Jackal Among Snakes

“It’ll be hard,” Argrave stared at Anneliese as he spoke, the both of them now on foot. “Not to mention the other problems we might encounter in the city. Everyone will need heavy security.”

Argrave’s whole inner circle had gathered, and everyone sent nervous glances towards the distant blackening Dragon Palace. There was someone else with them—Duke Sumner.

“But it could be all we have,” Anneliese reminded him. “Orion’s presence is the only reason this thing has not spilled out onto the streets, if I understand you right.”

Argrave nodded at her, eyes lingering on the walls. “Then we don’t have any time to lose. Sumner, that breach in the walls you mentioned orchestrating—you’re sure you can get your army in position at the right time?”

“Definitely,” Sumner nodded. “If your people have to scale all the way up that mountain, we’ll be there long before it happens. I have questions about… whatever in the worldthat creature was,” the veteran mage shuddered, for he, too, had scouted out the Dragon Palace with druidic magic alongside Anneliese. “But if Your Majesty is confident enough to lead at the front into battle to vanquish it, I will follow.”

Argrave patted his shoulder as he walked past him. “Good,” he left the duke that praise. The others fell in line beside him, moving to begin their advance. “Elenore, don’t take any risks. You’ll be well-protected, but things can still happen. We experienced what happens there once before, trapped… and now someone’s behind this. Maybe someone familiar to you.”

“I know,” his sister answered back. “But you won’t be well-protected. Perhaps you ought to worry about yourself.”

“I know,” Argrave repeated the same thing she’d said. “I’m used to this sort of thing, in case you forgot.”

“Go, then,” she nodded patiently, gray eyes ill at ease.

Elenore remained behind, Argrave’s royal guards and two loyal A-rank mages staying by her side to protect her as they advanced.

“Is there something else troubling you?” Anneliese asked as they walked onwards.

said, “Hegazar and Vera are going to

you?” Vasilisa

them away if I had,” Argrave shook his head. “I’ll be relying on you, Vasilisa. On all of you.” He adjusted the silver bracer on his arm, then pulled up his enchanted gray leather sleeve over it. “Fortunately, I’ve surrounded myself

#####

With another rumble, one brick fell free, shimmering with broken enchantments. Then, they all started to fall one after another, cascading down the mountain and dislodging yet more rock until they fell down into the city of Dirracha. Even from far away, she could see something foul and black leaking out. She

is Traugott doing?!” Georgina

without being peppered by

speed their ascent. Though they might’ve taken the Royal Road, the sole normal entrance to the palace,

felt something was very wrong, but she did not voice her thoughts in wake of her commander’s words. Eventually, a stone overhang blocked them from proceeding further. Georgina used a rope with a hook at the end, aiming for a railing she knew was on the other side. Once it hooked, their party climbed up one

that had thrived, once. “Looks like Orion hasn’t been

question—it was just barely visible. There, the wicked warping darkness that ate light thrived. She could not help but

#####

from the realm of darkness bore not a single scratch. Its gray lean body was whole and solid after having absorbed much light, and its tentacle mouth swung through the

it flicked its wrist at the prince in a fluent motion. The flexible

as a staff, or sent it whipping inhumanly fast as it tore apart this ancient palace with ease. The creature was intelligent, brutally powerful, and impossibly fast despite its size; Orion found no openings. Instead,

it did. Orion saw that whenever it conjured its weapon again, its body

fanciful thoughts. The abomination struck out with its foot, hitting the prince squarely in the chest. He staggered back, winded. Before he could get his bearing, the thing raised its weapon up, stabbed it into the ground, and used it as a lever to open a great gash in the floor. It fell away, revealing bare mountainside. Orion, without purchase, floundered impotently as this palace wing fell out

fell further, but in an act of desperation he jutted out his foot and managed to find a foothold in the cliff face. He didn’t manage to stabilize himself but flipped upside down dangerously. He slid down,

up onto the ledge, staring up at it as he spit out blood to the wind. With a bestial lunge, he leapt forward and grabbed its hanging tentacle mouth. He pulled it down and slammed his fist into its eye. It reeled back, clutching its eye

this place,” Orion declared, ignorant of