The mirror’s reflective surface is aimed at the wall, hidden from sight, but Elliott gets at least two shades paler. I’m shaking a little too. I’ve done hundreds of deals like this, but every time is still terrifying. I’m usually better at hiding it, though.

I stride over to the darkest corner in the room and put the lux meter atop a dusty whack-a-mole game. While I set the test up, I’m careful to keep the mirror turned away from me and Elliott. Any Beings and fog that are generated on the island only last a minute or two—unlike the permanent ones on the mainland—but if one of those monsters accidentally gets spawned here and now, it’d only take it a matter of seconds to finish us both off.

I turn the meter on, then step back and reach into my pocket again. There’s some other stuff in there, the precautions I took just in case this meeting went bad, and I maneuver around those shapes carefully until I find the penlight I’m looking for. I pull it out and flick it on. Its tiny beam of light spears through the growing shadows.

I hold the mirror out. With my other hand, I turn the penlight back toward me until its beam falls on the mirror’s surface. A weaker ray of light bounces off the mirror and hits the wall, and I adjust my aim until the reflected light hits the lux meter. The little machine chirps, and red numbers flash on its screen.

I turn off the penlight, lower the mirror, and carefully reapply the masking tape before holding it out to Elliott.

“There,” I tell him, a dare in my voice. “I’ve proven it’s reflective. That’s my end of the deal finished. Your turn.”

He’s still staring at the mirror, solemn and still. I wonder if I’ve gone too far, if I’ve scared him into calling off the deal. I need to remind him of why he needs to go through with it. I don’t have to ask to know his reasons for being here; there’s only ever one reason for anyone to buy a mirror.

“What are you hoping to power with this?” I ask, forcing my tone into something resembling curiosity even though I’m desperate to be done with this meeting and on my way to Ty. “A desalinator? Medical equipment?”