Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 667: Glad I Could Help

Argrave, exhausted after a long session, went to explain the exchange that he’d had with Jaray to those that had come with him. Anneliese and all others listened with rapt attention, taking the matter as seriously as it likely was.

“This Jaray would forego the certainty, the impartial justice, of this place?” Galamon questioned suspiciously. “A trap.”

Argrave nodded in agreement. “Could be. But I was thinking it had to do something with our incorporeal friends that need a body to get around. The wiki doesn’t say much about Jaray. He and Erlebnis had dealings, and the man has his hands in a lot of pie… but he’s never been a major player, and he’s certainly not omniscient. Just a wheeler-dealer type, who wants everyone to get along.”

“Heralds are involved?” Melanie questioned, looking about this place nervously.

“It fits. Their silence has been broken only by the machinations they perform in the background.” Orion crossed his arms, an expression of scorn about his face. “They are not worthy of our time. Still, I suspect it prudent to give it to them.”

Melanie scrunched up her face, confused by the oxymoron, while Elenore supported her brother. “If it is the Heralds, all the more reason to go. You could find out what they’re up to.”

“I don’t know.” Argrave ran his hand through his hair. “The man seemed important, somehow. He’s no pawn, that’s for certain.”

“I concur. As far as the eye could see, I saw respect writ on the faces of the gods. I—” Anneliese cut off, turning to look at someone approaching with a frown.

“Jaray sent me,” a lesser god walked up, acting somewhat obsequiously. “He wanted to have that conversation now. He said you’d know what that meant. Ah—and Law has joined him.”

Without waiting for a word of gratitude or any acknowledgement whatsoever, the god snuck away into another corner of Law’s Court. The assembly was over, largely, and thousands of gods were having thousands of conversations about its contents to decide their course of action. Argrave had done far better than he was even expecting, largely due to the glazing Jaray had given him that’d soften the stances of everyone approaching thereafter. But it wasn’t over, because decisions had yet to be made.

“I think we go,” Argrave said decisively, but he did confer with his allies briefly. None seemed to have any protest. “Then, let’s.” He gestured, walking onward with a small bounce on his step. He was eager and nervous. He couldn’t fully pin why that was true.

#####

When Argrave and his coterie opened the door to one of the many chambers in Law’s Court, they found the scene precisely as it had been described. Inside the drawing room, Jaray sat hounded by a cloud of smoke above his head. Opposite him, one of Law’s Justiciars stood behind the couch.

“Ah.” Jaray raised his pipe up. “You’re here, at last. Fortunately, I’ve had the time to say what I needed to Law. I was explaining to him, you see, your relation to Sophia. I’m sure you can better fill in the blanks than I can, as a third party… but I’ve told him much of what he needs to know.” He looked at the Justiciar. “Law… could you…?”

“I’ll let you two speak,” came the deity’s voice, echoing somberly from within his Justiciar. “Argrave, I would speak to you after this.”

Argrave gave him a nod. “Certainly.”

Law exited. Argrave and his party started to enter, but Jaray held up his hand.

“I’d prefer to speak to you and your wife alone, if it’s not too much trouble.” Jaray exhaled smoke. “You could insist against it if it makes you uncomfortable, but it’s just how I’d prefer things.”

for him. “Check on Sophia, please,” he told the others,

tan skin. His clothes were neither too luxurious nor too poor, striking what could be called an amicable balance. He had that same charm to him Argrave had noticed earlier—he couldn’t

his own tension.

with an innocent shrug. “I helped Law, so he listened to me. I helped you, so you’re here. And I’ve set it up to where I can help you again, if you’ll let

we agree to this meeting,” Anneliese finished

either of you like to partake?” He opened it up, revealing another pipe of similar make to his own. He retrieved a vial from the case

already are. Room’s filled with smoke,” Argrave pointed out, refusing it with a gesture. “Not a terrible

offered it silent to the other in the room, but Anneliese

between them. “You look like you’re both in a no-nonsense mood, so I’ll be

Amazon, be aware that it

in some surprise. “For the low price of

helping you, and I’m helping another. This is a mutually-desired meeting. I’d call it a blind date, if not for the implication, and the fact that the knowledge is unbalanced on

leaned in. “Do you realize how suspicious all of

convenience of it all?” Jaray smiled. “It’s merely

some secret coalition?” Argrave

holding so many people together, or the grease that helps things glide smoothly against one another. It’s giving a favor to get a favor. It’s the alignment of interests, the guidance of personalities and ideologies toward something actionable, and much more than

forward and clasping

smiled brilliantly. “I like to be there when people need me. Because when the time comes… maybe, just maybe, they’ll be there for me, too. After all, it’s hard to forsake a convenience once you have it. I’m sure you’d agree that a

this man was. At every turn, it had been more convenient—more pleasant, even—to just go along with what he suggested. He had already helped immensely, yet he offered more without an obvious condition. It was difficult to tell if this silken bed was born of a

his lips, then asked, “Are there any conditions

the location,” Jaray

up with an army at our back…”

for what my friend would do. The only reason she requests it outside this place is simple: she’s not one who wants to make her presence known, especially not in Law’s Court. But I’ll be there, in person. I’ll help to make sure it doesn’t become hostile for either side. No one wants conflict between you two except Gerechtigkeit. He’s beyond helping,

asked. “Does the term Heralds mean

I’m glad I was able to help illuminate how much you’ve helped others before a crowd that needed to hear it. Needless to say, I can keep on that path, if it pleases you. And I can help make Law see the necessity of the minor miscommunication you had.

at Anneliese after Jaray so blatantly dodged their question, and he saw the same thing reflected in her skeptical eyes as he felt in his head—this guy’s a patsy for the Heralds, without a doubt. He didn’t think further pressing would yield anything better,

“What happens if we don’t need your help? What if we tell you that

go back to my friend and disappoint her. I’d be a little hurt, if I’m honest. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you and yours. I hope that my dismissal of your companions didn’t cause any bad blood between us. If you’d like, I could apologize to them, individually or as a group. If something else is the problem, please, speak

Either he could fool her, or he was being earnest. Both

and whispered under cover of a ward.