Jackal Among Snakes

Though most places in the Great Chu remained under the control of the enemy, there was one place that Vasquer could claim complete dominance over—the ocean. They had utterly vanquished the Imperial Navy of the Great Chu, partially repurposed it, and brought with them the naval might of the Veidimen in their struggle. On the divine side of things, Kirel Qircassia was only god of land and sky. At sea, he was weakened beyond compare.

After some further coordination with Governor Zen, they agreed to meet far out at sea during the night aboard a gigantic pleasure barge that’d been appropriated from a coastal settlement near their landing area. It had picked up Governor Zen and his small entourage of children and guards, and now sailed deep out into the ocean where Argrave and his family waited.

“The goals of this meeting are manifold,” Elenore told Argrave as they watched the horizon where the barge was liable to appear. Their own ship—a simple Veidimen longship, brought out to avoid attention. “Anneliese needs to study him with her [Truesight] to see if he’s made a pact with any gods. If he has, we break immediately. Furthermore, we need to find out how Governor Zen learned so much about Vasquer. It irks me that he seems to know as much as us as we do of him. As far as I’m concerned, if we can’t find out that information, we should kill him.”

“Need we thirst for blood so much?” Orion, sitting across from them on another of the ship’s benches, clasped his hands together. “He brings his family. We bring ours. That says much of a man’s intent.”

“No, I’m concerned just as much,” Patriarch Dras shook his head. “He knew me by name. Most in Vasquer are aware of the alliance between our peoples, but not so much the personages leading Veiden. That implies a deep infiltration of our higher power. We’ll come to know, or we’ll come to kill. There can be no middle-ground.”

Argrave looked at everyone. “We’ve experienced nothing but setbacks infiltrating their nation. Governor Zen has proved his capability. Now, we have the opportunity to gauge his malleability. He could prove to be another ally, or another like Ji Meng—a double-edged sword. Making him an enemy or a corpse should be a last resort, not the first or second.”

“I concur.” Anneliese stared down at her staff, placed atop her lap, as the longship gently rocked in the serene darkness.

“Chances are, his family won’t be half as good as ours,” Durran noted, lying down on the ship. Apparently, he felt ill. Indeed—a wyvern rider grew ill on a boat. The Sea Dragon had been an exception, for magic stabilized its surface, but now he was subject to the whims of the tides.

“We’ll know, soon. The barge approaches.” Orion peered out into the silent and dark ocean.

Everyone peered at the water. Given time, Argrave saw the square barge cut silently across the ocean, still and solid. Like the Sea Dragon, it had magic to stabilize its voyage—it was a high-class vessel meant for the Great Chu high society.

“Melanie’s looking after Sophia?” Argrave asked Elenore.

as every other time you asked,” Elenore

pull them all away from Sophia and kidnap her, so he placed ample guards by her side in their absence. But those worries were soon overshadowed by those of his new arrival. One thing was certain—they wouldn’t be leaving this ship until an agreement was made, or an enemy. Ji Meng spoke of Governor Zen’s prowess often enough for it to make Argrave question if making a corpse

its way by their ship, its huge bulk sending thick waves that made the waters harsher. Argrave’s Veidimen guards aboard lowered a ramp down to the longship, and Orion dutifully tied it to the ship until it was

were his grandchildren. Only the guards were dressed for war, but the five grandchildren were amply capable of it all the same. They waited, now, in a room at the heart of the barge. Without delay, Argrave and his party made their way to that room. Casting one glance out at the

filled with drink. Governor Zen was an S-ranked spellcaster. Both of his grandsons were between A and B-rank by quantity. Grimalt claimed they had several divine weapons on their person, and they’d not been confiscated. His granddaughters possessed no magic at

elaborate garbs well-suited for the high society of the Great Chu. His two grandsons wore brilliant reds studded with gold along the sleeves, the collars, and

smooth pale peach, their lips were a lovely bright red, and their cheeks had ample blush. Their eyes had black liner with faint red shadows, and their eyebrows had elaborate drawings that seemed to blend naturally into the brow—one a bird, another a dragon, and

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beyond what existed in Vasquer. The trappings of that high society pervaded what they wore—he suspected there was as much weight in makeup as there was gold on their heads—but Argrave had seen its like before back in Earth. Rather than stunned by their beauty or their wealth, Argrave was more simply stunned

feet along with Governor Zen, and each gave Argrave formal bows likely customary to their people that set hanging gold ornaments on their hair jingling. Notably, they all used his title; King Argrave. Even more notably, they showed the same respect to Anneliese. If they’d hoped to earn

time. I’m glad to know that you don’t perform cheap power moves.”

the pillows before the low table. Argrave took special care to make sure that Anneliese was sitting at the head

has your agent relayed to you the results of our last conversation, or

of the conversation,”

white bottle with a long neck. He pulled out new cups for each new person that sat at the table, and filled them for all including his own people. “You’re all rather stone-faced. Don’t worry—I just do my research, know who I’m speaking to before I play the game. I know that Lira is part of your

then picked up a cup and drank. Argrave thought

learn, King Durran. So many ways…” Governor Zen put the bottle down, then drank himself. He cast a glance at one of his grandchildren. It seemed to

Imperial Bank,” one of the sons introduced formally. “I handle the transfer of gold

ornament,”