Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 559

Argrave once again stared upon a figure he’d hoped to forget. It was Sophia’s creation, Castro—the dim echo of the man that he’d taken the name from. Even today, he repeated things.

“I have a robust succession plan, Argrave,” her creation said.

Argrave looked upon his form with some unease. Anneliese was here as well, standing off to the side. But today, this thing’s creator joined them—Sophia. She stood just beneath him, hiding behind his legs in utter fear of what she’d made alive. Argrave kneeled down to look at Sophia in the eyes.

“Does he frighten you?” he asked her.

Sophia nodded.

“I’ll admit… he scares me, too, a little. Do you know why that is?” Argrave looked at Sophia, but she only tilted her head without an answer. “Let me put it this way. Do you know why he makes you uneasy? Say what you will, but he looks like a walking, talking person.”

“But he’s… he’s not,” Sophia said quietly. “He’s just… what I remembered of him. He can’t… he doesn’t have a voice inside his head. And he can’t hear us, understand us.”

As Argrave nodded, ‘Castro’ continued to repeat some of his final words he’d given before his death. Sophia managed to look at him. “I don’t know… I don’t know how to fix him, Argrave.”

Argrave nodded. “Honestly? I don’t, either.” He picked her up. “But that’s why we came here, today. To think about what needs to be done. To think about how we can do it. And then, to make everything right again. One day, each of us can look upon the life you made and think it belongs. We have to change this so it can be a point of pride, rather than something to forget.”

Sophia gazed at ‘Castro’ thoughtfully, then buried her head in Argrave’s shoulder. “What if I can’t think of anything? What if he stays like that? What if I can’t fix him?”

Argrave comforted her. “Anneliese and I are here. You don’t need to do all the thinking. But I can guarantee you this—you can fix him.”

flicked her gaze to Castro again. She looked at Anneliese, too, who gave her an encouraging nod. Sophia tightened her grip

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machine as he tapped the side of his leg idly while disguised. He kept casting small glances at the bird in the corner of the room that was watching him. Suddenly, he heard a noise, and when he looked the machine that’d been empty was now full. He pulled back the lid, and

collected the bamboo tube with a self-satisfied smile, then walked through Governor Zen’s mansion. He popped the lid off the tube, reading it as he walked, and his smile only widened. Arriving at his destination, he looked around the courtyard where the governor often read. The man was absent. Stain asked some people nearby where

man in his study, kneeled obsequiously, and offered up the

the letter and read it. As he did, Stain shut the door, and Zen looked up as he started to recognize incongruities. Stain undid his disguise, staring there plainly, and Zen rose to his

pointed, Elenore using him as a mouthpiece. He had become practiced at reciting exactly what she said.

infiltrated my staff?”

closer. “We knew this message would reach you today. And wouldn’t you know? It’s been a

but he held up the letter. “Care to explain how

taken it upon ourselves to make several commanders protest against the imperial court’s extended regency. The army answers only to the emperor, after all, not his court. Meaning they either need to pick a new emperor, which we both know is untenable, or relinquish control of the army. And the invaders haven’t moved an inch after taking their foothold—why can’t the armies afford

aware that it has been stolen. Please report

down. “I see. I thought we’d speak

“That’s what you’re reading, isn’t it?” Stain’s conveyance was less gloating, but still somewhat

offer?” Zen sat back

as harmless as you present yourself. We’re inclined to

stared up at Stain. “Seeing as

anything at all.” Stain leaned up against the wall, listening to Elenore carefully. “Someone like you—you’ve strings laid out across the whole of this empire. But you can’t even get so much as a rumor

authority—moving in the open, which

defense for an emperor,” Elenore kept pressing, and Stain kept delivering. “Such a thing wouldn’t exactly change command quietly. What else have

is compromised.” Zen pulled open a drawer, grabbed some papers and set them down. “This was an independent investigation of mine, but it bore fruit. Grand Eunuch Hao, the de facto regent in control of the court, is working with an ancient god by

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