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.”

subtly, and he looked to the ground, eyes dead. He bit his lips hard enough to draw blood, then shook his

eyes

Vasquer… form the Kingdom of Atrus. I’m going to be crowned its first king.” Levin clasped

he called mother heard and

really, it’s just an excuse not to get involved in the war. These northern nobles, they 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. Whether Orion’s running things, or Argrave, or Elenore… doesn’t matter.” Levin shook his head,

continued. “But… more and more, I see my father slipping away from what he usually does. He’s losing

The chains that bound her rung. “Wait. This rebellion of

I want to help you. Your son wants to help you. If I’m your son… just

world. I saw them. I saw the coming terrors. He will end you all. The black one is coming

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

Levin clenched his teeth together tightly, looking down at her. Then, with a quiet rage, he turned on

the royal knights as he passed by. “We’re

#####

from Dirracha. The excuse used was that the cart had a destroyed

use of Anneliese and her Starsparrow to transport messages long distances. With her help, she could operate effectively for hundreds of miles near instantaneously. The princess saw the full

was significant. In essence, Felipe’s attack told the world at large two things—the Bat was not

People 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

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

Vasquer, or that he sought to break free of Vasquer and form an independent realm, or that he would merely retire to a simple estate in the north. Barring that the last one was far-fetched

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 to the public enthusiastically. Even

Therese. Elenore told Argrave the girl had been a maid that had been a bit naïve, yet steadfastly loyal and willing to get her hands

before a simple

going to… open it?” Durran questioned, standing

with these items,” Elenore gestured towards her jewelry.

off, realizing it would be best to

Argrave didn’t know what else to do. In a family with many cousins, uncles, and other such distant relatives, he’d been to many funerals where other people were