Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 177

“I’ve come to see my brother. It’s clear to me he needs help, despite his abundant capability. I’m told Prince Orion is ahead, tending to the plagued,” Argrave spoke to the Waxknight before him, staring at the man’s dead eyes barely visible behind his bandages.

“Do you mean to say our Holiness is your brother?” the leading knight demanded, taking a step forward.

“Half-brother,” Argrave removed his hands from his horse’s reins, holding his palms out. “But a brother nonetheless.”

The loose bandages wrapped around the leading Waxknight’s face slacked, blocking his vision, and he corrected it while pulling it tight.

“Prince Induen?” one at the side questioned.

Argrave shook his head. “No prince at all, elsewise I might have an escort gleaming as you knights do.”

“Argrave, then, the bastard,” the leading knight said.

“All are equal before the gods’ eyes. That’s what Orion says, at least,” he smiled warmly, defusing the situation.

The Waxknights sized Argrave up, then glanced back towards his companions, examining them in turn.

“For your own sake—the waxpox abounds here,” their helmetless leader informed him. “We will take you to Orion if you wish it to be so, but even our Holiness struggles to combat the disease, and more refugees show up daily.”

“I have an idea of how bad things really are,” Argrave turned his head, looking through the trees from whence they’d come. “Things get worse beyond these wetlands every day. Not all refugees had the good fortune to be tended to by my brother. And that’s precisely why I came here—to help him, and to help those that suffer,” he said seriously.

take you,” the knight gestured. “Orion accepts all comers. Whether you are truly his brother—that

companions and I

Durran, “Drink your super juice, you two. I know you drank it this morning, but this is the heartlands. Disease flows through this place like

off the white, solemn Humorless Mask covering her face,

Anneliese nodded, then put the mask back over

resuming the path they had already been taking. With three of these knights acting as ostensible escorts, Argrave was not worried about anything coming to kill them, so he kept his Brumesingers close. Argrave could not say with confidence that Galamon was these knight’s superior in combat. They were some of the most dangerous warriors on the continent at this stage, exceeding the royal knights

by the waxpox. This made them immune to pain, and their skin was near as hard as stone.

proximity she had tact enough to avoid asking shameless questions. Durran looked

occupied by Orion and his gigantic camp of refugees, to come into sight. The wetlands of the northwest were tenacious and aggressive, and much of the fortress had been torn asunder by growth—trees, roots, fungi,

they’d been using, and Argrave left his horse there

disciplined steps into the keep where more of their colleagues abounded, guarding the man that lay within. Orion received a vast host of the common people,

toga. His black hair was all bound into a thick braid that descended to his knees. His eyes were gray, with thick and bushy black brows giving him

the Waxknights went ahead to speak to Orion. They spoke to him, and then pointed. Orion looked at him. He pushed past the crowd, coming to stand a fair distance

experience he’d had with this man in ‘Heroes of Berendar’ all at once. A great deal of them ended poorly. Even still, Argrave held his arms out and said, “I came

to shake the earth. His presence was intense—he outsized even Galamon—and he hurtled towards Argrave like a bull. Despite himself, he took a step back. Galamon looked ready to

he squeezed Argrave tight, embracing him. Argrave felt that he’d grown a lot the past month, but now he was

strong, hardy!” he gripped Argrave’s shoulders as though feeling his muscles, and then laughed again. “And your eyes…” he paused, all of his mirth disappearing at once. Argrave tried not to

turned, pulling Argrave forward effortlessly. “Everyone!” he shouted. “This is my brother, come

was met by exultation he’d not been expecting to receive. Orion heralded him proudly before

gait is steady, and your will…” he whispered into Argrave’s ear, barely audible above the cheer of the crowd. “I see

too,

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