Jackal Among Snakes

“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.”

begin, just not how,” Argrave turned to her. “He doesn’t respect me. That’s the issue. He thinks more of his own opinion than mine—maybe there’s good

Anneliese shook her head.

important.” Argrave continued. “With his personality, we’ve got a recipe for disaster brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that there are consequences for doing things like that—have to show him what I say has weight. He won’t respond to punishment. That might only exacerbate his

that—Elaine and Rivien. Perhaps not entirely honest, staging

Then, as he pondered it more, his gaze grew distant. “I don’t

win, no?” she pointed

sighed. “I’ll have to think on it more, but it’s better than what I had before. This is why I ask you,” he pointed out, wrapping one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. “Another

at him. “We had this discussion. It

pleaded earnestly. “It won’t take very long at all, maybe two days… and it would mean a great deal to me.” He swallowed, then clarified, “It would ease a lot of

a long while, expression inscrutable. Finally, she sighed, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss.

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 out what he’s interested in doing. I’m

already made a

bit dirty, frankly, and it might cost me… but having Durran be truly steadfast will be a

come to that,”

wanted things to work out. Durran had ever been his favorite character,

someone like that could fit into the party he’d

#####

found that calming a crowd using a common enemy was not as immediate a task as

things amicably. He ate only bread and soup before them. They

eventually, 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

battlements, and moved to stand directly across from them, just beyond the gate. He befriended many and remembered countless names just as the people came to know him. The people loved House Parbon—his reputation aided him in this, just

the corruption in the city and ensure that each and every man would be treated fairly under the law. He promised that the people who had been wronged would

ever so slowly and deliberately so that soon enough, the people themselves were suggesting it would be best to focus on the plague and abandon this revolt. Elias never would have been capable of doing such a subtle thing—it was

people. His dialoging had not been without merit—he’d made friends among the would-be rebels, and they all

Marauch into remaining within the castle, Elias used his own men to organize proper treatment for all of

that he could conquer it within the day—even still, by restoring order

with so many infected, the industries within the city have faltered,” an old man explained to Elias, who stood in a tent with the plagued. Helmuth stood just beside him, guarding him ever-diligently. His purple eyes