Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 666: Smoked and Hazed

“…long story short, he’s cutting a very persuasive figure on the stage.” A man quietly pinched small flakes of green leaves into a pipe, compressing it down with his thumb.

“You can’t worm any doubt in?” asked a female’s voice from nowhere in particular.

“I could try,” responded the man, brushing off a few flakes of green with his hand. He conjured flame from his hand, then set his pipe aflame. After inhaling deeply and blowing outward, he continued, “But he’s arranged things in such a way that anyone trying to sow doubt might get isolated from the rest, even killed, on suspicion of being an agent of Gerechtigkeit’s. I like you well enough, but I’m not willing to risk that much.”

“This is Gerechtigkeit’s fault,” said the woman’s voice with conviction. “People wouldn’t cling to Argrave so readily if he hadn’t been so overtly destructive. Things are weakened, brittle. I guess it’s been more than enough time for rot to take hold.”

“But he was overtly destructive, and the gods are clinging to Argrave.” The man blew an O from his mouth, and it drifted upward toward the night sky. “Only a matter of time before they start searching. And I can almost guarantee you they’ll start finding. All this reminds me of the old days… only worse. Or better, depending on the perspective you’re taking.”

“They’ve been talking to me about him,” the voice continued. “They’re all but saying they want me to do something.”

“Oh yeah?” The man laughed. “I guess everyone’s a bit spooked. Only question is—what do you want to do?”

There was a long silence as the man sat beneath the night sky, casually puffing on his pipe and blowing O’s and wisping trails of smoke up into the air. No answer came for the longest time.

“Go back in,” the voice answered, a trace of defeat on her tone. “Help him. Ingratiate yourself with his inner circle. Arrange an in-person meeting, far outside Law’s Court.”

“Gerechtigkeit’s always paying attention,” he reminded her, balancing the pipe on his finger. “You’re a bit of a homebody, these days. You could get jumped.”

“I’m still who I was,” she disagreed. “And he’s not half-bad himself.”

The man laughed, smoke puffing out from his nose in wispy bursts. “He’s no dragon.”

“I am,” she reminded him. “However this shakes out, I want our first encounter to be on my terms.”

“Seems to me the boy-king will want much the same.” The man emptied his pipe onto the ground, then pulled out a case. He briefly cleaned it out with a cloth, then put it into a form-fitting mold inside the case. He stuffed it back into his pocket. “But I’m good at what I do.”

“I know,” she said, though there was a trace of bitterness in her kind tone. “Take care.”

#####

speech came the more difficult part of being a politician—avoiding answering questions without seeming like someone

role of head of state as an overseer for the government. Sometimes it was, but in Argrave's case, he was largely the public-facing figure, leaving the more complex issues that required actual managerial talent to Elenore. This, then,

gods couldn't ask specific enough questions to extract an answer before someone else came along

in on Argrave’s claim about having fought Gerechtigkeit so many times, asking for precise details. He was relieved when the interrogator spent his allotted time, and another rose up to take their place—yet

girl rather deeply, and wondered about the precise measures that he was taking regarding putting an end to Gerechtigkeit once and for all. He couldn’t outright tell them, ‘I’m just going to wing it when the big man shows up!’ even if it was the truth

fiasco began. Argrave leaned heavily on the

wearing a hefty coat and brandishing a pipe billowing a sweet-smelling smoke, walked

know that it has been stolen.

asked, ignorant of

inhaling on his pipe deeply. When next he spoke, smoke billowed from

way—if this man was the god of politics, it stood to reason that they’d been unified by this fellow. Argrave had to

he was certain would be a kill shot of some kind, looking at Anneliese to steel himself. She gave him an

stage, almost casually. “To start, let me ask you a fundamental question—a question of character. What do you intend to

to end the cycle of judgment. The means to protect people from what

Jaray held his arms out. “You’ll

watching as Jaray inhaled his pipe

of us should know very well…” He blew smoke from his nose, and it wreathed about his face. “It’s not so easy to give up power. What have you ever sacrificed without expecting something

an answer, standing in silence for some time as he stared down

Jaray, instead of facing Argrave, turned around. “There’s been a huge problem with this interrogation today. That

eyes in confusion, watching this man as

sacrificing. Let me ask you this, Argrave—is it true you sold your own heart to a monstrosity so that you

nothing,

looked back to the crowd. “After having experienced this world the countless number of times that he has, I mention that to demonstrate there still remains boundless compassion in Argrave’s heart. I could tell you more

Argrave, that you

knew all

true, Argrave, that you secured the means to prevent

confirmed again, still fearing there was