The Devil's Foundry Book 3: Chapter 8 (Patreon)

Chapter 8: The Art of the Deal

“Didn’t think you’d be back so soon,” I said.

I didn’t have an audience hall, per se. Instead, Ishanti and I were meeting in what I’d started thinking about as the communal dining hall right across from the Lightning Mill. It did have a nice big chair for me to sit in, though I could tell that neither of the guards were much impressed by the rough timber and lack of gilding.

She had asked for a more private audience, so she had her guards, and I had Rel and Electra standing beside my throne. Normally, I would have made the princess sweat a little bit more, but she’d come with gifts: coils of rope, woven cloth that could be cut into sails.

I knew little about ship building, but Captain Rouss had been happy.

Ishanti nodded. “I hoped to…mend our relationship,” she said. “Discord should not be allowed to linger.”

“You certainly came with a pretty enough bribe.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she wanted me to expand my fleets. “Sure, I’ll play nice. Go ahead and tell me what you want.”

She her eyes flicked to her guards.

I waved a hand. “Mine’ll wait outside if yours will.”

The man to Ishanti’s left stepped forward. “My Lady, we cannot leave you unprotected.”

Ishanti nodded with good grace, but seems she still wasn’t truly free to act unsupervised. Who was? Other than me, of course.

“I am here to negotiate for your sending mirrors.”

“Is that what the kids are calling it these days?” I leaned to the side, resting one arm on my chair. “I thought you already stole—sorry, appropriated—my design.”

“What enchanters that remain in Silverwall after you helped gut their guild have managed to produce…some results,” Ishanti said. “However, the crown would like to acquire the multifaceted mirrors you produce here.”

I shrugged. “What if I don’t want to sell?”

Ishanti’s eyes flicked towards her guards again. “That would be unwise. I would advice against it.”

“I’d consider your advice,” I replied, “were you still my advisor.”

She let out a hiss of annoyance. “I am trying to protect you,” Ishanti said. “Lady’s Port is now part of my demesne, which makes it my responsibility.”

“You can say that, but from where I’m sitting, it seems like this protection is entirely to your benefit.” I leaned back. “We already grow your food, now you want to parade my invention as your own as well?”

“Do not act as though you treated me in a different manner,” Ishanti replied.

I raised an eyebrow. “If you think I did anything other than treat you as my own, we can end this conversation right here.” I was still using my armor just to walk normally, and even that caused my muscles to ache. I sighed, maybe I would let Dum carry me around. He looked almost upset when I turned him down before.

“Perhaps I misspoke.” Ishanti folded her hands, visibly mastering herself. “I merely wished to indicate that we both…benefited personally through our acquaintance, or did I not pay you back for your hospitality in the end?”

“With the army, the one that came to install you as the Duchess of your own city?” I asked. “In any case, I’ve already made it clear I’m not interested in selling. Feel free to convince me otherwise.”

“Vecorvia’s largest trading company is also interested in your mirrors.”

“I don’t see why.” I shrugged. “If you managed to work out the original version, I’m sure some large trading house could do the same. They shouldn’t need much more than that if they just want to fix prices.”

Ishanti blinked. “I…have not been informed of any such plans of theirs.”

“What else do companies want?” I asked. “Figuring out when prices change right away, so you can raise your own, or immediately move to undercut your competition. I’m sure they’re getting hard over the thought already.”

“Be that…as it may.”

“What, don’t you have other magic to send messages across long distances?” I asked. “I can do it myself, though I’d have to have a demon carry the message.”

Ishanti sighed. “Of course, as an outworlder, you’re not aware of the intricacies of class limitations. Suffice it to say that the ability to send messages instantly is passing rare, and to do so at such little cost is rarer still.”

“So it’s enough that two big players are interested in little old me.” I smirked. “I feel absolutely flattered.”

She opened her mouth, but I continued. “Of course, that doesn’t explain why you need my upgraded mirrors,” I said. “Who’s pulling your strings now, Ishanti? Because I’m sure you told them this little plan was never going to work.” You can blather on about sharing advances in technology, but I was going to squeeze every little drop of advantageI could out of my mirrors before I started giving them away, thank you very much.

“I am beholden to the Crown of Vecorvia, as are all of its citizens.” She fixed me with a sharp look. “As are you.”

“The same crown that left you a prisoner to some upjumped steward for years?” I asked. “No wonder you need guards.”

The guard on the right shifted. Still, neither of them spoke.

“I…have been empowered to offer very reasonable terms for the mirrors.” Ishanti struggled to regain her equilibrium. “And I assure you that future offers will not be more generous for you refusing to hear the first.”

“Why wouldn’t they be?” I asked. “Because you can just seize the technology for yourself? I haven’t written out the design documents, my lady. You had ample time to examine the systems before you left Lady’s Port, but apparently that hasn’t yielded any results.”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.”

“Try ‘not at all’, or else you wouldn’t even be here.” I smiled. “Because, of course, my class is responsible for a vital component.”

Bob the secret keeper accepted and directed every call from one of my mirrors. As we made more and more, I’d even offered to summon another secret keeper to help reduce his workload, but the little bastard had utterly rejected the idea.

“Alternatives can be—found.” Ishanti was starting to look a little flustered. “And if you continue to be intransigent—”

“Look, Ishanti.” I looked from her to her guards. “Maybe I’m willing to sell my idea, but certainly not when you’re just a messenger bird. It’s obvious those two standing behind you are going to relay my response to whoever your new backer is, so let’s just cut out the middle man, shall we?”

Ishanti worked herself up, eyes flashing.

A guard stepped forward before she could speak. “Would you be willing to negotiate…directly, then, Comptess?”

I raised an eyebrow. “What, over one of your new mirrors?”

“The sending mirrors we’ve created have shorter range that yours are reported to.” He didn’t seem to care that he was undermining his own bargaining position with that little tidbit. “But if this is not simple bluster on your part, I will relay your request back to Corvandr.”

Ishanti glared at me silently.

I tapped my chin. “What do you think, Electra?”

The heroine shrugged. “I’m a big city kinda girl.”

“What makes you think I’d be taking you along?” I asked.

“Awww, c’mon, Em’. Have a heart.”

“Hmph.” I waved a hand. “There you go. I’d be more than willing to visit Corvandr for more…focused negotiations.”

The man nodded once. “Then, I take it you don’t see anything else of value to be accomplished here.”

“Do you?” I asked.

“Then, by your leave, Duchess.” The man gave the most perfunctory bow to Ishanti, “I shall begin readying the ship for departure.”

“Do what you like.” Her voice dripped with scorn, but if her ‘guard’ cared, he didn’t show it on his face.

“Would you like to stay for some afternoon tea, my lady?” I asked.

She whipped around to glare at me again. The petulant expression reminded me of how young she was. Really, it almost made me feel bad.

Almost.

“How dare you undercut me,” she said.

“What goes around comes around,” I shrugged. “Or did you think some rope and sailcloth would make us friends again?”

“I thought,” Ishanti replied. “That I could trust you to act with the requisite level of decorum.”

“And I thought I could trust you.” I paused for a moment. “Sorry, that’s a bit unfair, you did help protect this little town of mine, right before claiming dominion over it yourself.”

Ishanti stood still a moment longer before snapping, “I shall decline the invitation to tea.” She spun, following her first ‘guard’ out of the hall and no doubt back to ‘her’ ship.

The door closed with a satisfying thunk.

“Ouch.” Electra leaned over my chair. “Why’d you rip her to shreds like that?”

“To shreds, you say?” I clicked my tongue. “She left under her own power; I’ve done far worse.”

Electra laughed.

“And to answer your question.” I held up a finger. “First, I’m not going to be Ishanti’s pet inventor.” Another finger. “Second, I wanted to see if her benefactor wanted electricity.” I smiled. “Because thatsecret is worth a lot more than some mirrors.”

“Wait.” Electra blinked. “So you weren’t just being a massive bitch?”

“Only to you, dear.”

Rel laughed.

Within the week, a missive came from the capital city, inviting myself and a chosen companion for tea. Apparently, the benefactor also had a sense of humor.