Jackal Among Snakes

Elaine watched Argrave as he ate his breakfast. It was more than a bit disconcerting, considering she deliberately chose him out of all his party members to stare at. Anneliese was feeding her Starsparrow, Durran was examining all of the food curiously, and Galamon sat in silence. Of the three, he certainly didn’t picture himself being the most interesting to look at.

Elaine had long ago finished her meal, but Argrave still had much and more to eat. Ever since becoming Black Blooded, he found his appetite much greater than it was before. Maybe that was just because he exerted himself more.

Argrave finally stared back at her, chewing through a soft slice of meat. He examined the black gaseous magic within her, considering it a good exercise to help him distinguish between the different ranks of magic by sight alone.

“I think you could become A-rank anytime you want, now,” Argrave guessed, hoping to break some of the silence.

She shifted in her chair and crossed her arms. “And how would you know?”

Argrave tapped his temple, indicating his eyes. “You think I got these lamps because I like the way they look? No—I can see your magic. Very impressive.” He lowered his hand and shook his head. He deliberately mentioned this ability, hoping vaguely she might report it to princess Elenore. “I got what I wanted from the Low Way… and from the Burnt Desert beyond it.” One of his Brumesingers jumped up on his lap, gazing at the green-eyed woman across from him.

Some of the iciness was dispelled by his conversation, and Elaine looked down at the gray fox on his lap. “I hope those creatures of yours made no mess.”

“They never do… unless I want that to happen,” Argrave pointed his fork. “So—let’s get to brass tacks. How is business?” he took another bite as he waited for her answer.

“Good. You mentioned that I could become an A-rank mage—the issue is, I’m too busy to head to the Tower of the Gray Owl to study the process,” she nodded with the faintest of smiles. “The Veidimen are a bit stingy. They’re only distributing the lowest-ranked druidic spells. Even still, they sell like nothing else, and I dare not cripple this business in infancy. Rowe is a hostile prick, but I very rarely have to see him. At this point, I very nearly make as much gold as my brother.”

“Do they trade any Ebonice?” Argrave got to the matter he cared about most.

Elaine shook her head. “Don’t know what that is. We’ve only traded spellbooks and books about enchantment.”

“Do they carry black weaponry?” Galamon butted in. “Crystalline.”

Elaine looked at him. “Maybe. I seldom go personally anymore.”

Argrave tapped the table, thinking. “Alright. If you can make it happen, I’d like to see some of the Veidimen smugglers.”

“What for?” she frowned.

this killer business and asked for nothing in return,”

right,” she agreed after a time. “I’ll see what I can do, but if you’re here a week and no longer… you’ll just have to get lucky if you want to meet them. Voyages to Veiden take a while. Might be they stop

best he’d be able to get. “Alright. The enchanted jewelry

last of them came back in. Very valuable stuff—I’ve got them in our vault. A lot

After I finish up here, I’d like to see them,” Argrave tapped his food with his fork. “I’ll pick

lip, then bartered,

on the table.

anyone that doesn’t know what they do. I’m in

in. “Who did you use as the appraiser—that old man Mucullen on the edge of town? Or maybe that tower master Quint in the southwestern center of Jast? I know who you might’ve brought

her lip harder as she deliberated. “75-25,” she brought

mine. I’m trying to do you a favor, yet you keep slapping my hand away. 85-15,” he raised

tensed up, staring down Argrave. Durran’s gaze jumped between the two

head. “Dealing with you the last time was definitely different.

his sternness never was, then

#####

to her brother’s rules, but Argrave only agreed once Anneliese confirmed she held no malicious intent. He thought things

by knights and by walls of enchanted steel. The main door was heavy enough to require two men to open it, and the vault itself was divided into cells, each with another heavy locked door. The ceiling was low, and

the maze-like vault, they arrived at one of the cells, and Elaine retrieved a key. The jewels were kept in a simple box per piece, alongside a detailed dissertation on their effects. Argrave spent a fair while

bracelets? Nothing… ostensibly. But there was an issue of resonance. For the ring that Anneliese and Argrave wore, it merely contained a spell—one could wear ten of them without much issue. They were portable spells, in essence.

if the enchantments are incompatible, their efficacy would be reduced by an astonishing degree. If one wears a ring that helps its wearer resist fire and a ring that helps them resist ice, the two would combat each other and nullify their effects near completely. By contrast, complementary enchantments might supplement each

such, Argrave needed to choose a good set for each of his three companions and

They were anklets… but considering how big the man was, he might need to wear them as bracelets. Additionally, Argrave found him a necklace to resist electricity, which Argrave considered the most potent form of elemental magic. The Giantkillers gave him lightning immunity, but only when held.

his glaive, but also capable with his magic. Versatility was his specialty. Something all-purpose suited him. Argrave chose out any enchantments that helped with his defense. Though his wyvern-scale armor was very good, it fell short of what Anneliese and Argrave wore. In the end, it amounted to

Durran would stick around… he didn’t plan on giving them

He chose a few rings that affected focus and concentration. It would enable her to aim better in battle and ignore distractions easier. She was already a calm person by nature, and he hoped this would capitalize on

he didn’t get lucky. After that, he’d been hoping for something to aid with blood magic—once again, no such fortune. In the end, he settled on

real haul was to be the money he