Chapter 11: The Price of a Genius
The door didn't break, but the silence did.
The man in the doorway, Lucas Wen Dor Hoven, didn't look like an intruder. He looked like he owned the place. He stepped inside, his polished leather boots clicking on the rotting wood floor. He scanned the room—the terrified Finn, the confused Elera, and finally, the roaring stove that was producing an impossible amount of heat.
"Good morning, Asher Grey," he said smoothly, tipping his hat slightly. "I apologize for the entrance. My schedule is quite tight."
I stood up, shielding my siblings behind me. "Who are you, and why are you here?"
Lucas smiled, a calculated, business-like expression. "My men have been telling me interesting stories about you. First, you beat one of my subcontractors—Finn's foreman—half to death. Usually, I would be annoyed."
He took a step closer.
"But then, I heard you solved the bridge collapse at the North River in ten minutes. That project has stalled the Royal Engineers for five months. And now..." He glanced at the stove. "My spy tells me you turned a pile of scrap metal into a furnace that rivals a noble's fireplace."
I crossed my arms. "Is this a fan meeting? Get to the point."
Lucas chuckled. He liked the attitude. "Straightforward. I like that. I am a businessman, Asher. I don't care about your past as a drunkard. I care about results. I want you to work for me."
He gestured to the room, to the poverty we lived in.
"I can guarantee your family a happy life. No more hunger. No more cold. No more fear. That is what you want, right?"
"I'm listening," I said, my voice flat. "How much will you pay me?"
Lucas didn't blink. "Three hundred silver."
I frowned. My disappointment was instant.
"Three hundred?" I scoffed. "I made one hundred and fifty silver in ten minutes just by placing a few rocks on a bridge. You want to pay me three hundred a month? I can make that in a day if I find another bridge. No thanks."
I turned away, ready to dismiss him.
"You misunderstand," Lucas interrupted, his voice cutting through the air. "I didn't say three hundred a month."
I stopped.
"I am offering you three hundred silver per day."
The room went dead silent. Finn gasped audibly. Elera covered her mouth.
Three hundred silver a day? That was roughly 90 gold coins a month. That wasn't just a good salary; that was enough to buy a mansion in the noble district within a few months. It was the salary of a high-ranking Royal Advisor.
"And," Lucas added, enjoying my shock, "I will grant you Noble Status within my territory. You will have immunity from petty laws, and your siblings will be untouchable."
I looked at him. He was serious.
"Deal," I said instantly.
"Excellent." Lucas clapped his hands. "You start tomorrow. But..." He looked me up and down, grimacing at my worn-out tunic and messy hair. "You cannot walk into my company looking like a beggar. You represent the Dor Hoven family now."
He reached into his silk coat and pulled out a pouch. He tossed it to me. It was heavy.
I opened it. Inside glistered ten solid gold coins.
"Go to the Royal Street," Lucas commanded. "There is a shop called 'The Gilded Mirror.' It is the most exclusive grooming salon in the state. Get cleaned up, get new clothes, and get a haircut. Spend it all."
"Spend it all?" I looked at the gold. This was enough to feed a village for a year.
"All of it," Lucas said, turning to leave. "See you tomorrow, partner."