Jackal Among Snakes

“Essentially, the one person you thought as your lifeline was the one with the most comprehensive designs to take your throne,” Argrave told Ji Meng. “He really only had one condition, other than the standard marriage pitches. And condition that was to sideline you, keep you out of everything.”

“My daughter wouldn’t tolerate a marriage with the family that ended her father.”

“Your daughter was sitting right beside him when Governor Zen said that your death would be a desirable outcome,” Anneliese stated bluntly. “She remained silent.”

The words made Ji Meng feel physically ill, but he tried his damnedest to let none of that shine through in his face. He couldn’t even verify it was true, but the fact King Argrave and his wife had come here personally to say it made him think that this was no mere bluff. And if it wasn’t a bluff… the implications of that set his stomach churning further. His own daughter had come here? She had witnessed this meeting and said nothing?

Ji Meng felt like a plant growing on a rock, subject wholly to the whims of passersby. He had all the power of a newborn.

Argrave rose to his feet. “I’ll let that play out in your calculus. That thing you did with the commanders, having them duel me… I respected that move. But you ought to think very carefully about everything you do, henceforth. With things as they are, you’ll be making a few more public appearances. And after…”

Argrave deliberately didn’t finish his sentence, then helped his wife up for them both to leave the room. Yet even once they’d gone, Ji Meng could show nothing. The walls had eyes, his guards were neutered, and elven giants stood vigil over him at every moment. These were bright, dangerous fires, threatening to consume him if he stepped one inch off the path. Yet from their light, he could see the whole path ahead.

Ji Meng was a fruit plucked from a tree. This fruit was to be wrung dry of all its juice, whereupon its drained carcass would be composted and used as fertilizer for another empire to flourish. The idea made bile rise to his throat, and he grabbed for the nearest drink. He found it—the Ebonice tea given to him every day.

He drank deep of it, not leaving a single drop.

#####

Their discussion with Ji Meng proved to be surprisingly fruitful, according to Anneliese. Their declaration had rattled the emperor far greater than either of them had expected. It seemed that, while Ji Meng was a master of the calculus of power, he was utterly without staunch allies outside of the military that idolized him. His own daughter would prefer to side with her grandfather over him. Argrave imagined Sophia doing such a thing, and felt a small amount of sympathy for the emperor surface.

But the coming days set them on a busy path. The day after, Elenore summoned Argrave and Anneliese alone to a secluded room in the Sea Dragon without windows or more than one entryway. Once they were there, she paranoidly commanded Anneliese to make a ward to block any and all sounds.

“I’ve eliminated all possibilities of where the leaks might originate, and I’ve come to an answer about where they come from,” Elenore informed them, looking between Argrave and Anneliese with dark bags about her eyes.

“Seems to have kept you up,” Argrave gestured at her face. This room was meant for storage—he shuffled a crate and sat down upon it.

“Shadows at home tend to seem far darker than those beyond it,” Elenore rubbed her tired eyes. “I’d take care of this on my own, ordinarily, and with great pleasure. But I think there’s a huge problem.”

“Do tell,” Anneliese urged, leaning upon her staff.

“Our leak is divine. Or divine-adjacent.” Elenore crossed her arms. “The Blackgard Union is compromised, not our people.”

Argrave cradled his forehead as extreme annoyance crept up like a geyser through the wrinkles in his brain. Anneliese patiently indulged, “How do you know?”

logistics. I can account for them all, always, through my networks and our guardsmen. Unless you sleep talk secrets out your window, all of our inner circle? We’re fine.” She looked at Argrave.

south. Everything beyond that… a god could plug that gap in his information. The

in Law’s Court at once, then,”

“Law most of all. We can’t afford that. Kirel Qircassia would send minions to overrun us in moments. We can fight some gods with our armies, but only temporarily. I don’t want the casualties, though, nor the tremendous loss in already-thin unity.” His sister clapped her hands together once as she declared, “No. We need to find them, isolate them, expose them, and tear their guts out as a message to Zen and others. My hands aren’t strong enough to tear

Argrave nodded. “Puppeteer me.”

proper investigations. Only… hah.” Elenore laughed, hiding her eyes and shaking her head. “Only this time, it’s gods. We’ve chewed off a huge meal.” She looked up at him, gray

Almazora, Law, Stout Heart Swan… who among them, if any, would Elenore pry from Zen’s grasp?

Road. If found on

to Argrave. “Sophia wrote this. It’s about ‘Castro.’

and Anneliese both moved

#####

where Gerechtigkeit existed, and destroy him permanently. The Alchemist thought it was something that she would be capable of, and to that end, teaching her how to modify life was more important than creating it. If she was capable of acting at the same scale as they had seen in Sandelabara, she would be able to help

It boiled down to a simple idea. What if

or those who had lost limbs. In a world with healing magic, cases of that sort were appreciably rare—even something like a brain tumor could be purged, as it had in the case of the current Archduchess of the North, Diana of Quadreign, by use of House Quadreign’s flame. But cases of invalids did exist.

very worthy cause. What made them even prouder yet was the fact that Sophia had come up with the idea on her own. Neither Anneliese nor Argrave had interfered excessively for her to come to this

came to her, and after she gave them an enthusiastic greeting, she ended up using Argrave’s leg as a

we received the letter that you sent,” Argrave informed her. “And Anneliese and I have been discussing it. We think

to contain her excitement. Anneliese spoke first, however, asking, “But

the ground. “I think… I think I shouldn’t say.

We said we liked the

her?” Sophia looked up at

at who?” Anneliese

“Please promise?” Sophia pleaded.

I promise,”

topic, before she shook her head quickly. “Well, I asked people about it. They said that Elenore couldn’t walk, and she couldn’t see. But then you made it

you thought you might

“Everybody loves you, Argrave. They said you rescued Elenore out from under the nose of your dad, and then you took her to a volcano, and then you fought

Castro, either. A bunch of people, far more than I ever could. But… are you sure that’s what you want to do? You’ll be seeing people with their legs, their arms…” Argrave searched for words, then decided to say

was one of the few things that healing magic couldn’t achieve. But Sophia… she might actually be able

“My dad showed me. And he… tried to make me do it, too. I wish I could’ve helped those people, then. But I was

want you to think about that anymore,

as tightly as she could, then asked muffled behind his coat, “So… can I