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

“I wonder,” Anneliese smiled.

stalling like this is that it won’t be our concern. Not later, at least.” He

“You have learnt no spells originating from the Order—both matrixes you

If they give me trouble… well, I’m good

seems all we can do is

enjoyed a pleasant

#####

long delay for the test,” a polite Wizard of the Order spoke to Argrave as the two of them rode up the central elevator, feet fixed to the stone tablets. “Given

“Kinslaying?” Argrave finished.

These people have been

a bit tainted where

did not need to elaborate. The man stepped off first,

it to a room with a much larger door than most others. After opening it up, a wide-open room 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 their fullest

man bowed, then quickly left,

was left alone in 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

to whittle away confidence—perhaps that was the intent—but Argrave strode forward boldly, doing his best to appear big and confident. The big part was easy because he

Argrave greeted cheerfully, his voice bouncing against the walls loud enough to make anyone self-conscious. “It’s a very pleasant day, isn’t

answered—a cold-eyed man with a graying beard. “Let

All the better,” Argrave nodded, a plastic

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

head and scratched beneath his nose. “I’m

aware of your status,” a woman by the

took a breath. “What

bearing on the results of this test,”

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

saying, “To begin with, before administering other portions of the test, you must pass a bare minimum rank requirement,” she explained.

Argrave cut

spell,” she directed, pointing

glove off and rolled down his sleeve, then turned and held out his hand as 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

the place for a time, then the man on

“Hold a moment. Is that a spell