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.

Lorena had more emotions

agree to watch every sunrise with your wife? My

“That’s… no, it was the sunset. But it became impractical, things being as they are.” He looked

was simply some lucky coincidence.” Lorena pointed forward, where the suns rose

crossed his arms. “I’m not particularly eager to

looking at him with a nod. “The only other option would be that of the planet’s core, but that’s something that Gerechtigkeit will

still bright and annoying to look at. “The moon I can understand—that’s a solid place that you can land on, walk

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interface with it in a different way than I never could. I formed a relationship with the moon, changing it—its surface wasn’t always red. The moon, you see,

ridiculous,” Raven cut in, gaining back

to space, despite his countless forays to correct that.” Lorena looked at him. “Bottom line, it’s all alive. The moon, the suns, even the

“They’ve never demonstrated any

the suns. That says something. Just 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 to all of us different sorts

do you know?” Anneliese

the 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 so bad. They don’t have the typical wants and desires we associate with living things. But then, I’ve never spoken to a star before. Very hot—could burn even me. I’ve tried to speak with it, some, and it’s… never worked. But I’m not

“I seem to be less capable

won’t be going in person. I came

Raven. He had assumed that they had come here seeking this man to retrieve the corpse

be you, I’m 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 of the suns. There are more details, but I’ll

task. “If separating from

“But he knows a thing or two 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

of being quite powerful. With Anneliese being at his side, he felt as though there was no opponent that he couldn’t confront. But separating from his body, and heading to space to

continued. “Meanwhile, you should start practicing leaving your body with Raven.

over your theories, first,” Raven interjected forcefully.

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

do you insist on keeping this

the question. Then, he said simply, “What business is

as a fellow shapeshifter, of course.” She shook her head. “We can review my theory. I suspect you’ll have fewer doubts once Argrave better explains who, and what, I

walked inside, her long hair and tail trailing just behind her. Once she

can think of another way, right?” He asked hopefully. “The

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the operating table, prepared to