Devil’s Foundry Book 3

Chapter 1: Dotted Lines

“That concludes negotiations.”

The notary was a tall man, with a sword belted at his waist and a no-nonsense attitude.

“Comptess, if you would sign.” He held pushed the charter across the table towards me. The wind off the sea ruffled the tent flaps, but beneath the man’s callused fingers, the parchment didn’t so much as flutter.

I shrugged, taking the pen. My town was in shambles, my armor in pieces, and my plans smoke in the wind. What was I going to do, fight him over it?

With a flourish, I signed the royal charter incorporating the new town of Lady’s Port into the republic of Vecorvia, to be ruled by yours truly, the newly anointed Comptess Via Rodriguez. Of course, as a mere Comptess, I served under the authority of the nearest Duke or Duchess.

One Ishanti Melir, whose title was a single day older than mine.

She took the matching pen from the notary and signed. The man folded the document closed, dripping hot wax over the center crease. He pressed an ornate seal into the red wax, leaving a crest nearly the size of my palm.

Then he held out a knife.

I raised an eyebrow. “Buy me dinner first.”

Behind me, Electra coughed to hide a snicker.

“If I may.” Ishanti offered her hand. With a careful slice, he cut across the pad of her thumb. A single drop of blood welled out. She pressed it against the paper, just to the right of the seal, leaving a red finger print. “Now you, on the opposite side. Else the contract will not take.”

I glanced behind me. Dee and Dum shrugged, shoulders bumping.

Rel ducked her head. “Tis common practice, My Lady.”

“What’s one more drop of blood, then.” I held out my hand. He cut so quickly I barely felt a prick, then I pressed my thumb to the charter opposite Ishanti’s.

The cut closed before I removed my finger from the paper.

“My thanks, Duchess, Comptess.” The Notary took tapped the parchment. “Signate.” With a flash, his skill duplicated the charter twice. He slipped the original into a leather case before passing us the copies. “I shall return this charter to the hall of records post haste. The compact has been sealed, and all parties shall be held to its account.”

“Contract magic,” I said. “How neat.”

“You have my gratitude.” Duchess Ishanti said. The man bowed.

Then he left.

I sighed, leaning against the table. My joints still ached, after taking the Ash of Creation. It made standing uncomfortable.

“Is that all you needed?” I asked my new superior.

Ishanti shifted, before drawing herself up. “I should like to speak with you regarding the scope of our new relationship.”

“Speak away.” I waved a hand. “I only have an entire town to build.”

The damage to Lady’s Port itself had been minor, but the Lightning Mill was still under construction, and I still didn’t know how many acres of farmland had been trampled by stampeding monsters.

Suffice to say, I had a lot going on.

Ishanti’s gold eyes flicked over my shoulder, to where my closest confidants waited. She had four royal guardsmen with her as well. I’d been told they were loyal to the royal family over the senate, which, given the state of Vecorvia, seemed prudent.

After all, the only reason Ishanti and I were here is because the Senate appointed Seneschal of Silverwall had imprisoned both Ishanti and her aunt and taken over the city for himself.

“Alone,” Ishanti said.

“Anything you want to say to me you can say to them.” I jerked my head back. “Or don’t your coworkers deserve an explanation?”

Ishanti frowned.

Before she could reply, Rel placed a hand on my shoulder. “It’s fine, Mistress.”

“Yeah,” Electra said. “Just tell us after, Via.”

The royal guard shifted. “My lady.” The captain leaned forward. “Are you certain you wish to be left alone with this…”

“Comptess Via is one of my subjects.” Ishanti raised her chin another degree. “I merely seek to deepen what is sure to be a long and prosperous relationship.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Oh, for sure.” I pushed off the table, shaking out my legs. “Let’s get to it, then.”

I waved my entourage out of the tent, and the royal guards went with them. With a flex of will, I settled my safe words skill over the two of us, ensuring no one else could listen in.

“We should be safe to converse, now.”

“Of course.” Ishanti made no move to continue.

I drummed my fingers against the table. “You do know I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I had an entire town to build?”

She let out a breath, shaking her head. “Yes, yes, of course,” she said again. “I’ll not waste anymore time. When will your harvest come in?”

“From the farmland that wasn’t trampled? Likely another month for the first crops. If we manage to plow and seed the rest of our farmland today, we might get a second harvest before summer dries everything else out.” I folded my arms. “Rest assured, we’ll meet our new obligations to Silverwall.”

Ishanti rubbed her forehead, a gesture I was familiar with. “Yes, that is what I wish to speak about. It will not be enough.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’ll have to elaborate.”

“You started a riot in Silverwall,” Ishanti said. “That was when you left the city the first time. In response, Seneschal Hawkwright gutted most of the guilds. Much of what remained was sucked into Arlo of the Tarnished’s plans to take over the city.”

“Who I killed.”

She nodded. “And anyone who didn’t end up beholden to the Tarnished was press ganged by the Seneschal to trap monsters in the jungle. Of course, before you killed him as well.”

I shrugged. “I kill a lot of people.”

“The point.” Ishanti said. “Is that the people of Silverwall are pressed to the brink, and most of our fields have laid fallow for the better part of a season.”

“Ah.” I couldn’t help but chuckle. “They’ll riot again if you can’t feed them.”

Her lips pressed into a sharp line. “That is rather the point.”

“What do you want me to do?” I spread my arms. “Lady’s Port has absorbed every village from Silverwall to the isthmus; we’re going to struggle to feed all those mouths until our harvest comes in.”

“Surely you can do something.” Ishanti leaned forward, palms pressed against the table. “You discovered how to bottle lightning.”

I snorted. “First, I didn’t discover anything. Well, I have, but not that. And the things I have discovered aren’t much use right now.” I was a mechanist, not a farmer. “Second, even if I did have a perfect solution, agriculture takes time.”

She opened her mouth, and I held up a hand.

“You want my advice, my lady?”

That got a fun expression out of her. “By all means.”

“Fish more.” I smirked. “We’ll even sell you some boats.”

She glared. “You’re angry. I saved your little town, and you have the temerity to hold a grudge.”

“Oh, I’m not angry about that.” I waved a hand. “I saved your life first, princess. So now, we’re square.” I smiled. “I’m mad that you stole my mirrors.”

She pressed a hand to the slim pouch, belted at her waist. Oh, yes, it went quite well with her dress, but I knew what it held. A communication mirror, one copied from my design.

“You could hardly expect to keep such an advantage to yourself.”

“And you could have asked first.” I shrugged. “But anyway, you have my number, so if you really need my help, next time, you can call me and ask properly.”

Ishanti huffed, turning away.

“Now, if that was all, I really am quite busy.”

“There is something else.”

I sighed. “Of course there is.”

“No matter how much it vexes you, our fortunes are tied together.”

“How do you figure?” I asked.

“The Senate is naturally distrustful of outlanders,” she said. “I convinced the Queen to put her name behind you, as an alternative to the chaos Hawkwright unleashed. If Silverwall falls into anarchy despite our agreement, rest assured that your position will not long outlive it.”

“You go straight to threats, and then wonder why I’m upset.” I buffed my nails against my shirt. “You’ve made choices too, Ishanti. Now you have to live with the consequences.”

“I never thought you would be so short-sighted.”

“Short-sighted?” I placed a hand on my chest in faux surprise. “Moi? Why, my dearest duchess?” I circled the table, dropping to a knee in front of her. “You wound me with your callous diction.”

She took a step back, eyes fluttering in surprise. “What are you—”

“Simply say the word and I shall leap to your defense; let me open my home to you, shield you from your enemies, elevate you to the halls of power once denied to you, oh, wait.” I stood. “I did all of that, and you repaid me by stealing, lying, running off without a word, and when you did return, it was with a crown on your head.”

Ishanti stared at me silently.

“Forgive me if I appear upset,” I said. “I hope it shall not impact our working relationship.”

She took another step back to regain herself. “You’re just the same as—”

“Just the same?” I laughed. “I signed your piece of paper, I will honor my obligations to you as thanks for saving my people, instead of just sailing to Silverwall and installing yourself as its Duchess after I deposed the previous ruler for you.” I spread my arms. “If you want more than that, maybe start by giving me a reason to trust you again.”

Ishanti remained silent for several minutes after that. I leaned against the table to take pressure off my ankles. The wind whistled off the sea, and I let myself focus on the sound.

After the wind calmed again, Ishanti took a step forward. “It was not stated in the charter, but like as not, the royal tax collector will begin making rounds in just under a month.”

I frowned. “So soon?”

“Merely poor luck on our part. Their schedules are set years in advance. They will arrive at Lady’s Port first, by simple geography.”

I nodded; we were much closer to the capital city than Silverwall. “Now that is something worthwhile.”

Ishanti sighed. “They’ll expect rents, but do not lie on the number of households. It always ends poorly. Else, I’d advice not plowing any new fields until after the tax collector comes through, or he shall expect rents from them as well.”

“That will delay the second harvest,” I said.

“The rains have thinned, but there will be ample water until the summer,” she replied.

So, if we managed it well enough, we could expect a second harvest even with a month’s delay.

“Alright.” I pushed myself upright. “I’ll see what I can do. Expect a trading caravan to come through in a week or so.” It would be tight, but if I told my demons in the ocean to stop hunting for iron and start hunting for fish… “I’ll want them to be paid, of course.”

“As long as you do not gouge the people. They have little enough to spare.”

“Waive tolls at the gates, and I won’t have them added to the price of food.”

She huffed. “I will confer with my financial advisors.”

“Sure,” I said. “Just remember that you can’t eat gold.”

Ishanti turned and strode from the tent.

“Hope you like salted fish!” I called after.

I waited for a minute more for Ishanti and her guards to mount up. When the sound of hoofbeats came, I limped out of the tent. “Strike the tent, boys, we’re going back to down.” I massaged my legs. “Christ, what I wouldn’t give for a chair.”

“Got a chair in the cart, boss!” Dee called. “Brought it with the table.”

I glared at him. “Then why didn’t you get it out with the table?”