Jackal Among Snakes

Epilogue 4.1: Family Reunion

A tall, black-haired man with a white eyepatch over his right eye stared out across the ocean. The eyepatch had a peculiarly round ruby embedded on the front, giving the faintest illusion of an eye in the socket. His good eye was gray as slate. The sapphire-blue waters of the shore washed at his feet, while a faint smile played about his lips.

“Vincent!”

Vincent turned his head toward the voice. There, Sophia of Vasquer waved at him as she ran carefreely. She had grown to be a vivacious woman, with bright red eyes, cheeks full of color, and a touch of innocence that hadn’t faded even after ninety-seven years. Seeing her, Vincent’s smile only widened. He walked up to greet her, giving her a hug.

“Missed you,” Vincent said.

Sophia pulled away and looked up at him. “You always say that.”

“It’s always true.” Vincent patted the top of her head. “Did the trip go okay? Anybody give you trouble?”

“Would that you would show such concern for our other siblings,” Sophia said dryly. “I’m fine. I always am. But enough about me—what do you think mom and dad have planned? Their invitation was a little ominous. ‘The world will change forevermore.’ They don’t tend to exaggerate.” Sophia began to walk away from the shore, back toward the estate.

Vincent inhaled, following Sophia calmly. “Perhaps they’re abdicating to you.”

“Pfft.” Sophia scoffed. “What would be the point? All they have to do these days is a bunch of ceremonies on one day, twice a year. Even if it was true, hardly world-changing.”

“Hmm.” Vincent looked around, spotting distant grand orchards and beautiful gardens in the approach to the of-yet out of sight mansion. “Perhaps they have another child on the way.”

Sophia inhaled through her teeth. “Could you imagine? Can they still, even? Mom’s an elf, and they have Raven… anything is possible.” She almost looked excited at the prospect, but further thinking ensured reality hit. “Still… it’s been a long, long while. Not sure they’d break discipline now. They don’t really know how to stop being disciplined.”

“Then I’m out of guesses.” Vincent shrugged.

“Really? You don’t know?” Sophia sounded genuinely surprised. “It always seems like you know everything.”

“I just loaf around all day. Why do you have such a high opinion of me?” Vincent asked.

“Do you remember when you were just a little baby, newly born?” Sophia looked at him.

his eye.

with your brain. But then I came, remember? And you cried, came alive, grabbed my finger with your little

pockets. “You’re telling me I was

want to feed. You needed a little push.” Sophia grabbed his arm. “So, stop lying to me, you little gremlin, and tell me why our parents called us here. I

but then finally looked at Sophia. “It’s not a bad thing, Soph. Don’t worry your silly

at him. “What if I tell your wife about that time when

getting. You’ve got a big mouth, and

“That’ll do,” Sophia conceded.

a little selfish for once—to do what they

and soon enough its white walls. Goldrest was an elegant, four-story estate split into three sections by three islands bridged by serene walkways. Built entirely of stone and metal, it looked liable to

Amazon, note that it's taken

Orion stood by a gargantuan grill in the garden, where dozens of staff managed a tremendous variety of meats. The pair wrangled a bunch of white-haired and black-haired children who hungered early, drawn here by the smell

a sword, standing as the stoic instructor while Orion’s son, Argrave—Archie—encouraged the children as gently as possible. The eldest son,

pulling him away from his thoughts. “Hannelore’s found an audience. We should

garden, easily recognizable from her untamed white hair. A few of the children sat

time you cast a water or ice spell, there’s more water in the world. Not only that, it sticks around. Water’s gotta go somewhere, right, kids? That’s why, according

think mom asked for

then looked back to the kids. “I have to go. Just remember this. Fellhorn

overeager about those theories of hers. When Hannelore walked away, Vincent looked out to the rest of the family. In a nearby table, he spotted his wife, Christine. When they’d met, she’d looked like a red-haired version

are,” Sophia said as she rejoined Vincent. “I never could’ve imagined this when I was young. This wasn’t what a family was, to me.” Even as she spoke of the past, smiles graced

good,” said Vincent with a slow nod. “A little dementia never hurt anyone. At

“Don’t

smiled, watching in silence as one of his nephews chased around one of his nieces with an ugly frog in his

will go on forever?” Sophia asked. “I mean… they can’t, can they?

we can always be happy, at least. Our parents have

continued. “Can we enjoy life so liberally when another person on another continent suffers because of the choices our parents made? Can we stop and rest while a single person

Could you do more? Yeah, maybe. Everyone can. If every living person spent every second of theirs helping everyone, we could solve every problem in the world at once. So what?