Chapter 172: When Will You Learn? (Patreon)

“I might choke you if you weren’t flying this damned thing,” Argrave shouted above the wind. “We’re headed that way,” he pointed, looking down at the old compass Titus had given him.

“Did you see his face?” Durran giggled, then erupted into laughter. “Gods, what a rush. I climbed out the privy’s window—it was about ten feet up—and then scaled along the damned mountain wall, glaive tied to my back. The wyvern was a bit fussy, but I used some of that newfound druidic magic to calm it and ride it into glory. Absolutely brilliant, I am.”

“You shouldn’t have done it at all!” Argrave yelled back.

“Good gods, don’t yell into my ear,” he brushed off Argrave’s comments easily. “It worked out, didn’t it? We’re free, we’re out and gone. No one died, not a one. I waited until dinnertime so the guard would be occupied. It was a perfect little theft.”

Argrave mulled that over and cast a glance back at Anneliese. “If you had brought it up, discussed it with us, we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” he admonished. “Say we didn’t notice—what was your plan? Fly about until we were captured, then fly away into the distance?”

“I knew you’d notice,” he said as though it was obvious. “Anneliese would catch on to my lies, she’d send her little Starsparrow out to find out what I was doing, and then you’d speedily get our things,” Durran summarized. “Everything worked as I thought it might. Besides, I only decided to do it after I heard the Margrave pussyfooting about as he was. He clearly wasn’t budging.”

“And yet after you left, he did just that!” Argrave shouted in irritation, causing Durran to cup his ears once again. He scrambled to grab the reins.

“It’s done,” Durran concluded. “Too late to go back.”

“We shouldn’t have to go back,” Argrave shook his head. “And now, I’ll never hear whatever it was he was going to say. Fly, you fool.”

#####

Argrave watched the landmarks they passed by, leading Durran towards Jast. It wasn’t long until the city, with its titanic towers of black stone, came into sight. Argrave did not dare become known as the rider of the wyvern, and so he directed Durran to a secluded portion far removed from civilization before they dismounted. Once it was released from the relatively light hold of Durran’s druidic magic, it flew away back towards its home like a carrier pigeon.

Though it was a long walk to Jast—and made longer by Argrave’s refusal to deviate from his ritual of watching the suns set with Anneliese—they made it at around midnight. The same as last time, Argrave didn’t plan on using official channels. Argrave got in touch with the same men who had smuggled him in once before. Things went smoothly.

“You know smugglers?” Durran questioned as they sat there waiting.

“Yeah,” Argrave nodded. “Some loose ends that need to be tied up here. Elaine of Vyrbell—I had some business dealings with her. I entrusted her with some enchanted relics, had her appraise them. Moreover, she’s the primary point of contact between me and the Veidimen. Hopefully… I can replace Galamon’s axe. That’s wishful thinking, though.”

“A lady runs a smuggling ring?” Durran raised a brow. “That’s a lady I’d like to meet.”

“Her brother runs this vast criminal enterprise in Jast, actually. Rivien.”

Durran looked around. “Hell of a place, Vasquer. So many new things. So exciting,” he said eagerly.

“Keep your tattoos hidden, if you would—it was pointless to wear them in the Burnt Desert because the three of us stuck out enough as was, but we’ll need to don our Circlets of Disguise once again,” Argrave shook his head, then explained to Durran, “They’ll muddle the features with illusion magic, keep us away from the public… if not the magic… eye.”

#####

Unlike the first time they’d entered Jast, they were given VIP smuggling treatment—whatever that’s worth. The four of them were allowed to keep their things, and instead of being led to an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of Jast, they were led directly into the Vyrbell estate. Argrave felt like he was moving up in the world.

A gruff looking man looked suitably out of place as he opened a fancy door within the elaborate mansion of silver, dark wood, and marble. Argrave strutted inside first. Perhaps the guards were better directed, or perhaps Argrave was remembered, because his companions were not stopped at the door as they had been on his last visit to the Vyrbell estate.

Argrave had thought leaving the Lionsun Castle might give him some reprieve from red hair, but instead, he saw it once again—this time, in the form of siblings. They might be mistaken for Parbons were their eyes not bright green. Rivien of Vyrbell sat at the head of the table, as finely dressed and fierce eyed as ever. Elaine sat slightly ahead and beside him, one leg crossed over the other. She dressed finely, too; unusual, considering she usually wore the simple gray robes of the Order of the Gray Owl. Argrave didn’t want to presume why she had done such a thing… but the dress was very flattering on her.

“I dislike being woken this late in the night very much, you—” Elaine paused when her eyes fell on Argrave’s face.

“You don’t look disheveled enough to have been woken up. And smuggling is a late-night business,” Argrave greeted. “Elaine. Rivien. Been a while. I have a new addition—Durran,” he gestured towards the former tribal, who stood there silently with a smile on his face.

“Argrave?” Elaine asked, genuinely questioning if it was him.

“Yes, it’s me. Would this help?” he covered his eyes with his hand.

Rivien placed his arms on the table, ignoring Argrave’s change. “It is nice to see you again. We took you for dead. Not a word of you for months.”

Argrave clasped his hands together. “Yes, well, if I don’t wish to be found, no one will find me, not even the Bat—you can tell the Bat that, both of you.”

Elaine uncrossed her legs and shifted in her chair. Anneliese scrutinized her expression closely.

Rivien gave a smile. “I will tell him,” he confirmed.

“I assume you’re here to check in on our business?” Elaine questioned, leaning forward on the table.

“Among other things,” Argrave nodded.

“What ‘other things?’” Rivien inquired curiously.

Argrave shrugged. “Same reason as many, I suspect. You want some investment advice? People trying to combat disease with magic—that’s about to go big, and soon,” he snapped. “I might get into the biz myself, but I have other things in mind for my money. For starters… paying you. I’d like the same arrangement as last time… for a week, this time.”

“Protection from my men for you, your companions, and your property, while you do business in Jast?” Rivien sought to confirm, leaning on his elbows resting atop the table.

Argrave spread his arms out. “Precisely. Saved me the words.”

“We’ll allow you to stay here,” Rivien suggested.

“Saved me a walk, too,” Argrave raised a brow. “Maybe I left a better impression than I thought.”

Elaine placed her pale hands on the table. “It will be easier,” she posited. “We have business, you and I.”

“More than you might think,” Argrave nodded. “I hope you still have the Veidimen’s ear.”

#####

“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 own extrapolation. 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.

“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. “Do you think I’m being overly controlling?”

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

“Then 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. Durran’s a smart bastard—crazy, but smart. He’s got brains, balls—if he’d fucking be straight with me, I could use all that.”

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 completely. That’s the issue. He thinks more of his own opinion than mine—maybe there’s good reason for that. Maybe his opinion is worth more.”

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. Not a punishment, per se…”

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… 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.”

“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.”