Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 172

“There’s something you should know,” Anneliese told Argrave.

Argrave set aside his duster, preparing to finally head to sleep. “Something wrong?”

“I believe Elaine is cooperating with the Bat, too. She felt guilty when you mentioned that name, as though she had informed on you and regretted it,” she disclosed seriously. “Although… the last bit is only my personal conclusion. I cannot say with certainty.”

Argrave frowned. “Not entirely unexpected… but good to know,” Argrave nodded. “I’ll be sure to watch my tongue.”

“You always do,” she noted, finally relaxing now that she’d conveyed what she had wanted to.

“Another thing,” Argrave pointed at her. “I need your help with something.”

Anneliese raised a brow. “Magic advice?”

“Durran advice,” Argrave said bitterly, then moved to sit on the bed, removing his shoes.

“Oh,” she took off her own duster, casting it atop his.

“The Margrave had no intent to release us,” Argrave stated plainly. “From what I remember of the conversation… he had plans for me. He wanted to introduce me to his vassals. That meant we’d be forced to stay, and with the importance of ending the spread of the plague, that’s simply not an option. This was a good outcome,” he reflected.

“But I don’t care if everything worked out—him going off on his own like that, it could cause problems in the future. It can’t happen again. At the same time…” Argrave shook his head, leaving a question unspoken.

Anneliese slowly shook her head, then sat down beside Argrave. “I think that is reasonable,” she reassured him.

“He needs to be reined in,” Argrave nodded decisively now that Anneliese agreed with him. He trusted her opinion more than his own. “I have to nip this in the bud, especially when dealing with that holy fool Orion. He could get us all killed. I can’t abide him continually doing things like this. If I can’t predict him, he might not be welcome. Durran’s a resourceful bastard—crazy, but smart. He’s got brains, balls—if he’d fucking be straight with me, I could use all that,” he said quickly, frustrated with the situation.

Anneliese shrugged. “Though I loathe to admit it… I do not know where to begin.”

her. “He doesn’t respect me. That’s the issue. He thinks more of his

Anneliese shook her head.

that is the case, that’s not important.” Argrave continued. “With his personality, we’ve got a recipe for disaster brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that

her head. “We just conversed with two people who might help you with that—Elaine and Rivien. Perhaps not entirely honest, staging consequences for his actions… but then, neither are

put together what she said. Then, as he pondered it more, his gaze grew distant. “I don’t know… that seems

did win, no?” she pointed out

I ask you,” he pointed out, wrapping one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. “Another thing,” Argrave continued. “I want you to stay inside until I get

at him. “We had this discussion.

two days… and it would mean a great deal to me.” He swallowed, then

Finally, she sighed, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “Alright,”

of a big burden. “Thank you for this. I know you’re pretty far from a fragile flower, but I don’t want to take any chances.” He sighed. “If it makes you feel any better, there’s something I want you to do. Talk to Durran, find

you have already made a

bit dirty, frankly, and it might cost me… but having Durran be truly steadfast will be a big boon. And the alternative… I don’t want to cut

may come to that,” she informed

work out. Durran had ever been his favorite

like that could fit into

#####

found that calming a crowd using a common enemy was

people just outside the gates, urging them to settle things amicably. He ate only bread and soup before

his endurance outlasted their own and they could shout no longer. Like that, he was able to engage in dialogue with the revolt. He spoke to many people of their misgivings with the Duke, patiently listened to the people and their grievances, and tried to relate to them—at the

Eventually, he stepped down from the battlements, and moved to stand directly across from them, just beyond the gate. He befriended many and remembered countless names just as

already intended to give them. He promised to root out the corruption in the city and ensure that each and every man would be treated fairly under the law. He promised that the people

the plague was the common enemy. He drilled that idea into their head ever so slowly and deliberately so that soon enough, the people themselves were suggesting it

was the first to walk among the people. His dialoging had not been without merit—he’d made friends among the would-be rebels, and

men to organize proper treatment

and highly contagious thing. Elias was not foolish enough to think that he could conquer it within the day—even still, by

faltered,” an old man explained to Elias, who stood in a tent with

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