Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 669: The Road Not Taken

“I could start with pleasantries. It’s clear you have a great deal of questions you’d like to bombard me with, Anneliese, but I’m not sure how we’ll all walk away from this, and I don’t want to start liking you before I’m sure I can afford it.” Lorena began. “How is Sophia, these days?”

“These days?” Argrave repeated.

“Jaray’s been flirting with it for a very long time, but I won’t be as subtle as he is.” Lorena’s bright eyes darkened, expressing her grim tone just as well as her voice did. “I do represent the Heralds in some capacity. You’re tipping very dangerous scales, and it’s becoming very worrying. No one decided that you should decide the fate of the world. It was only by the force of your own will that you brought us to this. You’ve conquered this world, well and true.”

“No one?” Argrave raised a brow, looking around. “I’m only the leader because people tolerate me as one.”

A burst of flame and smoke erupted from her nose as she scoffed. “Your rule is predicated on gods and nobles, deciding the whims of all. You appeased them, not the whole. Not that I’m…” She cut herself off, calming flames that started to appear near her. “I see there’s good in your heart, Argrave. The love you have for your family is enough to move my kin, move me. I’m not…” she sighed. “Damn it. I should wait for Jaray. He’s better at explaining these things.”

“You should.” Jaray walked out from where he’d been obscured. He dragged along two loungers—it wasn’t entirely clear where he’d gotten them from, but he set them both beside Argrave and Anneliese.

Argrave laid down relaxedly, while Anneliese sat upright on the edge of her provided seat. “Why don’t you explain, then?”

Jaray walked until he stood in front of Lorena. “When last we spoke, we were talking about convenience.”

“So?” Argrave beckoned.

“You named me a catspaw to the Heralds,” Jaray continued, and it made Argrave tense up to hear those words repeated. It all but confirmed someone’s omniscience. “It’s true. They rely on me because I’m a convenience for them. And the time is rapidly approaching where they’ll no longer trust us to handle the situation alone.”

“And that’s relevant to this situation how?” Argrave leaned in. “Listen—all that I’m looking for is the method to stop Gerechtigkeit’s mental influence, full stop. We’d hoped that might lie with you and the method to unlock our bloodline, but—”

“Might as well let them speak, Argrave,” Anneliese reminded him, glancing over.

Argrave silenced himself, listening closer as Jaray nodded to Anneliese in thanks. “The Heralds and their ways remain a mystery to both Lorena and I. But they, just like all of us, are beings of convenience. They want an easy, quick solution that puts all of their fears to rest. Right now, you are their fear. And with you pursuing these dangerous things, Sophia in tow… they might be liable to do something desperate.” Jaray cradled his hands, expressing his sincerity.

who wins. If need be, they’ll interfere. Even if it’s on the side of Gerechtigkeit, they’ll do something.” She sighed deeply. “It’s time to make a deal, Argrave, and settle.

seems to me that you know a hell of a lot more about the Heralds, and this world,

perpetually.” Jaray looked up at the bright red moon above, then looked back. “They would

Lorena leaned forth off her tail, eyes brightening in what seemed to be righteous indignation. “Why do you do this, Argrave? Would you consign trillions to death this cycle to save a slightly higher number many millennia from now? By what right do you involve people in this struggle? It’s only now that you reveal your true intention to the gods, but the people remain ignorant to this very second. Why have you taken their right of choice from them? Could you look each and all in the

up, Lorena,” Jaray reminded her

his thoughts immediately. “I’m getting a sense that you two might be speaking from experience.” His eyes

silence following his question was

far?” Argrave stopped lounging, leaning in. His next words were spoken

upon him.

tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it

the misery that people had endured, but you decided against it, because…?” He looked to Anneliese, seeking her perspective. She only watched them without a word, scrutinizing, and he was forced to look back. “What did they offer you? Let me guess—a moon?” He looked up. “A home world of your own? A

only shook her head at his provocation. “You have no concept of what

“Gerechtigkeit—”

looked down upon him as he sat. “It would be the end of

her in the eyes determinedly. “Someone has to do something. Because I know this…” Argrave looked out at everything. “I know this isn’t right. We’re

without creation is ruin. Creation without destruction is cancer. Life without neither is stagnation,” Lorena said emotionally, pleading with him. “Think about what you’re doing. Think about the forces you’re playing

does that put you, living on the moon?” He asked

the knowledge for immortality, will you share that with all? Will you give all things you own freely? Will you relinquish all worldly

didn’t realize had come to stand by him, reminded him of his place. He was staring at, he realized, himself. Lorena had come to the same summit that Argrave had, and after seeing what laid on the

approach to life. At the heart of this all, he knew that he still needed her wisdom, regardless of

people by bringing them to the moon?” Argrave

dragons. They live there, far above, to this day. At the end of it all… isn’t that what you crave? A land for you and your

dictate, by this point, could be given a land of their own. Nothing would even need to change. You possess such leverage that I’m sure you could make any demand of them.” Lorena shook