Jackal Among Snakes

“Mr. Knight is…” Sophia looked at the doll. He saw some tears welling up in those red eyes of hers—and for the first time, Argrave thought it might not be out of simple fear of punishment. “He’s not mine.”

Argrave nodded understandingly. “Then… your brother’s?”

Sophia looked at him in utter fear. “I don’t have a…” she trailed off, her words failing her. Afterward, she became despondent.

“I’ve heard some things that go against that. It’s okay—I’m not like those other people.”

Sophia shook her head quickly. “I don’t… you can’t find out. Mr. Butler, he talked about, and…” she shuddered. “You can’t get hurt. Getting hurt… hurts.”

Looks like King Norman’s rules didn’t exclude the princess. She’s been drilled to forget her brother, no doubt. I shouldn’t be surprised.

Argrave looked around. The things missing—the lighter spot on the wall where a painting might’ve been, the empty side of the open wardrobe, the unused section of the dresser, and Mr. Knight… that little doll must’ve been the only thing that she had managed to keep of her brother’s. It was a small wonder she guarded it so fiercely. If they were sharing a room, they may have been twins. From Argrave’s knowledge, twins were especially attached to one another.

“I have to go, princess,” Argrave said, rising to his feet. “But there’s going to be a maid coming soon. She’ll tell you that you’re to have lunch with your father. Remember to keep your head up no matter how scary she gets, because she’s a really nasty lady. Can you do that for me?”

“Okay,” she nodded.

Argrave cast [Chameleon] and vanished. Sophia’s eyes widened in surprise and she looked around as though her mind was blown. “Sir Ghost? Come back,” she whispered out loud.

When the knock came, Sophia hid Mr. Knight once again, and Argrave slipped out when the maid opened the door.

I’ll be back, Sophia, rest assured. I need to see what happens to you during the loop. But first, I need to figure some things out about your brother.

#####

Argrave returned to the underground cellar where the Flayer Knight barracks were. While there, he better explored the place to locate entrances and exits. One led directly into the castle, while a few others appeared throughout the city in various abandoned buildings. The barracks themselves had about five hundred knights. They were quite an impressive force by Argrave’s eyes, but they were nothing compared to the king himself.

Argrave entered the cell containing the whimpering prisoner, then cut off sound with a ward and sight with an illusion spell. He conjured light, frightening the man greatly. Then, he healed what wounds could be healed with magic and revealed himself.

The man, frightened, tried to crawl away from Argrave. “Who are you? What is this? What did you do to me?”

“I healed your wounds,” Argrave explained. He was going to sit in the chair, but feared that might evoke some of the man’s trauma. He sat on the floor instead, ignoring the unpleasant sensation. “I’m a spy from a neighboring region, you see. And my efforts led me to you.”

“A spy?” The man studied his body in total confusion. “Did you drug me? I can’t feel… no. I can feel. I’m not bleeding, anymore,” he said, disbelievingly.

to leave this place?” Argrave asked point-blank. “I can help with that. I just need three answers

get me out of here,” the man

“Called me his darling, the creepy bastard.

it again and again. The fruits of my labor will offer no

can wait to be tortured, or we can get caught, whereupon you’ll still be tortured. Does that compel

managed a huff of laughter. “I’ll be damned… you make a fair

“Who are you?”

in the city,” the man answered, but his chains jingled.

suspending the ball in the air. The man drank it without delay. “So, you were the butler Sophia

deeply, hanging his head. “I was trying to explain to my lady why she couldn’t… why she couldn’t speak to the prince, anymore. Why he was gone. One of the servants

“And what did happen

over this whole land. He removed his son from existence. To try and speak his name, to describe him, to get into any specifics beyond naming him ‘the prince,’ is to fall prey to the foul forces that King Norman invited into this land. He's given his son. Now, they’ll come again to claim

been appropriated; report any instances of

hand as he thought. “Alright. I lied—four questions, and then you’re out. If I free you… can you help me investigate

seems to me I’m dead no matter what

his hand to the chain and cut them free with simple wind magic. The butler looked so bewildered, like he’d never seen

and we’ll get out fine.

“Bogart,” he answered.

very butler-esque name,

the suns above and felt the grass beneath his feet, he fell to

#####

me more about this

grove far from town. Argrave didn’t like being in the open, but Bogart didn’t

right.” He turned around. “I… why don’t we talk more once we return to wherever you’re

his arms. “My time is short. You should know by now that spies, kingsman… we’re really quite similar. I saved you because you can help me. I can return you much the same way if you

head. “Damn it. Damn it all…” He clutched his head. “But you’ll help me

Bogart’s feet, and the man jumped back in fear. “Just talk,” Argrave

was approached by a group of strange people about a year ago. They had gathered up four prominent members of the community—the silver-tongued priestess, Sandelabara’s mayor, the elder, and the queen. He… he butchered his wife for keeping secrets from him, but he listened to the

happened?”

alive, became obsessed with what these foreigners offered. The king was always… somewhat insane, yet unstoppable. Few had the power to

he think he would

‘All they asked for was a bit of time, and the lives of my

in on that, but Bogart couldn’t be aware of the implications of