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.

gestured. “Orion accepts all comers. Whether you are truly his brother—that

nodded. “My companions and

two. I know you drank it this morning, but this is the heartlands. Disease flows through this

Mask covering her face, and imbibed the liquid, wincing from its bitterness.

grimace. Anneliese nodded, then put the mask back over her

was less leading and more so 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.

entire body was affected by the waxpox. This made them immune to pain, and their skin was near as hard as stone. In addition, Orion had blessed them—they ignored all of the disease’s

curiosity was not satisfied, but with the knights so close in proximity she had tact enough to avoid asking shameless questions. Durran looked discomforted with the knights, transfixed with an expression of horror and

minutes for the abandoned fortress, 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, and vines all consumed the gray stone. People lay in tents en masse. Despite the seclusion of this place, the vast majority of these people seemed better fed and better treated than those Argrave

the corner of the fortress. Once at the door, the knights directed them to a makeshift stable that they’d been using, and Argrave left his

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

eyes were gray, with thick and bushy black brows giving him a fierce gaze that might remind most of a stern, if loving, father. He grew an unruly beard

They spoke to him, and then pointed. Orion

of Berendar’ all at once. A great deal of them ended poorly. Even still, Argrave held his arms out and said,

he hurtled towards Argrave like a bull. Despite himself, he took a step

embracing him. Argrave felt that he’d grown a lot the past month, but now he was being treated like a small child.

then laughed again. “And your eyes…” he paused, all of his mirth disappearing at once. Argrave tried not to show his fear in wake of

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

was met by exultation he’d not been expecting to receive. Orion heralded him proudly before the crowd. Even despite their sickness,

expected you to come here from that tower of old owls. You were mired in misery last I saw you. Now your back is straight, your gait is steady, and your will…” he whispered into Argrave’s ear, barely audible above the cheer of the crowd. “I see light in you, now.

stepped out. They stood above the crowd, too, another dark-haired figure. It took

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