Jackal Among Snakes

“You’re awfully casual about this whole thing,” said Elias as Argrave enjoyed a pleasant breakfast.

Argrave ate a great heap of eggs. He hadn’t liked them much before, but he found them quite delicious now, perhaps because he’d been eating frog legs and hippo jerky in a swamp not too long ago.

Argrave chewed and swallowed before saying, “Some people are blessed with great poise in stressful situations. Myself, though, I earned this temperament after dealing with the countless stresses of life facing Gerechtigkeit. I appreciate your admiration. I often feel unappreciated for my calm nature.”

“No, you—” Elias shook his head. He struggled with sarcasm. “More and more troops take their place in key positions around the tower. It’ll be difficult for you to leave.”

“I have to become a High Wizard—not my fault the test is scheduled a bit late. It might be just a title, but it opens a lot of doors, earns me a lot of prestige. It’ll make negotiations with the Magisters easier, too. On top of all that, a lot of valuable ingredients for alchemy you can’t buy without a high status in the Order. Last but not least… it’ll be good to maintain strong ties with this Tower,” Argrave concluded with a shrug. “Besides, leaving… that should be your concern, no? Young lord of House Parbon,” Argrave fiddled with his fork, twisting it about in his fingers.

“That’s why I’m leaving tomorrow,” Elias nodded. “My father is preparing a formidable escort. He’ll take us all out. Once again, I extend the offer to take you—”

Argrave raised his hand. “Forget it. Be careful, though. Vasquer won’t hesitate to attack this escort of yours. It’s practically a godsend to them.”

The act of raising his hand left his plate vulnerable, and Anneliese deftly stabbed out. She impaled a whole egg and tore it away ruthlessly. Argrave gave her a betrayed look as she enjoyed the egg but could not help but smile after a time.

Elias shifted on his feet nervously, then once again counseled, “Every day you wait to meet the Magisters, you—“

“Thanks for your concern, really,” Argrave twisted his fork against his plate, giving his best reassuring smile. “But go. I’ll be fine.”

Elias nodded. “I hope for your sake that’s true.”

“Bet you’d never thought you’d think that of me, huh?” Argrave noted.

Elias had a ponderous look for a moment, but he said nothing about the matter. “The room is paid up for six more days. You’ll still have to buy food from the places below—no deliveries, either. Felipe might pay some gullible fool with power but no sense to attack you, so stay wary.”

Argrave nodded and waved to Elias, and then the heir to the Margravate opened the door and stepped out, preparing for the day’s tasks. Just before he left fully, however, he paused.

“Oh—Mina told me to tell you this,” Elias stopped. “You still owe her for that favor, and she’s going to let the interest build up before cashing it in.” As Argrave sat there, mouth agape, Elias nodded and left quietly.

“Oh, gods…” Argrave planted his elbows on the table, entwining his hands and stewing over the words. “What does she have planned for me? She’s devious. I know it’ll be something awful.” Argrave shook his head. “No, I can’t think about this now. Let’s focus on the matter at hand.”

“More and more troops are coming,” Anneliese noted, relaxing slightly now that they were alone. “All of them leaving Dirracha, coming here…”

laxer,” Argrave nodded. “How might that be our

“I wonder,” Anneliese smiled.

that it won’t be our concern. Not later, at least.” He took a deep breath and straightened his back, doing light stretches. “So—the test for High

I am concerned for,” She shook her head. “You have learnt no spells originating from the Order—both matrixes you

B-rank matrix. If they give me trouble… well, I’m good

it seems all we can

enjoyed

#####

them rode up the central elevator, feet fixed to the stone tablets. “Given the extraordinary

“Kinslaying?” Argrave finished.

yes,” the man meekly confirmed. “We had to seek out test-givers that were entirely ignorant of your events, so as to avoid bias in the confirmation. These people have been engaged in scholarly research for some

laughed. “Those words are a bit tainted where

looked quite confused, but the stone platforms finally reached the floor they’d been trying to reach and Argrave did not need to elaborate. The man stepped off first, Argrave following just

awaited, completely barren barring a table with chairs in the back. The protective enchantments were far thicker than most anywhere else. It was a testing room, some bizarre cross between an interview room and a colosseum. Here, mages could exercise their spells to

sir Argrave,” the man bowed, then quickly left, shutting the

the vast open space. With the vision lent to him by Garm’s eyes, he could discern each of the mages before him were certainly B-rank mages of significant prowess, perhaps even beyond B-rank. If they were A-rank, the changes their body underwent by becoming

High Wizards in a vast, empty room was a good way to whittle away confidence—perhaps that was the intent—but Argrave strode forward boldly,

his voice bouncing against the walls loud enough to make anyone self-conscious. “It’s a very pleasant day,

center of the four answered—a cold-eyed man with a graying beard. “Let us get

better,” Argrave nodded, a plastic smile on his

named Wizard a little over six months ago, your thesis marked for ‘special interest.’ Age… twenty,” the man looked up from the paper, staring down Argrave. “I am obligated to say this by the Order. This test has rigorous anti-cheat measures—the enchantments in the walls and floors are not merely for protection. The penalties for cheating can go up to the point of expulsion from the Order. If you wish, you may call off the test now. You

and scratched beneath his nose.

are aware of your status,” a woman by

and took a breath. “What does

that your father cannot have any bearing on the results of this test,”

ignorance, Argrave laughed loudly. “Old Felipe? I imagine he’d be the last person to

the test, you must pass a bare minimum rank requirement,” she explained. “You will need to demonstrate any B-rank spell that you have learned—one will suffice. If this spell is illusion magic,

Argrave

the spell,” she directed, pointing off to her left. “Ensure your

instructed. He formed the matrix ever-so-slowly, so as to give his onlookers ample time to examine it. Once the fourth dimension was put into place, he set the spell into motion. It whirled about in impossible

man on the far right of the

saying, “Hold a moment. Is that a