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.”

up at Argrave, then flicked her gaze to Castro again. She looked at Anneliese, too, who gave her an encouraging nod. Sophia tightened her grip around Argrave’s neck and declared,

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milling around in a room, staring at a 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

he looked around the courtyard where the governor often read. The man was absent. Stain asked some people nearby where the governor was,

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

from Stain’s hands. He opened the letter and read it. As he did, Stain shut

using him as a mouthpiece. He had become practiced at reciting exactly what she

my staff?”

would reach you today. And wouldn’t

his grievance wasn’t fully settled, but he held up the letter. “Care to

court’s

this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been

nodded, then set the letter down. “I see. I thought we’d speak

it?” Stain’s conveyance

offer?” Zen sat back

not as harmless as you present yourself. We’re inclined to agree with his caution.”

stared up at Stain. “Seeing as you

“Someone like you—you’ve strings laid out across the whole of this empire. But you can’t

I’m sure. But I’d have to exercise some authority—moving in the open, which would draw the eye of the imperial court.” Zen

fortification—the last line of defense for an emperor,” Elenore kept pressing, and Stain kept delivering. “Such a thing wouldn’t exactly change command quietly.

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 the name of Erlebnis. He isn’t in the Qircassian Coalition,

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