Chapter 111: Made It Real Enough to Fool Everyone

Broad compliments were cheap.

Details sounded true because they required attention.

In this case, Raven didn’t need to invent any.

"Nyxara draws attention because everything about her looks designed to warn you that she’s dangerous."

Valeria frowned slightly.

From her perspective, that was a poor start.

Raven continued.

"The violet eyes. The horns. The fangs. The way she moves like she doesn’t need to worry about anyone around her. It’s difficult not to look because your brain is trying to decide whether you should keep watching or run."

"So far, your explanation is achieving the opposite effect."

"I’m not finished."

Valeria raised her chin slightly.

"Then continue before I decide this was a bad idea."

Raven lowered his voice.

"You do something different. You don’t need to look dangerous."

That caught her attention.

"You walk into a room already convinced it belongs to you."

Valeria stopped frowning.

Raven continued.

"Your hair makes people look at your face first. The dress makes them look at your waist second."

Valeria’s eyes widened slightly.

"Raven."

"You asked why."

"Continue."

That sounded less certain.

Raven obliged.

"You keep your back straight even when you’re relaxed. It makes it look like you’re evaluating everyone from above even when some of them are taller than you. When you want to intimidate someone, you lift your chin by a few degrees. When you want to persuade them, you do the opposite and let them believe they’re the ones choosing to come closer."

Valeria was looking directly at him now.

The music continued.

The other couples disappeared from her attention.

"And when you want something," Raven continued, "you stop smiling with your mouth first. Your eyes take slightly longer."

Valeria missed another step.

Raven steadied her by the waist.

This time, she didn’t pull away.

They ended up closer.

"You also do that when you’re surprised."

Valeria watched him for several seconds.

"You’ve been paying far too much attention."

"Observation."

"Of course. Observation."

"It’s useful."

"I’m going to start hating that word."

Raven almost smiled.

Valeria caught it.

"And now you’re enjoying this."

"A little."

"That’s even worse."

Raven guided her through the next turn.

Then added,

"You’re also more attractive when you forget you’re trying to prove that you are."

That left her without an answer.

Not for long.

Valeria von Nacht rarely stayed without an answer for long.

But long enough.

Her fingers tightened slightly on Raven’s shoulder.

Her arrogance returned gradually.

"Did Black Hound teach you all of that?"

"They taught us how to lower people’s defenses."

Valeria’s expression changed instantly.

"Did you just use military training on me?"

"It worked."

"You bastard."

"You already knew that."

"Not like this."

The music carried them toward the edge of the hall before turning them back toward the center.

Valeria was still watching him.

"So all of that was manipulation."

"No."

That stopped her more effectively than any compliment.

"No?"

"The way I said it, maybe."

"That doesn’t improve things much."

"You asked which of you I find more attractive. I answered."

Valeria studied his face, probably searching for some sign that he was joking.

She found none.

Raven wasn’t joking.

She seemed to realize it.

"So you really..."

She stopped.

Raven waited.

Valeria drew a breath.

"I thought you weren’t interested."

"I never said that."

"You already mentioned that."

"Because it remains true."

"You could have given some indication."

Raven looked at his hand resting against her back.

"I’m dancing with you while all of Dunvar thinks we might get married."

Valeria laughed softly.

"Because you need Black Mithril."

"Also."

She looked at him again.

"Also."

Raven didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

That produced a different smile from Valeria.

Not the noble smile.

Not the condescending one she used when she knew something other people didn’t.

A small one.

Real.

Far more dangerous for entirely different reasons.

"I’m going to remember that word."

"That sounds like a threat."

"Probably."

The music ended.

Neither of them separated immediately.

Only a second.

Maybe two.

Then Valeria slowly withdrew her hand.

"By the way."

Raven was already suspicious.

"What?"

"Now that I know you find me more attractive than Nyxara, I’m going to enjoy the next time she appears immensely."

Raven closed his eyes for a moment.

"That was a mistake."

"A massive one."

"I can change my answer."

Valeria took his arm again.

"Too late."

The dance produced exactly the social effect Valeria had expected.

Worse, actually.

By the time they returned to the conversational part of the reception, no one seemed to doubt anymore that something existed between them.

Raven decided to turn the problem into a tool.

A woman from House Helmont approached first.

Then a merchant.

Then a man Raven recognized from Valeria’s descriptions.

Mid-fifties.

Short gray hair.

A black ring bearing the symbol of a split mountain.

Lord Edric Helmont.

The man capable of turning weeks of bureaucracy into one signature.

Finally.

Valeria inclined her head slightly.

"Lord Helmont."

"Lady von Nacht. I’m pleased to see the rumors of your presence in Dunvar were true."

His attention shifted to Raven.

"And I assume this is the foreigner the entire hall has spent the last hour discussing."

Raven offered his hand.

"Raven Ashford."

Helmont accepted it.

Firm grip.

More mana than Raven had expected.

Probably Elite.

"I’ve heard your name for less pleasant reasons."

Orbrecht.

Raven smiled faintly.

"That tends to happen."

Helmont seemed amused.

"I’ve also heard that you’re attempting to purchase high-purity Black Mithril without a license, without House sponsorship, and without explaining exactly what you intend to manufacture."

"That version is fairly accurate."

Valeria glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

She probably would have preferred more diplomacy.

Helmont, however, laughed.

"At least you don’t waste time."

"I’ve discovered forms do."

"Dunvar has many."

"I discovered that too."

Helmont studied Raven.

Then Valeria.

"I assume Lady von Nacht didn’t bring you here merely to dance."

Valeria smiled.

"Raven has a project that may prove interesting."

"Military?"

Raven answered.

"Potentially."

"For whom?"

"For now, me."

That raised one of Helmont’s eyebrows.

Raven continued before the man could end the conversation.

"I need Black Mithril pure enough to withstand sustained mana pressure without structural deformation. Commercial samples are useless."

Some of the amusement left the nobleman’s face.

Now he was interested.

"That eliminates almost everything available on the open market."

"I’ve already confirmed that."

"How much do you need?"

Raven gave an approximate amount.

Helmont studied him.

"That is not a small purchase."

"The merchant said the same thing."

"Can you afford it?"

"Part of it."

Valeria turned toward him.

Raven already knew that would become a conversation later.

Helmont smiled.

"Then you have two problems."

"Three if we count Orbrecht."

That made the noble laugh again.

"I definitely heard the correct version of you."

Raven decided to take the risk.

"I heard House Helmont can turn one of those problems into a signature."

The man’s expression changed.

Not offended.

Evaluating.

"And what does Helmont get?"

There it was.

Everything had a price.

Raven almost looked toward Valeria just to prove the point.

He didn’t.

"That depends on what Helmont needs."

"Dangerous answer."

"Dangerous question."

Edric Helmont smiled.

"Tomorrow. Noon. Western office of the Helmont complex."

Valeria stepped in.

"Should we assume that means you’ll consider the authorization?"

"You should assume I want to know what kind of man arrives in Dunvar, irritates Orbrecht, asks for strategic material, and ends up dancing with a von Nacht before his third night in the city."

Valeria tightened her grip on Raven’s arm slightly.

"Second."

Helmont looked at her.

Then smiled.

"That only makes the rumor worse."

He walked away.

Raven waited until he was far enough to be out of earshot.

"It worked."

Valeria was still watching Helmont.

"It worked too well."

"That doesn’t exist."

"With nobles, it does."

Raven nodded.

Probably true.

Then he noticed something else.

Mara Veyn was speaking with a man near the exit.

Tall.

Dark brown hair.

A Keller Mining ring.

The man accepted something from her.

A piece of paper.

Then he looked up.

Directly at Raven.

His expression lasted less than a second.

Recognition.

Not curiosity.

Recognition.

Raven stopped smiling.

Valeria felt the shift immediately.

"What did you see?"

"The man beside Mara."

She followed his gaze.

"Oren Keller."

"Related to Martin?"

"Older brother."

The man disappeared among the guests.

Raven watched the doorway he had used.

"I think he knows who I am."

Valeria stopped enjoying the evening.

"Then news of the station has already reached Dunvar."

"Yes."

"And tomorrow we’re meeting Helmont."

Raven looked toward the exits he had identified when they entered.

Now they actually mattered.

"Looks like the operation is finally getting interesting."

Valeria looked at him.

"Finally?"

Raven gestured subtly toward the ballroom.

"So far, all I had to do was dance."

She smiled.

"And admit that you find me attractive."

Raven remained silent.

Valeria leaned slightly closer.

"I’m not going to let you forget that part."

Raven looked toward the corridor where Oren Keller had disappeared.

Then toward Lord Helmont speaking with other nobles.

Then at Valeria, still far too pleased with herself.

Black Mithril remained out of reach.

House Orbrecht was interfering.

Keller Mining now knew something had happened.

And tomorrow, Raven would have to negotiate directly with one of the most powerful men in Dunvar.

He had survived worse situations.

The problem was that none of them had involved a fake fiancée who had just discovered exactly how closely he had been watching her.