Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 390

Before Argrave stood his top ranks in this expedition—everyone who had some degree of authority. The three Veidimen officers, the Magisters, Mina and the Monticci family, and lastly his family, Orion and Anneliese. These were all people of proven trustworthiness and skill, and he needed precise delegation and execution at this critical juncture.

Seeing them all… he felt some degree of self-loathing for having doubted them. To know that betrayal came from somewhere higher up did disquiet him. Simultaneously, knowing that whatever happened moving forward would be with those he trusted absolutely bolstered his confidence.

Argrave nodded and looked off to everyone else. “We’re going to the coastline of the North Sea, where the ships I called for will be docking tomorrow morning—we can’t sleep, not tonight. I had intended Elenore to send men to help purging the land of the remnants of Kirel Qircassia’s forces, but we’ll make use of them.”

“Make use of them for what? What’s happening?” Nikoletta asked, still out of the loop.

Argrave looked at her and her father. “For starters, we’ll use their ships. You and Duke Enrico will be going back.”

The old duke had barely had the chance to say even three words, but even still he recognized the situation and gave a steady nod. Nikoletta, however, began, “But I want to--!”

“You need to go to Elenore, and you need to deliver her my words exactly as I say them,” Argrave interrupted her. “These are instructions I can’t risk being leaked.”

Duke Enrico put his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. “Listen to Argrave.”

“His Majesty, Duke Enrico,” Orion corrected. “But please, tell us what happened to change our plans so.”

Argrave looked at him and took a deep breath, still grappling with that himself. “Another god has hit the forests. We have to change our response accordingly.”

“And the elven gods?” Vasilisa questioned seriously.

“…we’re lacking critical information,” Argrave said hesitantly. “There is much to work out. For now, go.”

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as we are now, we can do

of them talked in a ward sustained by Anneliese, ensuring none of their conversation leaked out to anyone listening. They could tolerate no

much as it embittered Argrave, he knew she had a point. Rushing back into things would achieve nothing but firmly placing them on one side of things. For now, regardless of how things played out, it was best to give the image

“Their enemies are strong, but as are

looked at her. “And if Erlebnis

retreat. They fight a few emissaries, who fight half-heartedly, I am sure of it. But even if they did not… could you change their Tumens’ fate?” Anneliese

below the earth in the abandoned cities of the dwarves. Racial dwarves, not like Artur,” Argrave told Anneliese. “Mozzahr fought the gods

him. “You said he invades the mainland at the dawn of the second

nodded. “Down there, in those old, abandoned dwarven cities… well, precisely what’s happening here happened there. Gerechtigkeit saw Mozzahr as a threat to his victory, so he weakened the boundaries between realms, casting that place into chaos with the early advent of gods. And

almost stumbled over something while walking. “I question why Gerechtigkeit

to end it. Kirel had time to build up strength and widen the breach, hidden away in the Bloodwoods as he was. If not for him trying to kill the forest,

“Did the enemies Mozzahr face compare

some distance between him and the main forces, yet

will grasp,” Anneliese said confidently. “At

cast that spell on me, the first

then nodded. “You said

in confirmation and continued, “And I also

shamanic magic,” she filled in somewhat eagerly. “And shamanic magic employs spirits, which are fragments

little loudly, hoping to dampen her rising hope. It did no good to raise expectations. “Shamanic magic was useless to me in the beginning. Silvic was the only spirit we saw, and she

followed his train of thought. “Now, we have seen spirits, seen them taken in by the elven gods. But is it enough

and Anneliese followed eagerly waiting for his answer as he deliberated. “What Onychinusa was trying to do was teleport me to another location. That should give you some indication of how powerful shamanic magic can be. It also uses a highly limited resource that can’t reasonably be obtained until things get… very desperate. Any spirits we’d get, we’d

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