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.”

mentioned both Atrus and Traugott first?” Elenore pointed out, her constant writhing somewhat

should know. We found out not too long ago that the boundaries between

Elenore repeated.

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 of power. They exist here, there, and just about everywhere. Some of them are small, powerless, and dumb. Others are intelligent and ambitious. The ones here on this realm are usually the dumb kind,

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

said. “Silvic, the wetland spirit… when Orion killed her, I’m sure she left some spirits behind. What they’d do, I can’t really say. Maybe they’d linger here. Maybe they’d reform on another realm. What

own curiosity leading

at her funnily now that she adopted terms like ‘game mechanics.’ “Well… 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

it have broader implications?”

don’t. Spirits were almost a sort of currency at times, to trade with higher powers. Though from my perspective as someone who now lives, breathes, and eats in this

she closed her mouth when she

really see what Anneliese was pointing out,

do you think?” the princess shot back too

touched her elbow lightly.

Argrave said nothing, and nor did Anneliese. The silent waiting must’ve gotten to her, because she

“Why is that?”

stolen from,” she said quietly, then

up trying

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, I always regret it. Could be my favorite book, could be something that happened in the past… I just hate it after. But you… you already know it all. And

Argrave pointed out, then wondered

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

he

You trade in information. Maybe that’s why you feel stolen

mindset. I’m your

at her quietly. The way

shared much of anything with other people. Anneliese has gotten fragments, I suppose,” Argrave admitted, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I

you look to her every time you want to gauge

I’m the lone exception to her policy of discretion,” Argrave

then turned away. “Whatever. What’s