/n/jackal-among-snakes-1520/c-673
chapter-672

Anneliese watched the rise and fall of Argrave’s chest to remind herself that he still breathed. She could see a stunning lack of presence with her [Truesight]—and elsewhere in the obsidian chamber, saw Argrave’s golden soul brimming with vitality far removed from where it should be. She couldn’t fully describe the implement that Raven had used, but she was near certain that he had once used the same thing to clash together Garm’s and Durran’s souls.

“What will he actually be experiencing?” Lorena questioned as she stared down at the motionless body of Argrave.

A new face appeared on the side of Raven’s body, and it asked her, “You don’t know?”

“I didn’t know if it would work, even if my theories were sound,” the dragon said honestly, and Anneliese looked up at her in surprise. “My whole life, I’ve acted with confidence even when I haven’t had it. I suppose the two are indistinguishable from one another.”

“I’ve anchored his soul to his body, but displaced it.” Raven pointed elsewhere in the room—particularly, where Argrave’s soul lingered. “His objective is merely to find his way home to repossess his body. After, we’ll move onto more advanced doings—heading to a separate location, and then returning to his body. As for ‘what,’ well…” Raven paused, searching for words—something that was very infrequent for him. “There is nothing in this world like experiencing life through soul alone. The possibilities feel limitless, yet are nonetheless tightly constrained by the world itself.”

Lorena raised a brow. “You make it sound almost… fun.”

“As fun as any drug. It’s a thrill-seeker’s paradise.” Raven shook his head. “I cannot recommend it because of that.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Still, how long do you think it’ll take for Argrave?” Lorena pressed.

“Getting impatient?” He asked her.

“No.” Lorena shook her head distantly. “Gerechtigkeit’s not the only one who’s used to waiting for a single chance—a single opportunity, presenting itself after millennia of nothing.” Her bright eyes flared brilliantly, and Anneliese studied her face intensely. Lorena quickly added, “After all, my people mate very infrequently, and live very long lives.”

Lorena and Anneliese’s eyes met, only for the young queen’s gaze to break away and look back to Argrave uncertainly. She cast continued glances in the direction of the dragon, feeling some vague nugget of hope yet not daring to voice it lest it be a ruse. Her words about opportunity… could they mean Lorena need no convincing to betray? Or could she working for the Heralds even still, attempting to lure them out by implying her resolve was weak? Whatever the case, Anneliese could not confide the plan.

“On the matter of your people, how do you watch us?” Raven inquired of Lorena as they all waited for Argrave.

“The moon is our conduit,” Lorena explained. “We tap into it to scry. The pact that I’ve formed with it allows as much. It becomes, metaphorically speaking, a gigantic eye that we use to peer upon this planet. It doesn’t see as we understand, but it does ‘see.’ I know that doesn’t make much sense. It takes a long while to learn how to use its sight, but once you do…” She looked up at Raven. “We can know everything, everywhere.”

Raven looked back at her. “I dislike that.”

Lorena laughed heartily. “Why? You mislike having some secret research of yours out in the public?”

“If you’ve seen all, you know my personal failings.” Raven clenched his fist. “Argrave and his coterie being vaguely privy was already far too many for my liking. But now, a whole people know.”

“Of course we know—and we sympathize, Raven. You were a child playing with something you don’t understand,” she said, then shook her head. “You can’t be blamed for what damage you did.”

“How could you even guess what I did and didn’t understand?” Raven asked, a touch of anger in his icy voice.

“Because my kind had been dealing with your problem for generations before I was even born. You call subsuming the flesh of another ‘potentiation.’ We have a similar word for it in our tongue. Much of our childhood is spent learning and adapting to it. You lost yourself to it because you had no one to teach you.” Lorena touched his arm. “Despite that, you did as best you could. You overcame it. With some help, granted, but you did.”

Anneliese’s gaze jumped between Raven and Lorena. She could see the disbelief etched in the typically-unreadable Raven as he asked, “Your people are like me?”

“We’re not even a tenth as moody.” She pinched his arm, and he pulled it away in surprise. “But in the most important ways, sure.”

Before Raven could press further, Argrave sat up, inhaling deeply. He clutched his head and felt his body frantically, then laid back down.

“I’m back.” He nodded, staring at the obsidian ceiling. “I’m back. Not fake. Real.”

Lorena clapped quietly. “The special one returns. How was it?”

Argrave took some time to gather himself, gently rubbing his chest. “The clouds tried to strangle me as I crossed the moat of pointed trees aflame with accusatory fire.” He looked between them all and beheld their confused faces, then clarified, “It’s like lucid dreaming, but the dream itself is also alive and lucid, and it hates you.”

“An apt description.” Raven concurred with a solemn nod. “It could be compared to a battle between souls, yet without an active enemy besides from the forces of the world that seek to claim the soul. Argrave and I experience it exceptionally acutely, because our souls can entirely resist the brutal tides that seek to erase our very existence.”

“Alright… yeah. Yeah, I think I’m starting to get the lay of the land.” Argrave looked at Lorena. “So—have you done the thing with Lindon’s ‘body?’”

“Yeah, it’s prepared. You just have to practice.” She gave him a thumbs up.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Anneliese gripped Argrave’s hand. “Do you think you were in danger?”

“No, not really,” he said, squeezing her hand tight as his other hand scratched the side of his neck. “I had a diamond fishhook stuck in my neck. Raven was sitting on his big red boat, reeling me in at all times. Even when I had those cement shoes on, there’s no way I could’ve hit rock bottom.”

Anneliese’s stomach stirred hearing the descriptors, but Raven clarified, “Argrave is tightly anchored. This is a tool that I’ve used myself extensively, and still I walk. Rest easy. True danger will come only when he ventures above, seeking the suns. There, Gerechtigkeit will come, sending souls that he owns to combat him. And Argrave should be prepared—meaning, well-practiced.”

“It’s not dangerous, I promise. Not with Raven watching. What I’m worried about is Elenore dealing with the Blackgard Union, and Sophia.” Argrave raised his hand to Anneliese’s shoulder, then gripped it. “Look after them, please. Make sure everything goes perfectly. I can go back in the belly of the white whale with peace in my mind knowing you’re out there, keeping an eye on things.”

Anneliese gave him a hug, then said into his ear, “Alright. You know… I think you might have the opportunity to clash souls with Raven.”

Her words contained nothing, but hinted at opportunity—namely, opportunity to loop Raven in on their plan, without the Heralds catching wind of it.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Argrave answered back, a hint of knowing on his tone.

“I’ll amend that,” Raven added, ignorant of their plan.