The Count raised an eyebrow.
"A lie?"
Corwin turned a black ring around his finger. "A stratagem, if you prefer. We're going to make it seem like you've fallen from grace—officially. You'll be publicly disavowed, your lands seized, your titles suspended."
The butler clenched his fists, on the verge of exploding.
"And while the Empire believes you've been weakened," Corwin continued, "you'll be consolidating your power in the shadows. Quietly contacting your allies, rerouting your funds through illegal networks—networks we control. Your armies will hide behind private corporations. Your spies will wear our colors."
The Count let out a dry laugh, a sound that echoed through the room like a crack of thunder. "And you?" he said at last. "What do you gain from supporting me? You never do anything for free."
