Jackal Among Snakes

“Your Majesty won’t be attending as… well, as yourself?” Diana questioned Argrave.

Diana had donned different dress than the casual things she had been wearing the days before—now, she wore an elaborate dress of white fur. She had a large silver circlet embedded with sapphires and pearls resting atop and partially weaved into her blonde hair. She stood alone with Argrave and Anneliese in the spacious yet warm palace of Quadreign. The warmth was new—though the Flame of the Tenebrous Star projected no heat, the Quadreigns of ages past had engineered it in some way to manifest as such. That was another bizarre oddity Argrave had no answer for.

Dismissing his thoughts to answer her question, Argrave shook his head with a pleasant smile on his face. “No, I’ll be staying in the shadows for a while longer. No need to draw undue attention just yet. When we march south into the former kingdom of Atrus to converge with Elenore’s force… I can have the grand reveal then. For now, you have people to greet,” Argrave looked to the door of the castle.

Diana sighed. “Indeed. It’s been some time since such a large number have gathered in Quadreign.”

“And in the days to come, yet more will gather. Then, we head south in force,” Argrave nodded. “For now… good luck, archduchess.”

Diana nodded evenly. “I hope that my daughter Svetlana receives the same well wishes from the crown when she takes my place, and even her daughter after her.”

“I have meant to ask… why does Quadreign disqualify its males from succession?” Anneliese asked curiously.

“The only way to ensure purity of bloodline is through the female line,” Diana explained. “The woman cannot bear a child not her own, unlike a man. That is the crux of it, despite what rumors persist about the woman’s role as a life bringer engendering benevolent rulership.”

“Really? I thought…” As he spoke, Anneliese looked at him, and Argrave scratched the back of his neck. “Guess I had things wrong.”

“If only you admitted your wrongs on other accounts so easily,” Anneliese said pointedly, still ill at ease after their conversation regarding visiting Erlebnis.

Diana looked between the two of them, probably not wishing to get involved in their dispute. She prudently changed the subject, asking, “And this outing you mentioned…”

“Provided we can enlist Vera’s aid, it’ll be no more than a day,” Argrave nodded his head. “We’ll be back before nightfall.”

took a

a speech to the people outside, updating them as to their new liege—namely, Argrave—and their duty in coming to the south. She promised protection under Quadreign and Vasquer both,

that had been disbanded only by Vasquer’s conquest. Diana was able to work them into a fervor easily. Argrave

smile until your idea

as he retaliated, “Hey, come on now.

if Erlebnis does not want the knowledge

to this all is allowing you to be exposed to whatever Llewellen says that

not superstitious, but do not tempt fate by saying

to be precise. Galamon led Vera to Argrave, then dipped his head and fell

fetched… first, your man Durran brought me, and now this Galamon.” Vera bit at her lips, then surrendered, “I suppose it’s a bit

need to make a visit somewhere,” Argrave explained succinctly. “It’s far enough to be inconvenient, but if I can count on your help… it ceases to be troublesome. We can be back before our small army of spellcasters

want me to be your coachman?” Vera’s orange eyes

Magister’s pay, and some moderately influential passengers,” Argrave corrected. “I

#####

bone glaive caught and wreathed itself in the spell, and blade and magic both tore straight through the necromantic abomination with ease.

creatures were twice their party’s numbers, and though he’d never seen their like before, he recognized them at once from all of Garm’s writings. These were necromantic creatures from the Order of the Rose. They outnumbered the royal guards and Melanie two-to-one, yet almost an hour ago it had been ten-to-one. As soon as they entered a stretch of the taiga, these things started to plague them

She fought with the hooked chains she concealed ably, and they whipped throughout the air tearing chunks

the air as she swung the metal around. It crawled up her chain with determination only the dead could possess, and the seasoned mercenary, battle-experienced though she was,

it at me!” Durran shouted,

She swung her chain about with the necromantic abomination attached, and when

kid!” she shouted,