Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave blinked open his eyes, staring up at the white ceiling above. He took a deep breath. His lungs felt back to working order, finally. He started to move and found his body happy to obey. He sat up, his head clear and everything in working order. He touched his chest, putting on a pondering expression.

Anneliese looked at him from where she sat at a table, reading a book. “You slept well,” she remarked.

Argrave ran his hand over his face. “Yeah… I guess I did. I feel pretty good, actually.” He turned to look at her. “Had a dream. Went to this barbecue place I always used to go to. You were there. Then it got weird,” Argrave shook his head.

“And you felt this was worth sharing?” Garm remarked.

Argrave turned his gaze to him. He had many choice retorts in mind, but what Anneliese had told him yesterday still stuck with him. He clasped his hands together and asked cheerily, “How are you doing, Garm?”

Garm could not move, but Argrave veritably saw him shrink away. “I’m… fine,” he responded awkwardly.

“That’s good. Sorry we couldn’t take you with last night,” he apologized. “I hope you understand why, at least.”

“…it’s fine,” he dismissed, closing his eyes so as not to look at Argrave. “Bunch of people eating, smacking their lips—wouldn’t want to be there, anyway.”

“Even still,” Argrave shook his head, then stood, setting aside the woolen blanket and grabbing his duster off a chair. “Where’s—”

The door opened, and Galamon ducked through.

“Speak of the devil,” Argrave said, throwing his duster on quickly.

“The sandstorm has cleared,” Galamon reported, and then slammed the door especially loudly.

Argrave furrowed his brows. “That’s good news, no? Something wrong?”

“…nothing,” he answered after a time.

Argrave looked to Anneliese, who returned his glance with an unspoken confirmation that something was indeed wrong.

“Right,” Argrave continued. “Well… we should find that merchant Tatia referred me to… his name was Titus, I believe.”

Anneliese shut her book, then came to her feet. “I shall get my things together.”

#####

Though Argrave didn’t wish to press Galamon as to what was bothering him, believing it might have something to do with his vampirism, Argrave found later that they did not need to ask.

When they made it to the central square, Argrave noticed there was a particularly large crowd around there. His first instinct was to avoid it, but curiosity drove him to see what they were gathering around. When he grew close alongside Anneliese and Galamon, he found it easy to look over the crowd of people ahead.

recognize what they were. They were many, numbering

They were corpses.

a hint of saliva, and they had shrunk so small that they could not weigh more than fifty pounds, even

liquids in them, it had no reason to smell of anything. It was a vaguely disconcerting sight, but Argrave had been through the Low Way, and was

to Galamon, understanding what had made the elven vampire bothered

“I see, now, why you

head back. He intended to look for only a bit longer and then move on, but he spotted someone standing

Tatia smiled when she saw Argrave and moved forward. The crowd parted for her, and she came to

“A pleasant surprise, seeing

on the chairs, but Argrave managed to return her greeting, saying, “Yes, hello,

for clothes, so we interact

Argrave answered quietly with a nod. He looked past

looked around, as though it wasn’t immediately obvious what he was referring to. “Ah. The jails were beginning to grow full. I decided to clear them out, stop procrastinating. A terrible habit of

did these people do?” Argrave

know it well,” Mistress Tatia returned. “Some stole, some used magic within the city, some committed violence, some refused to pay their taxes, some dared to blaspheme against our Fellhorn… yet most tried to provide subsistence to those outside

pulled back the person’s sleeve, revealing a cross with four x’s on the tips etched in a

returned to the crowd. “We know when they transgress. Yet if they are not reminded of this… they think we do not.” She stepped back

a second, not answering.

she nodded. “When you return from Argent, I would love

Argrave responded in non-committal

to it,” she beamed, blue eyes shimmering against the dawn light. “Good luck on your journey. Welcome to

Mistress Tatia walked away.

he stared at those husks. He turned back to Anneliese and Galamon, and said, “Come on. Let’s get

#####

read it, though. He simply stared out across the dunes of black sand, watching the road pass them by. Their caravan was hauled by

Argrave noted, turning away from the

Anneliese stayed silent, staring

across the dunes. “Might’ve been for her citizens, but doubtless Tatia

Anneliese agreed. “Fall in line, obey, and we will be treated fairly, even luxuriously. Transgress but slightly, and no mercy will be

Both of you?”

answered without

not

though, added, “I have no sympathy for any of them. They’re fools, unable to accept they’ve lost, unable to

to live under these

“And at the end of it, we receive the gratitude of a people who refuse to ask for help, who refuse to ask for aid. I cannot suspect they would express their gratitude easily… nor are they in a position to do so. Indeed, the Vessels may be more likely

furrowed his brows, not expecting this sort of talk

“And I think that it’s the smart thing to do. We should