Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave and Anneliese sat atop some temporary bedding—specifically, a large tarp splayed out across the flat grass with some fur blankets atop it. Anneliese was already delving into A-rank magic. She had two books on her knee—one projected the strange, incomprehensible full-body matrix exclusive to A-rank spells, and the other was a more mundane book. Argrave, however, was poring through letters. He rubbed his forehead to ease his headache.

Elenore was there, too, lying down just before them with a blindfold over her face to keep the sockets clean. She squirmed, continually raising her hands near her eye sockets and then pulling them away. They were in a private tent, Galamon just outside on guard with the others. Durran was sleeping with his bear.

“It itches so bad,” Elenore said with clenched teeth, then grasped the blanket over her body to relieve some of her frustration. “I can’t stand this. I feel like my blood has been laced with pepper. It’s like my hands need to sneeze—my whole body.”

Argrave narrowed his eyes. “There’s worse,” he promised her, glancing at Anneliese. They’d promised to keep her company until this was over.

“Tell me, please. Give me anything to distract from this,” his sister pleaded earnestly, much more emotion on her tone than usual.

“But you know the story behind my heart,” Argrave pointed out, adjusting his posture until he was comfortable. “Anneliese told you.”

Anneliese closed both of the books on her lap as she said, “She heard it from my perspective. I empathized with your pain, but I never felt it.”

“You were probably more conscious of things than I was, then,” Argrave pointed out, searching for another topic. What Elenore needed most, he felt, was something that made her think hard, something that consumed the mind.

“How about we talk about Atrus, the plans for the future?” Argrave suggested.

“You know them. Place those who surrender in resistance debt, sell these debt contracts backed by land to patricians to repay their stake in the war. Beyond that, we distribute the lands along the North Sea that we promised to Relize,” Elenore recited mechanically. “Refining that plan further would be frivolous until we have all information on-hand.”

Argrave sighed and fell to the ground, looking up at the tent above them. “Well… okay. How about Traugott? Any news?”

“None,” Elenore said simply. “Even if there were, I would not trust work from one whose blood is boiling. Usually I’d mean that metaphorically… but let’s stray from long-term planning. I can’t make good decisions right now.”

“You are picky,” Argrave reflected. “Anne, do you have any ideas?” he asked, looking towards her.

“Let us talk about He Who Would Judge the Gods, and the coming change to the world,” Anneliese said. “You have informed me amply. Elenore knows much… but she could always know more.”

Argrave rubbed his face. “Old Gerechtigkeit, huh? Part of me hoped we could talk about something happy.”

first?” Elenore pointed out, her

not too long ago that the boundaries between worlds

Elenore repeated. “Like

mortal souls,” Argrave shook his head. “Spirits are broken gods—you might consider them the souls of gods, but the two don’t really compare mechanically. If you ask me how they broke, I’d say it depends… but they’re little fragments of a god, broken into symbols they bear atop their head. You might consider them fragments

him cross-legged as he stared at the tent’s top. “What

left some spirits behind. What

mechanics?” Anneliese pressed, her own curiosity leading her to forget that they

there’s shamanic magic, like I said. It was mid-game content. Beyond learning the spells, you have to manage your supply of spirits. You could only find them in certain areas, and they didn’t respawn… so, it was

have broader implications?”

behind his head as a pillow. “For us mere mortals? Hardly. The gods like spirits. Some spirits like to become gods—see the Vasquer pantheon. Although… some might argue they’re not gods quite yet. Who knows? I certainly don’t. Spirits were almost a sort of currency at times, to trade with higher

closed her mouth when

at his sister. He couldn’t really see what

the princess shot

touched her elbow

waiting must’ve gotten to her, because she started squirming faster before she eventually said, “I

“Why

I’ve been… stolen from,” she said quietly, then

give up trying so

raised her hand up to her face, tugging at the blindfold she wore as she resisted the urge to itch near her eyes. “I don’t know, gods…!” she said in frustration, clearly infuriated by the feeling pervading her body. “It’s just… I don’t know. Whenever I share something personal,

out, then wondered

to talking about spirits instead of my ridiculous idiosyncrasies. I’ll get over it.

going along with that advice… but when he looked to Anneliese, her face clearly

his knees together in his arms, Argrave said, “Hey, I get it. You trade in information. Maybe that’s

bad mindset. I’m your lackey now, not some bird

repeated beneath his breath, laughing slightly. He stared at her quietly. The way she’d phrased it… it wasn’t merely about him, he

Argrave admitted, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I should apologize for that.

“Don’t you look to her every time

like to think I’m the lone exception

turned away. “Whatever.