Jackal Among Snakes

“What do we do about this?” Elias began. He sat at a table consisting of Nikoletta, Mina, and Stain. Their guards were absent, and they were in a relatively clean room within the Tower with little in the way of decoration or even windows—a private room, warded to block all sound. Spellcasters were well-educated and engaged in more intrigue than most, so such rooms had a good place within the Tower.

“I think Argrave’s right,” Mina interjected. “Losing Induen… it’s a blessing. I can say having worked with him, he’s an untrustworthy ally… but a far worse enemy.”

Nikoletta crossed her arms. “You shouldn’t have done that for him. It was too dangerous.”

“What does it matter to you what I do?” Mina rebuked defensively.

Elias’ good eye moved between the two of them, obviously hesitant to touch this quarrel at all. “What does this mean for the kingdom? For the future?”

Stain lifted his leg up and left his foot hanging off one of the table’s edges. “I can tell you now—Argrave’s not going to lose any goodwill from the people that matter.”

“What people are those?” Nikoletta pressed, unbothered by his lax nature.

“The people,” Stain finished, pointing two fingers at Nikoletta. “Your everyman has been hating the royal family for a long time, and Induen’s the face of all that. King Felipe’s had him managing things for a while, and all the harsh taxes, all the injustice? Induen made it happen. So, grand scheme of things?” Stain shrugged, leaving the answer unspoken.

Everyone gave half-hearted nods of agreements.

“…but realistically speaking,” Nikoletta cut in, “If this is to affect anyone, it is to be the nobility. There, kinslaying holds the most… negativity. People that hold stock in blood care more when one is willing to spill the blood of their own kin.”

“There’s ways around that,” Mina noted. “Ultimately… if we get on this ahead of time, influence the direction of rumors… Stain?”

Stain raised his head and fixed his brown hair. “What?”

“You could spread rumors that it was self-defense—that Induen intended to kill Argrave. He only acted in self-defense,” Mina posited.

“Sure, sure. And I will. But…” Stain bit his lip as he deliberated on whether or not to say something. “…did he?”

Quiet set in once again.

Elias leaned forward on the table and placed his elbows down. “I think that’s what we should be talking about.”

“Pedantry about who started the fight?” Nikoletta asked incredulously.

“Is Argrave who

the same to me. Scary

Firebrand,” Mina leaned back in her chair. “As far as you told me, you’re just here to bring him back. We’ve already got his answer: ‘I’ll do

he talked, he is not what I remember. At

in agreement. “But… these changes,

that for a moment,

an able leader,” Elias looked between everyone, searching for protest. “But Induen was all of these things. Orion is all of those things. Felipe is all of those things. What’s

in agreement, but Mina and Stain seemed to think Elias’ speech was corny

important. My father showed me the evidence, and gods be damned, it’s very important.” Elias pointed a finger to stress his point. “But it’s important to learn why he’s taken on this task. And it’ll be very important to hear what he wants from the

his brows

his business here. We should support him as best we can. All the while, we learn everything that we can from him—his plans, his nature, and why he keeps the company he does. It’s clear he trusts only his companions. As such, we should be his companions, his shadows, if only for

to be

might ensure I’ll save people’s lives. I must know Parbon throws its support

that decently. Besides, officially, I

did not answer right away—she looked to Nikoletta, waiting for her to speak. Even while

conceded. “Besides, I do not wish to see Argrave dead.

with Nicky,” Mina

nodded eagerly. “Good. Then let’s put

#####

Argrave was awoken by a knock at his door. Without giving him time for answer, Elias

but after a brief scan to be sure he

It’s spreading like fire over dead grass, Argrave,” Elias said feverishly, his good eye jumping between the two of them. “A legion of ghostly snakes? A thousand giant

threw the blanket off himself and Anneliese and stood up, already fully armored barring his

say you conjured ten thousand snakes—ghosts of some sort. Thereafter, innumerable titanic knights joined your side, battering Induen and his knights into the ground,” Elias

said.

held his arms out. “Does that matter?

what do people think? Have you

difficult to keep track of. We’ll have to wait a bit for one to prevail. In the meantime, I’m having Stain spread rumors of his own—that you acted

Argrave nodded, his tired mind

he was not yet ten,” Anneliese contributed, rising as well. “That is all but common knowledge in Dirracha and many