you ask?” She waved a hand in dismissal and crossed her arms, refusing to turn her face towards him. “I’m a cripple, not a lackwit.”

“Hey,” Induen said in protest. “Hey, hey.” He stood from the chair and moved to her chair, placing his hands gingerly on her arms. “Don’t be like that, El. Father was having me do things. You know I’d visit you every day if I could,” he said, trying to calm her down.

“What things?”

“Dealing with the unrest in the capital, communications with the nobles, gathering the troops, preparing the supplies…” Induen shook her gently. “I promise you I wouldn’t ever avoid you.”

finally turned her head to look

“I promise,” Induen nodded.

few seconds. After she pulled away,

chair and sat down, then

out of sight, out of mind. It’s because of that finger-eating queen of father’s. She didn’t raise the others right.” She pointed to Induen, her finger a little off from his face. “Babies

away, gazing out at the fountain as it rippled from the waterfalls.

is causing problems,”

royal guards say Orion

shook her head. “Have you even

leaned in. “What are

two hundred and fourteen rose gold magic coins for your little poison apple. Donated fifty coins to House Monticci in light of

sold it?” Induen repeated, voice low. “Where

get sharper,” Elenore said simply. “What did you think would happen? You killed his mother. That sort of grudge doesn’t go away.

“But father—”

“If you were still a little kid, I’d give you a good smack.” She shook her head and crossed her legs. “You hate father. I hate him. Everybody hates him, but they’re afraid of him. All it takes to break that fear is one defiance. His

you defied him,” Induen retorted

gouged out my eyes

flinched away when she mentioned what

I told you to stop with those

lowered his head into his hands. “I just get angry,

mocked. “Appreciate that you have the luxury to get angry. That privilege is fading fast,

for a while. “You’re right, El. I’m

apology. How rich. That’ll

Induen repeated. “What more do you want from

lesson you need to,” she said harshly. “My people tell me father beat you because of your handling of Margrave Reinhardt.

his gaze downwards and refused

she chastised. “Well, stop being a

turned to look at her, indignant gaze replaced by a fierce intensity. He took a deep breath, digesting what she said. “I’ll tell you what I can, but he’s sending me

some minor benefits—lands of the defeated, stipends, et cetera. With Mateth essentially crippled, they’re quite close to the north, and the Duke of Elbraille is a coward who doesn’t wish to be the bulwark against Vasquer. That’s common knowledge. What a lot of people don’t know, however, is that he’s

retrieved a stack of

Elbraille, and speak to the Duke. Behind the scenes, I’ll arrange one of my agents to set up a meeting between you and the

and

not for the king. House Monticci is the weakest it’s been in centuries. Promise the duchess the city. She’ll get her

manning it, the walls of Mateth won’t fall.

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