Jackal Among Snakes

Argrave walked into the personal office of Good King Norman. It was strange to look upon the man that he’d just killed, sitting behind his desk in that pristine black velvet. Less than an hour ago, he’d been ribbons. Now, the black energy within him once again raged like an ocean, and the king’s red eyes fixed him with an uncomfortably salacious stare.

“You’re the one? Garbed in black, a breastplate bearing the sun, and the faintest echo that smells of blood…” he narrated as he studied Argrave. “You’re a far cry from the drab white I’ve aligned with your kind.”

“I was the one before you,” Argrave stated vaguely, stopping before the king’s desk. “I’ve come to collect. Sophia will be coming with me. I shall gather the three others, and we’ll reconvene in your castle’s courtyard in two and a half hours. Then, we’ll put an end to things.”

The king nodded, but kept his dead-eyed gaze fixed on Argrave as he ran his thumb across his chin. After a time, he pointed his finger lazily. “You’re picturing me dead. I can see it in your eyes.”

Argrave stayed stone-faced. He had done this before, practicing for the final loop. Never before had the king said this.

“Many people wish me dead. Despite that, I’ve kept my head. But you…” he leaned in and set his elbows upon the desk. “You seem to know how you’d do it. It’s no mere desire; you know how it’d transpire.”

Argrave took a deep, calming breath. “I’ll have to call you a liar.”

The king smiled broadly at his continuation. “You’re darling.”

Argrave suppressed a small shiver, picturing that half-shattered jaw flapping with its loose tongue as the king muttered that last word. In his experience, that word meant the king was interested in him. The last thing that Argrave needed was the king’s interest. He could survive any ambush thanks to the Inerrant Cloak, but that didn’t mean he’d like to suffer any. He wanted this to be clean.

Feeling frustrated, Argrave decided to diverge further from the norm. At worst, he could redo things, making his companions wait five seconds.

“Were you always this strange?”

“Strange?” The king leaned back in his chair. “A king is a unique existence.”

“You weren’t always a king.”

“I was,” King Norman shook his head. “People never called me so, but it was fated, just like my meeting with your organization.”

“Were your parents like you?” Argrave sat on the desk, eyeing the king closely.

“You try and pry, but I am rather shy.” Norman’s attitude was cold, despite his nearly demure words. “Retrieve my daughter, and the others.”

“We have time,” Argrave refused. “You must’ve thought a lot about this. Why would we Heralds come to you, of all people? Why were your children our asking price? I ask again, if only for your own benefit… were your parents like you?”

“Of course not.” King Norman’s fist slammed upon his desk, cracking its hard wood. “No one is like me. I am not a man—I simply am. All the rest are lambs to be damned—my son, my daughter. And they will scream my name until they die.”

it matter, anyway? He could get no answers from this man who would fight until he became a corpse.

it.” Argrave said,

#####

back to Sophia’s room, people crowded around the ward that he’d made. They seemed to be testing it. Once Argrave approached, they all backed away in stunned silence. Argrave dispelled the ward. Within, Sophia waited, her bag neatly packed. She kneeled there

and hefted it over his shoulder, then knelt down before Sophia. “We’re going to be walking all

Argwa—Argrave,” she

hand up. “I’m rather tall. You can see

smiling face… then gave a slow nod. Argrave had some cousins, so he was used to carrying smaller children. She was old enough to walk about on her own, but he didn’t trust the people

only once they walked free of the castle that Sophia finally looked around in wonder with her wide red eyes. With all of the windows in the castle blocked off, he wondered how

city?” Argrave questioned

“It has… a lot of

has been taken without consent; if you see

at her. “But if you want, I can make sure

him, curiosity

cast a simple C-rank [Invisibility], and his body disappeared from sight. Sophia’s eyes widened and she waved her arms wildly as she thought she was going to fall, but she ended up hitting Argrave in the face. “Ow. You hit my tooth,” he complained, despite feeling no

I-I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered nervously. “Where… what happened

did, the spell broke. “I’m still here. I just went invisible.” Her eyes widened adorably, and Argrave couldn’t help but laugh as they carried on into the

you make me… invisible?” she said, pronouncing the word very deliberately so as

But you won’t be able to see yourself, too. Is

not even entering her mind,

so be careful,” Argrave instructed her, then cast [Invisibility]. Sophia vanished, and Argrave walked around slowly to let her take in the sights without

on his arm. Argrave headed for the elder, first, as he was the

you have any questions,

“About what?” she responded.

“Anything at all.”

are we…”

we’re going very far away

of the quarters made for the members of parliament—they didn’t have a proper palace. It was hardly fit for Sophia to stay, too. For once, he regretted his frugality, and debated building a proper

your friends?” Sophia

said enthusiastically. “I could talk about them for a while. Right

#####

once the magnitude of his situation. The rapid changes in his demeanor, state—he was experiencing time on a wholly different

so, the whole of them sprinted throughout the castle, heeding Argrave’s directions. They were clear and precise, and everyone had listened intently, yet