The Devil's Foundry Book 3: Chapter 11

Chapter 11: The Room Where It Happened

“My cousin was wrong about you.”

I smiled at the prince. “What about?”

After leaving the port, Cosche hadn’t led us to a palace or even to the marble dome I’d seen overlooking Corvandr. Instead, the carriage went to a well-appointed manor towards the south side of the city. Through the windows, I’d seen other guards and men-at-arms, sporting different sigils, as if the city was divided quietly against itself.

The mansion and its inhabitants all bore the same livery as Cosche, which was also the same as the guards that Ishanti had brought with her back to Silverwall: a gold raven on a black field. It was the symbol of the royal family, and of the man sitting in front of me right now.

“She claimed you were adroit.” The prince shrugged. He looked like his cousin, same white-silver hair and golden eyes. With a bit of makeup, he could probably even pass for Ishanti. He seemed someone with a penchant for misdirection too, given his choice of meeting place was a dimly-lit drawing room pulled straight from a noir mystery.

Also, I couldn’t see his class. Each time I tried, the ring on his finger flashed. Before now, I didn’t even know that type of magic was a possibility; leave it to the royal family to have the best of everything.

“Instead, I find another outworlder, trampling over all common decency and decorum,” he continued.

I leaned back in my own chair. “It got me a meeting with you, didn’t it?”

“I admit, I was curious see if my dear cousin’s words were founded.” He waved a hand. A manservant came forward from the periphery of the room, placing a small tray of delicacies on the table between us.

I hummed, deliberately taking the first scone and popping it into my mouth. The servant tried valiantly to contain his scandalized expression. I allowed myself a visible smirk.

“Do you know what I find interesting, your grace?” I asked. He raised an eyebrow. “I find it interesting that House Orhlys would attempt to snag me right out from under you. I would think a discerning royal would find that more interesting as well.”

“Not in the least.” He leaned back indolently in his chair, one hand playing over the hilt of the rapier that leaned against its arm. “They plan to offer you monies in return for your new enchantment.”

“Ah, but.” I placed a hand against my chest. “I am just clueless outworlder. Really, I couldn’t possibly help them unless I know who would be using my Looking Glass, to talk to whom, and where and when and…well, if they just so happened to drop the why without realizing it, would that be something you might find interesting?”

Finally, the prince paused. “And you think you could divine all of that for me.”

“Well.” I shrugged. “Who’s to say what I’d find while trampling through their gardens?”

He snorted. Another hand gesture, and the manservant left the room, leaving only the prince and I, along with Cosche standing in the background. It appeared that the prince trusted his man as much as I trusted my Relia.

“And what would such information cost me?” he asked.

“Hmmm.” I tapped my chin. “You can start by admitting Ishanti was right about me.”

“You do not even know the rest of what she said.”

“All good things, I’m sure.” I made a show of preening my hair. “But beyond that, I wouldn’t be averse to wrapping our little side agreement into a larger deal for my mirrors. If the price is right.”

“You remain a poor player of the game…” he began.

“I know. Wouldn’t it be just a shame if some nasty merchant house got their claws into me? Why, I’m sure they could trick me into doing all kinds of favors for them.”

“But perhaps, not quite so bad that we cannot discuss matters.” He straightened in his chair. “You may call me Prince Iax; it is less intolerable to make your acquaintance than I suspected.”

Without a word or gesture passing between them, Cosche came forward and cleared away the refreshments. Definitely a support class.

“How charming,” I replied. “Via Rodriguez, at your service.” I dipped my head. “I’m sure it’s not often a lowly Comptess meets with a prince.”

“Certainly not in private,” he said. “Let us not waste any more time. T’would not do to linger overlong, if you are to appear scorned and discarded for House Orhlys to scoop off the streets.”

“Sure, let’s be plain.” I pointed at him. “You need more than just my mirrors, because you already have a version of those. What you want is my infrastructure: the ability to contact any other mirror seamlessly and securely, to add or take away more mirrors as necessary, the knowledge and ability to quickly implement these things.” I smiled. “And none of that is cheap.”

“I am certain we can manage.” His voice returned to droll disinterest. “You are not the only resource at even my disposal.”

Implying that this was bigger than just him. I would be a fool to assume that the Crown didn’t have a larger interest in this project, of course, but…

“You still want to keep this circumspect,” I replied. “If you have to figure all of this out on your own, it will take time and people, and people with too much time will talk.” When he didn’t reply, I allowed myself a grin. “Plus, I’ll be better at it.”

“You certainly are as confident as my cousin claimed,” he said.

“Setting up networks like this was my job for several years.” I examined my nails. “You think I’m just some thuggish creature, tramping around in your sandbox, but in mine, we spent a great deal of energy developing and protecting communication.”

Several years was stretching it a bit, but working cybersecurity with Aegis was also much more difficult than anything I’d need to set up here.

“Oh?” He leaned forward. “Enlighten me.”

I laughed. “And you’re an excellent player of the game. Trying to get my secrets without paying for them.”

The prince smiled and said nothing. Fortunately, there was quite a lot I could say without giving up a single secret. “What would you do if a Looking Glass is stolen?” I asked. “Even with only single-connection mirrors, I imagine it would be quite troublesome.”

“We would simply destroy the linked glass.”

“Simple and effective,” I replied. “But what if the stolen mirror is connected to a network? Now they can call other mirrors, give orders, perhaps steal them before the theft is noticed. What do you do then?” I asked. “What do you do if they use a stolen Glass to gain access to the palace and take more mirrors, or anything else you wish to keep safe?”

He stroked his chin. “And you have answers to this?”

“Oh, several.” I waved a hand. “The most basic is built into the design of the Looking Glass itself. If you see an unfamiliar face, then it’s clear the mirror has been stolen, but…”

Iax pulled a face. “Disguise magic would render that useless with just a little preparation.”

I was going to say that eventually networks would grow too large for everyone to know everyone, but the result was the same.

“Exactly.” I shrugged. “Now, tell me, what other problems will you face, provided I simply give you the technology?”

He fixed me with a narrow look. “Implying that I will not see all the pitfalls, but you will?”

“Me? No of course not.” I laughed. “We’ve just been using these things for a very long time, and a lot of people almost as brilliant as I have found a great deal of weaknesses, I’m offering you the complete package. The perfect system, or as close as we mortals can manage, along with all the knowledge your people will need to maintain it for as long as you wish.”

The prince was too politic to react to my statement, but Cosche betrayed him with a flicker of the eyes. Were they expecting an agreement where I kept the secrets of my success? I couldn’t tell, but I didn’t have the time to run a telephone company, so I was more than happy enough to hand over this little tidbit if it got me what I wanted.

“All of the knowledge?” The prince leaned back. “That seems like a tall order.”

I decided to continue playing the fool. “Oh, believe me, writing up all the documentation myself will be a chore, but as long as you get me the ink and paper, I’ll manage.”

Now, I could see a hint of interest. Not in his face, but in how quickly he went for the kill. “I find the thought amusing enough to humor you. What would all of this ‘documentation’ cost the crown?”

The easy answer was raw materials. I still had demons combing the ocean floor for metal of all types, but there were only so many shipwrecks. That was a short-term game though, and I needed to play a longer one to accomplish my goals.

“A glassmaker, to start with.” I shrugged. “We’ve made do, but some master glassworkers who will instruct my own people will speed the process.”

“Guilds will not give up their secrets so easily.” The prince replied. “We will simply supply the glass.”

“You want my knowledge, I expect you to pay in kind.” I leaned back. “I didn’t see a window without a pane of glass in it on my ride here. I’m not asking for guild secrets, just more instruction on making glass for mirrors. Tubes would help as well, and concave mirrors would serve other purposes.” Being honest, I had only a layperson’s understanding of blown glass, but I needed more.

After a moment, Iax waved for me to continue.

“We’ll have to settle on a price for the mirrors as well, but I would be willing to offer the crown a lucrative bargain. More importantly…” This time I leaned forward. “I want a Royal Commission to produce and sell my mirrors to the exclusion of all others.”

“Ah, now I see.” He smirked. “You hope to corner the market and drive out your competition in one move.”

I shrugged. “What better way to ensure you maintain the advantage my Mirrors provide, than by ensuring no one else can make and sell their own?”

“Of course, of course,” he chuckled. “Loyalty to the crown drives your steps, the benefit to yourself is just a side effect.” I opened my mouth, but he continued before I could speak. “And what of the vaunted protection you offered earlier, if you intend to sell to the other noble families?”

I paused, noble families? I was going to sell to a lot more than that, but… “I can separate the networks completely,” I said. “Or build a tiered system, whichever proves most useful to you.”

“Those details we will discuss at a later time.”

I did not outwardly react. “So you agree?”

“Are those your only terms?”

I spoke before I could think twice about it. “Oh, just, one small other matter. It really would be quite helpful if my support to the crown could be counted against my tax burden, to allow me to set up facilities more quickly.”

His smirk widened. “I’m afraid all issues of taxation must go before the senate,” he said. “You should have asked for more gold instead.”

“I still could,” I muttered. He simply leaned back, satisfied. Did I have him convinced I was just in this for the money? If not, then hopefully this next bit would seal his opinion of me.

“If those terms are acceptable, we can work out the details ‘posthaste’,” I said. “Now, tell me what you want me to say to House Orhlys, and I’ll tell you how much that will cost you.”

He raised the most unimpressed eyebrow in the history of brows. “Have you already forgotten your earlier promise?”

“Oh, I’ll tell you what they want, like we agreed,” I said. “I’ll tell you the whole meeting word for word, if it matters so much. Just…I thought you’d like some control over what I promise them, before this poor little outworlder gets taken advantage of.”

The prince sighed. “Cosche,” he turned his head to the side. “Ishanti was right about this woman, every wretched word.”

Cosche inclined his head. “Your cousin is quite insightful, sir.”

I smiled the entire rest of the meeting.