Jackal Among Snakes

“We have to make this look real,” Argrave told Anneliese. This was many days earlier, back when they were still at the Tower of the Gray Owl. “Part of being deceitful, as these Magisters are, is expecting the same from just about everybody. Vera and Hegazar will both be looking for a ruse from the other. They’re enemies—the paranoia will already be up and running. The acting is pivotal. What’s more, you have to squeeze Vera hard, like you’re actually on the fringe and looking to be recruited.”

Anneliese nodded, rotating an empty bowl on the table with her hands as she listened. “What is the plan if one of them, or either of them, suspect a scheme?”

Argrave looked to the side, then leaned back in his chair. “I expect they’ll go along with it regardless. They’ll just have a plan prepared at the end of things to ruin our day. If Vera suspects, she’ll assume this is Hegazar’s ruse. If Hegazar suspects, the opposite is true. If both suspect the other… they’re too mired in hatred to even consider the other innocent, and the whole point of this is to stop them from uniting against us.”

The bowl stopped rotating when Anneliese ceased fiddling with it. “You said Vera is spiteful. If she suspects… there could be danger.”

“With Hegazar on my side? She’d take no chances of escalation. These two are both S-rank mages, and in unfamiliar territory—neither want a fight. They’d gladly kill each other, but only if there was no risk involved.” Argrave leaned forward. “No way in hell I’d ask this of you if I thought you’d be in danger. As things stand, things are more dangerous if we don’t do it. These two can and will cooperate against us for the sake of their own greed. They’d have no qualms capturing and torturing us for information.”

Anneliese stared at the bowl, and then her amber eyes turned to him resolutely. “I see. I will follow your judgement, then.”

Argrave smiled. “Glad that’s the case. Any improvements to suggest, thoughts?”

“I think…” Anneliese put her hand to her chin. “I think I am better at fooling people than I once was. Even still, I am not at all confident in doing this flawlessly.”

Argrave put his arm up on the chair he sat at, thinking. “Beyond what we already discussed… if you want some advice, a lot of lying is being honest. It’s easier to tell a lie if you can think, ‘this is technically true.’ A little trick of the mind.”

Anneliese tilted her head, fixing her white hair back into place when it fell over her eyes. “You have a proposal?”

“Couples therapy,” Argrave spread his arms out. “In a sense, at least. If you have any grievances… things you dislike about me, things you disliked me doing, you bring them up right then. Bring that repressed anger and frustration to the surface. I can understand if it might be—”

“I believe I can do that,” Anneliese interrupted. “That is very good advice.”

Argrave narrowed his eyes, then cleared his throat and moved on. “Alright then. If you think Vera is buying it, undo the braid on your hair. Between that and Galamon…”

Both of their eyes moved to the other person in the room. Galamon sat there, his arms crossed. His stern face was markedly sterner than usual.

“Really, Galamon. This’ll be a big help,” Argrave assured. “Unparalleled.”

“Hmm,” he grunted simply.

Argrave looked to the ground, clearly uncomfortable. In the corner, Durran threw some raisins into his mouth, looking at Galamon with an incredulous pity.

#####

“You’re going with Vera?” Argrave asked, voice modulating.

“I am,” Anneliese confirmed. “You spared me explaining it.”

“But why?!” Argrave demanded, stepping forth until Hegazar kept him back with one arm. “This makes no sense. What we’ve done, where we are—you want to part ways now? Not to mention, you want to leave me holding the bag here?”

Vera’s demeanor had recovered from the initial surprise of Anneliese coming to join with her. Now, her face was stone cold and apathetic, and she waited for Anneliese’s answer as much as Argrave seemed to want to know.

“The why of things isn’t important, now…” Hegazar cut in, pushing Argrave back a little with his arm.

“Forget that. I want to know,” Argrave said, resisting.

“Security,” Anneliese said plainly. “You keep doing things that endanger everyone, no matter how much I try and talk you down from it.”

Argrave nodded, feeling her true thoughts weren’t that bad of yet. “Alright. I see that. And I hear you—you’ve made your message very, very clear. But let’s… things can’t end like this. I’ll change,” he pleaded, surprising himself with the desperation.

“You hear, but you never listen,” Anneliese shook her head. “Can you change? You said your eyes would change back, too, but they remain as they are. I hate looking at them.”

“All change takes time,” he insisted, starting to feel it a little. “Anneliese. Come on. What are we doing?”

Anneliese crossed her arms. “I never expressed any of this because I thought it might break you. That I can say it now without fear… you have no idea how therapeutic this is. I have to thank you and Magister Vera for this opportunity.” She took a deep breath. “The engagement, the blood magic in the wetlands, or your constant obsession with gaining power… even this thing happening right now. You consult me for only half of what you do, and actually take that advice half again. You charge headlong towards a wall. I do not wish to be there to witness the crash. I will not.”

Hearing that, Argrave did not have to try and act at all. He had no idea those things were bothering her—just as Anneliese said, she’d never expressed any of it. He briefly tried to temper her words with the knowledge she was just being considerate, before remembering he was forgetting the point.

She thought I couldn’t handle hearing that, Argrave told himself, stoking his own flame. What does she think I am, sugar glass?

A mix of indignance and hurt, Argrave remained silent. He was glad when Galamon stepped forward, removing his helmet.

“Anneliese. You made a vow before Veid,” Galamon said coldly. “Have you forgotten who you are? Have you forgotten your honor?”

Anneliese crossed her arms. “You are another nuisance, Galamon. Step back. I tire of hearing you preach of Veid and will be glad to be free of your reminders.”

Galamon advanced forward once more, his helmet held in the crook of his arm. “You might throw away your soul, but I cannot stand by. You made a vow. You—”

Anneliese held her arm up and cast a spell in one swift motion. A spear of ice hurtled towards Galamon’s head. He jerked to the side, and then collapsed to the ground in a fountain of blood. Cursing in surprise at the amount of blood, Argrave ran up to Galamon and conjured a B-rank ward with his ring. Hegazar shouted something, but Argrave couldn’t hear beyond the ward.

“Good lord,” Argrave said in panic. “Your neck…”

Galamon sputtered, holding his hand to his neck. Argrave held his hand, casting a healing spell for show. Though such spells did work on the elven vampire, they actually hindered his natural regeneration.

Argrave leaned in close, whispering, “Thanks for this. Really, thank you. Thanks.”

Galamon spit blood at Argrave in what might have been spite, and he flinched away. “Flask… idiot,” he commanded, pointing.

Argrave scrambled to get it and handed it to Galamon covertly, blocking people’s view with his body.

“You better?” Argrave questioned after a while, watching Galamon’s neck. It was too covered in blood to be totally sure it was healed.

“Until next time,” Galamon confirmed. “Damn you. Damn her. What foul union have I created?”

Argrave was perplexed, but he quickly lowered himself to support the elven vampire. “Here, let me help you up. Act all weak.”

Galamon grunted, leaving much of his weight on Argrave. The Veidimen was ridiculously heavy, and Argrave struggled to help him rise. Once he had, he dispelled the ward.

“You nearly took his head off, Anneliese!” Argrave shouted at once.

“Be quiet, Kinslayer!” Hegazar shouted above him. “I’ll clean up your mess. Get behind me. Stay ready,” he directed.

Argrave felt Hegazar was amply convinced but had to keep acting his part. He took Galamon off to the side, hauling the great giant of an elf with every bit of strength he had. Once there, he watched Vera and Anneliese like they were lionesses with rabies.

“You should keep your cool, Anneliese,” Vera instructed calmly. “Best not waste thought, emotion, on what’s in the past. And Hegazar…” the Magister crossed her arms. “Let’s keep things amiable, hmm? It would be a shame if these valuables all around us were destroyed,” she looked to the crucified bodies with cages of bone in their torso, each and all holding knowledge of great value.

“Eh…” Hegazar groaned. “Well, Kinslayer, looks like your little plot, whatever it might’ve been, has been cast to the wind because you tried to be friendly. Told you not to trust her. Told you not to bring her. I could’ve shielded you, backed you up at the Tower! Now… we go to the damn bargaining table. Great work… partner,” he said drolly.

“I think it’s best…” Vera looked about ponderously. “…if we discuss distribution. Distribution of both what’s here, and what’s deeper in.”

“On that note, Magister Vera…” Anneliese crossed her arms. “I think we should discuss what the future might resemble. I know we spoke earlier, but… I think I need specificity.”

“Hmm.” Vera turned back to Anneliese. “Sure. Let’s get some distance, and—”

“Oh, forget that,” Hegazar said with a laugh. He held his hand out, obviously battle-ready. “You’ll walk away, do whatever needs to be done to open these cages? I don’t think so. Neither of us move until we come to a consensus. Make a ward, talk there,” he dictated. “I’d sooner burn all of this than be cheated by a clever scheme of yours once again, Vera.”

“Fine,” Vera conceded at once.

Argrave watched Anneliese. She undid her braid, signaling she thought Vera had no doubts. With that, Hegazar grabbed his arm.

“Stop looking. Don’t give her the pleasure—believe me, the sooner you come to terms with this, the better,” Hegazar advised.

Argrave tore his gaze away, looking at the Magister. “It makes no sense.”

Hegazar stepped up to Argrave. “Listen, boy—your star-crossed lover was really just an illusion; a shooting star, nothing more than a wish never to be fulfilled. Now, we made a deal. I’d very much like it kept. I can console, offer kind words, teach you how to cope… after this is finished. But business and Vera are both equally cruel things. So… focus on the task at hand.”

Argrave took steady deep breaths as if gathering himself for the task. After, he opened his eyes.

“All of these cages can be opened in the brain chamber of this living fortress—it’s a control for the whole place. There, you can move the fortress, unlock any locks, open the market vaults…”

“Move the fortress?” Hegazar noted in surprise. “What a ridiculous… well, never mind that. This brain chamber—tell me more about it. How is it operated? Where is it?”

“It’s deeper in,” Argrave said. “It’s got a complex lock, but Anneliese is smart. She’d know how to get the key.” Argrave rubbed his chin. “Everything’s operated by raw magic power. I’d planned on using the both of you to move the fortress to a sewer system connected to Dirracha. Might’ve worked, if I could rely on the…” Argrave trailed off. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Vera’s going to be looking for a way to get the most out of this that she can,” Hegazar’s illusory body looked back. “And so am I. So, let’s talk about all the options available to us…”

“Alright,” Argrave nodded.

Point of no return, Argrave noted in his head. Hell, maybe we reached it the moment we left the Tower with these two.