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?”

fear in her amber eyes, and instinctively raised his hand to grab her wrists. “If

then?”

around again, 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 mind could not be interfered with… someone wearing the Ravenstone… I am certain they

shifted uneasily, save the Alchemist and

enter the reality leading up to the loop, not the loop itself. Meaning, the one on the inside

his hand. “I have no fear of

fight, you would certainly be most suitable. But this problem will require finesse and insight.

problem. Until Argrave dies, the Ravenstone is tied to him,” the Alchemist said firmly, shaking his head. “My own design, to protect my

has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on

that,” Argrave looked at

Elenore will inherit it.” The

it’s tied to me?” Argrave threw his hands in the air. “Whatever. That doesn’t matter anymore. Anneliese—are you certain that this thing could

a red stuffed bunny at the foot of the bed. “I want to

nodded, he put his hand to his

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

the point she claimed to be the sole fault in this

I’m not entirely confident about it. I can see the

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

thought made Argrave seize with

do it,” Anneliese shook her head firmly. “It’s too dangerous. There’s too much unknown, and too much at stake. I should look around more, look

say that, yet golems have entered Sandelabara,” the Alchemist declared. “I left some druidic bonds

blinked rapidly, trying to picture what druidic bonds the Alchemist could possibly have. “Golems? Of

enough that every step sets the grass aflame,” the Alchemist noted. “They must’ve walked through magma to come here, judging by

laughed. “Looks like the bastard

declared, then stormed for

split up right now—those things could rip a lone person to shreds, even you.” He looked at Anneliese. “And

them—” Anneliese began, but Argrave raised a finger to her

repeated. “But we’re very deep now, very close. So, here’s what we should do. I’ll

head. “But I will bestow

one of his eyes out of his head, cut

imbued with magic and peered through. It took me many

I do, won’t it be repaired anyhow?” Argrave smiled, but took 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

it,” the Alchemist