Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 128

Corentin sat in a group of near eight others, in the same house that he had just had his discussion with Argrave. The other southron elves were grizzled, scarred warriors just as he was—obvious war veterans. They were in a loose circle, some standing, some sitting.

“So, just as Durran did, this new arrival claims to have met my daughter?” one asked, a man with a missing nose.

“Yeah,” Corentin nodded, looking out towards the door. “Same tale as Durran, too. Gebicca was crushed beneath rocks. Same accounts. Only difference…” Corentin turned his head back. “Argrave brought Brumesingers with him. Seems to have tamed them, too.”

The warriors all looked greatly intrigued by this. One, who leaned against Corentin’s wall, asked, “How?”

“I don’t know,” Corentin shook his head.

“You didn’t ask?” the man pressed.

“What am I, a damned interrogator? You ask him,” Corentin crossed his arms and shook his head.

“What good are you, old bastard?” the man with the missing nose asked.

“Least I can still smell things, Morvan,” Corentin returned with a laugh. “You go outside, that cavity you call a nose fills up with sand. What kind of desert warrior loses to sand?”

Some of the others joined the man in laughter.

“You one-eyed prick,” Morvan leaned forward, a smile on his face.

“Let’s stay serious,” another man interjected—though he seemed the oldest, he was the least scarred. All of the others heeded his words at once. “Save the banter for when we don’t have an unexpected visitor. This man, Argrave, claims to be working with the Lord of Copper. This deserves serious treatment.”

Corentin raised his hands. “Of course, Florimond.”

Florimond looked about. “What is he doing right now?”

Someone stalked to the door of Corentin’s house. “Looks like… he’s letting the Brumesingers play with the children.”

That brief little description immediately made everyone stir.

“Either he’s not a bad guy, or he’s damned good at tugging the heartstrings,” Morvan shook his head.

“This is someone working for the Vessels,” another warrior posited. “With the intent to betray them, too. Maybe he’s a paragon. Maybe he’s a good actor.”

That sobered some of the warriors up, and their smiles faded somewhat.

“But what he’s saying—that the southern tribals are going to attack with the help of the Lord of Copper—it does match with what Durran told us. Everything matches,” Corentin ceded.

“Did you tell him anything about Durran? About the proposition the man’s made to us?” Florimond questioned.

“You think I’m stupid?” Corentin put a hand to his chest. “I kept my mouth shut, tried to let him say his piece.” Corentin lowered his hand.

“And that warrior with him?”

of guy I’d avoid on the battlefield. Strong, tough, hard. If a man like that would follow

anything, craven moron,” Morvan crossed his

giant and tell me how brave you are,” Corentin gestured towards the no-nosed elf. “His hand’s bigger than your head. Maybe that’s not saying much, considering how small the brain

and even Morvan sunk back into his chair,

we going to say to this guy?” Florimond

we?” Corentin crossed

Florimond nodded. “Nothing to gain from that. I do think we need to hear more from him—ask

his,” Morvan raised his hand. “Doesn’t matter if he can manipulate the Lord of Copper if he’s a drooling imbecile. If he’s stupid, we should probably

he pulled out the black cube with glowing purple runes on it. “He kept his eye

told

Morvan disagreed. “Smart girl, but… too young,” he shook his head, then lowered his gaze to the

the man’s loss. Someone patted him on

staying quiet,” Morvan finally broke the silence, shaking

chuckled. Florimond heeded Morvan’s advice, continuing, “So—we ask him questions,

the entire room

#####

place. I can

Argrave explained. “They help with

on a rock in the oasis town. The Brumesingers dashed about the open area like little balls of lightning, the southron elven children watching them and playing with them, tossing

like children?”

“No,” said Argrave immediately.

looked down.

to me, it’s fine,” Argrave shrugged. “I don’t want to

“Sons, daughters?” he pressed.

shook his head. “Wrong time to even

cannot control where the mind wanders,”

crossed his

ready, either,” he

crowd moving towards them. The old warriors of the southron elves moved from Corentin’s home, striding towards them. Argrave stood, turning

these men are

questioned,

can,” Galamon shook his head. “But

skilled,” Argrave told Galamon. “Frighteningly

grunted Galamon, keeping an eye

bring himself to pity any of them. They seemed too proud to be pitied. Some were missing hands or had gruesome scars across their bodies—Morvan ‘No-Nose’ was here, just as One-Eye Corentin. The de

tired of playing with the southron elf children, rushed

Brumesingers, who kept their golden eyes on the southron elf suspiciously. “…they are the

be Gebicca’s father,” he stepped forward, swallowing. “I’m

up his hand. He was missing a pinky. “Corentin told

that the man had time to process his grief since Corentin had informed him… but Morvan definitely wouldn’t process it

known for a

but nothing came, and the only thing Argrave could conjure was that Morvan had been informed a long time ago. The southron elf locked himself away for a week in ‘Heroes of Berendar.’

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