Jackal Among Snakes

Chapter 671: Praise the Sun

“It always surprised me that you never picked up on what the Gilderwatchers truly were,” Lorena said as she looked out across Blackgard from atop the mountain ranges encircling it. They were waiting for someone’s arrival. “You had been to the Great Chu. You had seen their depictions of dragons—even seen some of the creatures yourselves. I suppose your preconception of the idea of them as ‘feathered serpents’ warped your sensibilities.”

Argrave listened to her words, and as he did, his eyes warped as he went through various stages of consideration—confusion, realization, then utter disbelief. He twisted his head and looked at her with wide eyes, questioning, “You can’t be serious.”

“I can. I knew the Gilderwatchers in their height. In structure, the Gilderwatchers have far more in common with us than they do snakes, or the monkey-dragons you can see today.” She kneaded the palm of her hand with her fingers as she talked idly. “They might be the only species of dragon that was ever fully united—but even in unity, they had no desire to dominate.”

“That’s good, then. If you’re both dragons, it’ll make this whole process easier, right?” Argrave waited for her to continue.

“My kind have mastery over flesh.” She held up her hand, and it shifted in countless ways in only a few second—it had scales in one moment, skin in the next, a carapace in the third, until coming back to as it had been. “It was much easier for us to discover how, exactly, cross-breeding affected the resulting mortal offspring. But the Gilderwatchers… they have domain over the soul. Vasquer was the first to ever succeed in creating viable offspring. I have deep knowledge of the changes. To answer your question… yes, it’ll be easier.”

“How did Vasquer actually have children with Felipe?” Anneliese began in cautious curiosity.

“A lady never tells,” Lorena said coyly, lightly tapping Anneliese’s nose. She bounced back in surprise. “Suffice to say the primary change in the royal family isn’t in the flesh, but the soul.”

“So I’d be invalidated, then.” Argrave crossed his arms, feeling a mite disappointed.

“I said the ‘primary’ change. There is plenty in your flesh. Besides, souls aren’t as honest as the flesh. They tend to be what we believe we are.” Lorena studied Argrave with her piercing bright eyes. “If you were entirely disqualified, you wouldn’t have been able to speak with Vasquer, or meld into the Tree of Being. But you can do both, despite the fact that your soul is foreign to the body it inhabits.”

“Fair point.” Argrave nodded, then saw an organic way to probe for information. “Can the Heralds read thoughts? Are you privy to the contents of those meetings?”

“They cannot. They can only read the thoughts of hosts. Why—is there something I should know?” Lorena studied him.

“Nothing I can think of.” Argrave shrugged, feeling some secret joy—their ploy had worked, and the watching Heralds would be unaware of Argrave and Anneliese’s intent to work to turn Lorena against them. “What’s the plan for us?”

Lorena looked up and into the distance—specifically, toward the sunrise. “It’s showing itself right now.”

Just then, the one that they’d been waiting for finally reared his head—specifically, Raven came out from his lab, manipulating his hands in such a way that the copious amounts of disgusting viscera clinging to it fell to the ground below. He looked at Lorena, then at Argrave.

“What kind of creature did you bring to me?” He asked in considerable alarm—far more than he usually expressed. Argrave debated whether or not Raven was the plan she had mentioned.

One of Lorena’s eyes looked at him, while the other remained fixed where it had been. “Raven? Hmm.” A lone eye looked to Argrave, and she spoke to him as if Raven wasn’t here. “I heard what he said about unlocking your bloodline. He was right, at least, in the necessity of the corpse of that silver knight. It could be considered a catalyst for the creation of the mirror necessary to rebuff Gerechtigkeit’s probing into the mind.” Both of her eyes focused on Raven. “As for what kind of creature Argrave brought… hello, Raven. I am Lorena, a dragon of the moon.”

Raven shifted on his feet. “You’re dangerous.”

“So long as you know that, we’ll get along fine,” she dismissed casually.

suspiciously. Lorena had more emotions wrapped up

turned one eye to Argrave, and as if to distract everyone, asked, “Didn’t you once agree to watch every sunrise

sunset. But it became impractical, things being as they are.” He looked at Anneliese somewhat guiltily, but it faded when she

coincidence.” Lorena pointed forward, where the suns rose over distant mountains beyond those of Blackgard.

crossed his arms. “I’m not particularly eager to pay a visit. You’re

option would be that of the planet’s core, but that’s something that Gerechtigkeit will be able to interfere with—as you’ve seen in some

you don’t want me to self-immolate. Still—which one?” Argrave looked up, shielding his eyes with his hand. Even so early in the morning, it was still bright and annoying to look at. “The moon I can understand—that’s a solid place that you can land

be found on another

always

cut in, gaining

never been to space, despite his countless forays to correct that.” Lorena looked at him. “Bottom line, it’s all alive. The moon, the

“They’ve never demonstrated any signs

because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it isn’t so. It may not be as we understand it, but the masses adrift in space are alive. They cannot be compared to plants, or

you know?” Anneliese

moon. I made a pact with it. And I’ve spoken to the planet—a friendly sort. Despite all that we’ve done to it—mining and such—it isn’t too bothered.” She looked at Argrave. “You have to do the same with the suns, now. Have a lovely conversation, charm him and her, and then ask for a deal.” Lorena crossed her arms and said in distant remembrance, “Our deal with the moon wasn’t

the sunrise. “I seem to be less capable

be going in person.

He had assumed that they had come here seeking this man to retrieve the corpse of the silver

pretty sure. All of your siblings’ souls wouldn’t live that long separated from their body. So, you’ll part ways with your flesh, head to the stars, and strike a deal with one

the gravity of the task. “If separating from the body would killmy siblings outright, I can’t imagine it’d feel great for

about a thing or two, and I’m not so uneducated myself. I don’t have much doubt that Gerechtigkeit is going try to interfere, and he has liches on his side—liches which

at his side, he felt as though there was

“Meanwhile, you should start practicing leaving your body with Raven. Just make sure there aren’t any hostile necromancers

interjected forcefully. “Especially before we ever stake

felt far larger than even Raven did as she stood before him. She

insist on keeping this form?” Lorena

said nothing for a time, perhaps surprised by the question. Then, he said simply, “What business is it of

fellow shapeshifter, of course.” She shook her head. “We can review my theory. I suspect you’ll have fewer doubts

parting the obsidian door to his laboratory. She walked inside, her long hair

of another way, right?” He asked hopefully. “The soul leaving the body—that’s death, right? There’s surely

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operating table, prepared