Jackal Among Snakes

“It’s a wonder you three fit at all,” Durran noted as they rolled down the road in a tightly packed and humble carriage.

Moonlight made its way through the thin decrepit cloth that covered the top of the carriage, illuminating a group crammed left-to-right on one side: Galamon, Argrave, and Anneliese respectively. Argrave was awkwardly holding his shoulder up so it was not jammed against Galamon’s plate armor, while Anneliese contentedly peered out at the city, comfortably nestled against an accommodating Argrave.

Opposite them was Durran and Elenore. Elenore wore a hood and a completely black mask to disguise herself. The bronze jewelry she wore didn’t need exposure to work—it could see through walls, even. As if taunting them, Durran put one of his legs up. There was ample room on his side. Argrave didn’t care one whit if Durran put his feet anywhere—after his talk with Elenore, she returned with a change of heart. That meritorious feat would not soon be forgotten.

“Better than driving,” said Galamon.

Argrave chucked quietly, briefly reminded of the days back when they travelled and fought with the Lily Lurkers. “That week was something. Remember running from that horde of the bugs?”

“No,” Elenore turned her head. “I don’t remember.”

“What, you don’t want to hear me reminisce?” Argrave’s smile was undampened. “Sourpuss,” he called her.

“I’m—” Elenore began fiercely but paused and took a deep breath. When she spoke next, her tone was businesslike once again. “Since you’ve been proven right already, can you at least tell me what we’ll find down here?”

“Vasquer,” Argrave told her plainly once again, then winced when the carriage bounced and Galamon’s pauldron dug into his shoulder. He was not especially worried about how this meeting might go—Nikoletta could converse with Vasquer, so he had some experience about this matter to rely on. Things might go differently… but the giant snake was not dangerous.

Argrave saw Elenore was annoyed by his simple answer, so he smiled and continued, “Don’t worry, things aren’t dangerous. No traps. I imagine Ruleo has been thorough in his cleansing—he always is. I think some of the older members of the vampiric coven will still be alive deeper in, but they’ll never leave their little sanctuaries. They have defensive measures in an old catacomb—poison. Your men will be stopped there, I guarantee it. I have something in mind for that.”

Elenore gestured towards him. “And what of Ruleo, your history with him?”

Argrave shrugged. “Has to be resolved someday. Put a stop to any conflict.”

“You essentially murdered his father,” Elenore said dryly.

Argrave scratched his chin. He always hated hearing about his old self. “I did,” he agreed.

“You want to stop any conflict? Stop his heart,” Elenore suggested to him.

my way,” Argrave

his father. And these rumors of kinslaying are

tried to solve all of his problems by domination or destruction. He was cancer growing on the world.” Argrave turned his head to meet her eyes,

imagination, but he thought she was observing him, judging him… maybe it was her reputation, but Argrave thought all of his secrets might be revealed

kept away. I’ll send him to the palace to observe things up there before we enter,” Elenore concluded. “I think my answers come before this potential resolution. I hope I

#####

to the Dragon Palace. The mountain wall was steep here, forming a natural barrier from the

Elenore’s servants were prepared to lead the princess down to Rancor’s conquered territory, she relied on Argrave to give her an escort to disguise the effects of the new jewelry that she had received. The princess seemed insistent to keep her partially recovered sense a secret for the time being—Argrave thought it reasonable, being that he had done much the same thing in the past. Keeping her cards close

Argrave saw it had all manner of high-class drinks, plenty of books for the average high-class aristocrat

head of the stairway down, Galamon scratched at his nose behind

need for the commentary,” Argrave told Galamon, hoping that Elenore wouldn’t ask too many questions

that this place had some strange effect on Galamon just as the area housing the vampire coven below Nodremaid had: his tongue was looser than normal. Galamon nodded, catching Argrave’s point, and

fact she remained silent unnerved him a bit, but he only remained arm up and available. She didn’t like touching people all that much, Argrave knew. He related and

a grim and winding stone complex. It was well-maintained, though gruesomely decorated. If the upstairs had been the aristocrat’s gentleman’s club, this place was much the same: a gathering spot for well-to-do vampires with pompous attitudes harboring a desire for close relations with similarly well-to-do vampires. Instead of high-class liquor, they

of the scene… Argrave was glad he had not arrived at this

of them seemed mentally unstable, having been used as veritable drinking taps for years. Other, fresher

cowl and mask, he noted her grip on his arm was a bit firmer—a subconscious reaction, perhaps, though of anger or unease he could

alchemy labs, great collections of weaponry, and yet more cages. These rooms were littered with corpses, each and all badly mutilated. Vampires did not die easily, and their corpses reflected that. Having seen the earlier rooms and the broken people, he thought being butchered might be a bit too

ahead,” Elenore

turned his

said. “And shut

the door behind him, and Elenore moved to sit on a crate. Fortunately, this room was only a storage room of some kind. Argrave wondered what this was about… until he saw her holding her stomach. She was

head. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He wanted to say something to help, thinking back

strode up and crouched before her as she held her stomach. He stared at

broke the

that,”

to exercise,” she excused. Argrave thought she said it naturally enough it wasn’t a lie, but Anneliese tapped his foot with