Jackal Among Snakes

“Every time the girl moves, I can see the fractures in this perfect recreation.” Anneliese looked around the room carefully, even as the people within reacted to her presence. “All of this, everything around us, is something that responds wholly to her actions and movements. This is built to keep her in check.”

“Recreation? So this isn’t real?” Melanie questioned.

“It’s… difficult for me to even judge.” Anneliese clutched her forehead, looking at things that Argrave couldn’t perceive. He wished for nothing more to see things through her eyes. “When I look at her, I see something impossible for me to make out. And I think that there is much that I miss. She’s halved in more ways than one. She is literally incomplete. Something is missing—something was torn away from her. And on this side, only half of what’s left is here.” She shook her head rapidly. “I apologize. I know that this makes little sense, but it’s what I see.”

“Speak freely, and command us as you will,” the Alchemist directed her. “I possess [Minor Truesight], yet even I cannot see what you do. You are our sole way forward in this scene.”

“Release your spell’s hold, please,” Anneliese commanded without hesitation.

The Alchemist complied, and Anneliese fell free of the encirclement of air that he had created. She landed well, then walked around the banquet table to come and look at the girl. Despite most others being immensely surprised when people suddenly appeared near them, the girl’s reactions seemed rather muted. There was surprise, but it lacked that instinct of self-preservation. Even King Norman showed more shock.

“As far as I can tell, despite the mix of strange energies within her, she’s simply a girl.” Anneliese kneeled down, peering at her. “And this close, I can better see what it is occurring within and around her.”

Anneliese watched for a long, long time as the girl looped in time. At some point Onychinusa got annoyed at the man constantly bursting into the room, so she cast a spell in front of the door to keep it shut. She twitched in annoyance every time the door banged loudly.

“Found you,” Anneliese said triumphantly, rising to her feet and looking all around. She seemed to follow an invisible guideline, and set off in pursuit down the banquet hall. She pushed open a set of double doors and proceeded into the castle’s keep. “Follow me. And watch the door.”

Now that it had been proven they could persist without the Alchemist’s spell, everyone else was released, and then followed as Anneliese instructed. Everyone entered the door one after the other, as none wished to risk it returning to its place as they walked through. Anneliese’s eyes were firmly fixed on something, but Argrave could perceive nothing out of sorts. They walked up a flight of stairs, through a hallway, and into another room, passing by and startling maids and guards all along the path.

The room they entered was a bedroom, lined with red velvets, pink silks, and general decadence. Judging from the things strewn about, it was the little girl’s room. It looked like things were missing, as though they’d been taken away. Argrave saw a spot he was certain a painting had hung not a day ago. While observing, he spotted a peculiar spot in the wall where bricks looked fresher and out of place. He saw glass through a crack in the bricks—the window had been bricked away, evidently.

Anneliese pointed at the false window. “This, here, is the beginning of the formation entrapping this city. And it’s here where new things can enter the place where time is trapped.”

Melanie, who was somewhat near the formation, stepped away rapidly while exclaiming under her breath, “Good gods.”

“I cannot think that the girl herself is behind this strange phenomenon, but it’s most certainly sustained by the energy within her.” Anneliese once again looked around the room, calculating unseen yet arcane things. She looked quite happy, Argrave thought, to be dissecting this mystery. Her curiosity was being fed by something fascinating for the first time in a while.

Yet then her pale face went a little paler, and Argrave saw her retract within herself as she grew nervous. At first, Argrave thought that she’d seen something that had alarmed her. But as time went on, he saw glances sent his way and knew that there was something she was hesitant to say.

“What is it?” Argrave asked after she said nothing for a long period.

“Let me think,” insisted Anneliese, holding up her hand to stop him from questioning further.

Argrave stared at her for a few moments, then took another step toward her. “I know how you look when you’re thinking. And this isn’t it. The thinking’s done, isn’t it? What have you seen?”

eyes, and instinctively raised his hand

me, then?”

her eyes perceiving the imperceivable. “It’s unbreakable. Unbreakable from this side alone, at least. And if there was someone on that other side, whose

save the

not the loop itself. Meaning,

raised his hand. “I have no fear of eternity, Your

could fight, you would certainly be most suitable. But this problem will require finesse and insight. With my [Truesight], I’m best suited. I should go.

to him,” the Alchemist said firmly,

without the

that,”

that, should you perish, Anneliese or Elenore will inherit it.” The Alchemist returned the look at Argrave

That doesn’t matter anymore. Anneliese—are you certain that this thing could protect me from having my

bunny at the foot of the bed. “I want to

guessed. When Anneliese nodded, he put his hand to his face. “And I won’t

window. “I see the day unfolding. And at some point, like a stick caught in a wheel, it jams. You’d have

the sole fault in this illusion. “And he

that. It could be possible, but I’m not entirely confident about it. I can see the

Argrave’s headache started to mount. Good lord. I have to enter whatever distortion this is, figure everything out, don’t I? Toying with time… has it ever gone well for anyone, ever? And I could end up like one

made Argrave

it,” Anneliese shook her head firmly. “It’s too dangerous. There’s too much unknown, and too much at stake.

the Alchemist declared. “I left some druidic bonds near the entrance,

trying to picture what druidic bonds the Alchemist

step sets the grass aflame,” the Alchemist noted. “They must’ve walked through magma to come here, judging by what evidence I can gather. I can sense in them the strange energy that Dario

the bastard kept his

declared, then stormed for the door. “Think freely, please, in my

“One of these golems manhandled Durran with divine armaments. We can’t afford to split up right now—those things could rip a lone

but Argrave raised

very close. So, here’s what we should do. I’ll take the Alchemist inside the

a thing foolhardily,” the Alchemist shook his head. “But I will

declared that he was foolhardy. But the giant pulled one of his eyes out of his head, cut into it, and pulled free a lens. After

peered through. It

It did frustrate him that the Alchemist had been keeping such an item hidden, but Argrave supposed he had no right to demand the man relinquish all of his

it between your cheekbone and brow bone, or hold it,” the Alchemist directed. “Alternatively,