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.”

smile morphed subtly, and he looked to the ground, eyes dead. He bit his lips hard enough to draw blood, then shook his head. “I’m going

eyes

head up. “I’ve been working 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 king.” Levin

the woman he called mother heard and understood him, she

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…

king. Never expected it. Never sought it,” Levin continued. “But… more and more, I see my father slipping away from what he usually does. He’s losing it. And Argrave… to see his progress… if even he can succeed as he

with her feet. The chains that bound her rung. “Wait. This rebellion of yours… another footnote in our

get you out of here, mother. I want to help you. Your son wants to help you. If

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

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

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

told the royal knights as he passed

#####

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

to transport messages long distances. With her help, she could operate effectively for hundreds of miles near instantaneously. The princess saw the full use of such a thing, and constantly spoke of sending word to Elaine to acquire some of these spells, integrate them into her personnel. Argrave

told the world at large two things—the Bat was not a friend to the king, and the Bat had been concealing the companion of the first

and the royal family would be less likely to do business with

himself had perpetrated… 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

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 given his knightly escort, Argrave didn’t know which held any truth. Elenore couldn’t parse through them any

public that Vasquer had been found. Felipe had the giant snake tended to by mages and paraded this fact to the public enthusiastically. Even still,

Elenore told Argrave the girl had been a maid that had been a bit naïve,

stood before a simple wooden coffin, head turned

open it?” Durran questioned, standing off to

these items,” Elenore gestured towards her jewelry. “Therese

I…” he trailed off, realizing it would be

gently rubbed her back as Elenore stood before the coffin. Argrave didn’t know what else to do. In a family with many cousins, uncles, and other such distant relatives,