“A new and improved patent office must be the priority, Your Highness, everything is in turmoil, new standards for the new age…”

Zuri was, if anything, more skilful than ever, her pencil moving with almost inhuman dexterity, noting anything worthwhile in the book shorthand, scoring in the appointments, chopping the coming days into slices of opportunity, assigning a worth to every sliver of Savine’s attention and not allowing a crumb to be wasted. It was very much like old times, only better. Savine had missed the fan, like a wounded warrior might his sword, and back on the battlefield, she wielded it with twice the savagery.

“Cannons are the thing, now, Lady Regent! With my new casting techniques they fire at twice the speed, thrice the range, ten times the reliability!”

“Rails are the thing! The potential, Your Highness, a woman of your vision cannot be blind to the potential…”

“Roads on top of roads, can you imagine?”

“Just a moment of your time, Your Highness! Just an instant!”

One by one, she brought them forwards with their schemes, their dreams, the light of certainty burning bright in their eyes. Her slightest smile lit their faces with delight. The hint of a frown doused them with horror. When she ended each interview with a snap of her fan she thought of cringing through the streets of Valbeck, hiding in the woods after Stoffenbeck, standing helpless in the dock before Judge, and revelled in her power.

“The one thing I need is the support of the state!”

“A word from you would make all the difference!”

“A moment with the Lord Regent!”

“The one thing I need!”

“Curnsbick!” droned Savine, offering her hand.

“Your Highness,” said the Great Machinist, leaning down to kiss it. “And Zuri, as radiant as ever. When the hell are you coming to work for me?”

“One minute past never,” she said, quickly checking the golden watch that had replaced the silver one around her neck.

“It was a truly moving address,” said Savine. “I do believe it might have been your best ever.”

“All from the heart, you know, all from the heart.” Curnsbick put the gentlest hand on Savine’s elbow, drew her to a conspiratorial distance. “We came through all right, didn’t we?”

“We did,” she said, patting his knuckles. “Even if… the things we had to do might trouble us from time to time.”

“We did.” The king of inventors had a somewhat nauseous look. Perhaps thinking of his hoist up the Tower of Chains. Or his automatic hanging machine. “But many did not. Sometimes I think… I should have done more. But my old partner Majud always told me a man of business stays neutral.” He cleared his throat, shook off the sombre mood, looked to the future. “I am planning to lay a rail route up to Valbeck, you know! With a bridge by your friend Master Kort. I expect excellent returns for my investors.”

“You have never disappointed your investors, but I have other business to attend to.”