Jackal Among Snakes

Levin walked a bridge from the Dragon Palace, heading to a lone tower with a cone roof. Two royal guards stood in front of it. They were large men, just short of Levin’s height, and their golden helmets swiveled as they followed the prince’s approach.

The prince paused just before the door. “She’s awake?” he questioned.

“Yes, prince,” the rightward knight nodded.

Levin nodded curtly and shot his cuffs. He fixed his collar, swallowed, then pushed open the door. In the distance, the sound of chains swaying rattled out. The room was dark, the windows mostly blocked by curtains. Levin stepped within hesitantly, then shut the thick door he’d pushed open.

Levin cast a spell, and a ball of light rose up into the air. A woman ahead flinched and gasped, and tried to crawl away.

“Mother. It’s fine. It’s me,” Levin said, stepping closer very slowly with his hands spread out to show he meant no harm.

Light from his spell illuminated the woman. She was pale, dreadfully thin, and bound in a straitjacket. She had blonde hair, but it was unwashed, matted, and greasy. Her bright blue eyes shone back against the light like sapphires. Felipe had married Valeria because of those eyes, so the tale went—they reminded him of his first wife’s.

“Where’s my husband?” the woman asked. “He’s the king. Once you’re found… cut your losses. Let me go, I can let you live. I can give you a pardon. My husband listens to me. Once you’re found…”

Levin paused, studying her face. Though she had been bound in a jacket to protect her from harming herself, it hadn’t stopped it completely. Her lips had been bitten into tattered shreds. Her fingers couldn’t grow back—she’d eaten those. But her lips could be healed.

Feeling encouraged by her clarity, Levin knelt. “You’re here for your own good, mother. Let me treat your face.”

The woman flinched away as Levin extended his hand… yet when healing magic started to close the cuts on her lip, she gradually accepted things.

“My baby…” Valeria said.

“That’s right. I’m here,” Levin nodded, smiling excitedly.

“Where is Orion? Where is he? Where’s my baby?” she demanded harshly. “I want to see him.”

He bit his lips hard enough to draw blood, then shook

glared at him, bloodshot eyes

together with a coalition of northern nobles unhappy with my father. We’re going to split from Vasquer… form the Kingdom of Atrus. I’m going to be crowned its first

he called mother heard and understood him,

want to stay out of the fighting. I offered that opportunity. And then, when the fighting dies down… I’ll negotiate a spot in the new Vasquer from a position of strength.

away from what he usually does. He’s losing it. And Argrave… to see his progress… if even he can succeed as he has,

feet. The chains

back to his mother. “I can get you out of here, mother. I want

crawl away. “I saw the lilies dance upon the grave of a dead world. I saw them. I saw the coming terrors. He will end you all. The black one is coming for you. The ground will split for his

declaring, “Felipe isn’t going to be doing anything. He’s going to wait in this fortress of his, more and more allies forsaking him day by day. I’m going to ruin him. All that he’s had me do over the years—murders, abductions, hiding his sexual escapades, spreading the plague… I kept records of it. Everyone’s going to get their hands on it: incontrovertible proof. His allies will abandon him. His espionage network will wither,” Levin tapped his chest. “And after his vault is emptied, after Relize joins Atrus… he’ll have

started to sob hysterically. Levin clenched his teeth together tightly, looking down at her. Then, with a quiet rage, he turned on his heel and left. He pushed open the great door to the tower,

royal knights as he

#####

little village a fair distance away from Dirracha. The excuse used was that the cart had a destroyed wheel, and it would take some time for repairmen to arrive as the wheels were enchanted. Well, that alibi was made reality when Melanie destroyed the wheel… but that

full use of such a thing, and

the first day. The damage to Elenore’s network was significant. In essence, Felipe’s attack told the world at large two things—the Bat was not a friend to the king, and the Bat had been concealing the companion

that were closely entwined with Vasquer and the royal family would be less likely to do business with the Bat, now—she was an open enemy of the kingdom. Yet even so… the public would likely be equally focused

yet it was the nature of things. The prince departed from Vasquer, claiming he could not bear to support his father anymore after what had come to light. This move completely batted aside the mutually assured destruction Elenore had hoped for. Levin got away having pillaged the royal vault, and

that Levin intended to put himself forth as a claimant to Vasquer, or that he sought to break free of Vasquer and form an independent realm, or that he would merely

not the kingdom or the dynasty—their prediction proved to be accurate. It was impossible to avoid leaking to the public that Vasquer had been found. Felipe had the giant snake tended to by mages and paraded this fact

princess had another reason for staying. Therese. Elenore told Argrave the girl had been a maid that had been a bit naïve, yet steadfastly loyal and

the princess stood before a simple wooden

open it?” Durran questioned,

within with these items,” Elenore

Durran nodded. “Forget I…” he trailed off, realizing it would be best to stop

with many cousins, uncles, and other such distant relatives, he’d