jackal-among-snakes-16091326
chapter-172

“There’s something you should know,” Anneliese told Argrave.

Argrave set aside his duster, preparing to finally head to sleep. “Something wrong?”

“I believe Elaine is cooperating with the Bat, too. She felt guilty when you mentioned that name, as though she had informed on you and regretted it,” she disclosed seriously. “Although… the last bit is only my personal conclusion. I cannot say with certainty.”

Argrave frowned. “Not entirely unexpected… but good to know,” Argrave nodded. “I’ll be sure to watch my tongue.”

“You always do,” she noted, finally relaxing now that she’d conveyed what she had wanted to.

“Another thing,” Argrave pointed at her. “I need your help with something.”

Anneliese raised a brow. “Magic advice?”

“Durran advice,” Argrave said bitterly, then moved to sit on the bed, removing his shoes.

“Oh,” she took off her own duster, casting it atop his.

“The Margrave had no intent to release us,” Argrave stated plainly. “From what I remember of the conversation… he had plans for me. He wanted to introduce me to his vassals. That meant we’d be forced to stay, and with the importance of ending the spread of the plague, that’s simply not an option. This was a good outcome,” he reflected.

“But I don’t care if everything worked out—him going off on his own like that, it could cause problems in the future. It can’t happen again. At the same time…” Argrave shook his head, leaving a question unspoken.

Anneliese slowly shook her head, then sat down beside Argrave. “I think that is reasonable,” she reassured him.

“He needs to be reined in,” Argrave nodded decisively now that Anneliese agreed with him. He trusted her opinion more than his own. “I have to nip this in the bud, especially when dealing with that holy fool Orion. He could get us all killed. I can’t abide him continually doing things like this. If I can’t predict him, he might not be welcome. Durran’s a resourceful bastard—crazy, but smart. He’s got brains, balls—if he’d fucking be straight with me, I could use all that,” he said quickly, frustrated with the situation.

Anneliese shrugged. “Though I loathe to admit it… I do not know where to begin.”

“I know ‘where’ to begin, just not how,” Argrave turned to her. “He doesn’t respect me. That’s the issue. He thinks more of his own opinion than mine—maybe there’s good reason for that.”

Anneliese shook her head.

“But even if that is the case, that’s not important.” Argrave continued. “With his personality, we’ve got a recipe for disaster brewing on the horizon. I have to show him that there are consequences for doing things like that—have to show him what I say has weight. He won’t respond to punishment. That might only exacerbate his disobedience.”

Anneliese turned her head. “We just conversed with two people who might help you with that—Elaine and Rivien. Perhaps not entirely honest, staging consequences for his actions… but then, neither are you.”

Argrave kept his gaze locked with hers, expression slowly brightening as he put together what she said. Then, as he pondered it more, his gaze grew distant. “I don’t know… that seems like something Titus would do. I want him as an ally and confidant, not as some servant cowed by intimidation and subterfuge.”

“Titus did win, no?” she pointed out quietly.

Argrave sighed. “I’ll have to think on it more, but it’s better than what I had before. This is why I ask you,” he pointed out, wrapping one of his arms around her. She smiled lightly. “Another thing,” Argrave continued. “I want you to stay inside until I get the things that’ll help you resist disease better.”

“What?” she looked at him. “We had this discussion. It serves no purpose.”

“Please,” he pleaded earnestly. “It won’t take very long at all, maybe two days… and it would mean a great deal to me.” He swallowed, then clarified, “It would ease a lot of the worries I have.”

Anneliese stared for a long while, expression inscrutable. Finally, she sighed, then leaned forward and gave him a kiss. “Alright,” she agreed with a whisper.

Argrave looked as if relieved of a big burden. “Thank you for this. I know you’re pretty far from a fragile flower, but I don’t want to take any chances.” He sighed. “If it makes you feel any better, there’s something I want you to do. Talk to Durran, find out what he’s interested in doing. I’m sure if I forbid him from doing it, he’ll do it anyway. That’s what I want.”

“I see you have already made a plan,” Anneliese noted.

“Not necessarily,” Argrave looked to the door. “I just want to keep the option in mind. Feels a bit dirty, frankly, and it might cost me… but having Durran be truly steadfast will be a big boon. And the alternative… I don’t want to cut Durran loose.”

“It may come to that,” she informed him curtly.

Argrave bit his lip. He wanted things to work out. Durran had ever been his favorite character, largely for his reckless nature.

He wasn’t sure someone like that could fit into the party he’d built thus far.