The Well of Ascension, Page 67

Page 67

  "You will not apologize to me," Elend said. "You will apologize to Sazed, or you will leave this conference. "

  Tindwyl sat for a moment; then she stood and left the room. Elend didnt appear offended. He simply turned back to writing his letters.

  "You didnt need to do that, Your Majesty," Sazed said. "Tindwyls opinions of me are well founded, I think. "

  "I will do as I see fit, Sazed," Elend said, still writing. "No offense, my friend, but you have a history of letting people treat you poorly. I wont stand for it in my house—by insulting your help with my laws, she insulted me as well. "

  Sazed nodded, then reached over to pick up a new volume.

  Vin sat quietly. Hes changing so quickly. How long has it been since Tindwyl arrived? Two months? None of the things Elend said were that different from what he would have said before—but the way he said them was completely different. He was firm, demanding in a way that implied he expected respect.

  Its the collapse of his throne, the danger of the armies, Vin thought. The pressures are forcing him to change, to either step up and lead or get crushed. Hed known about the wells. What other things had he discovered, and not told her?

  "Elend?" Vin asked. "Ive thought more about the Deepness. "

  "Thats wonderful, Vin," Elend said, smiling at her. "But, I really dont have time right now. . . . "

  Vin nodded, and smiled at him. However, her thoughts were more troubled. Hes not uncertain, like he once was. He doesnt have to rely on people as much for support.

  He doesnt need me anymore.

  It was a foolish thought. Elend loved her; she knew that. His aptitude wouldnt make her less valuable to him. And yet, she couldnt stamp out her worries. Hed left her once before, when hed been trying to juggle the needs of his house with his love for her, and the action had nearly crushed her.

  What would happen if he abandoned her now?

  He wont, she told herself. Hes a better man than that.

  But, good men had failed relationships, didnt they? People grew apart—particularly people who were so different to begin with. Despite herself—despite her self-assurances—she heard a small voice pop up in the back of her mind.

  It was a voice shed thought banished, a voice she hadnt ever expected to hear again.

  Leave him first, Reen, her brother, seemed to whisper in her head. It will hurt less.

  Vin heard a rustling outside. She perked up slightly, but it had been too soft for the others to hear. She stood, walking over to the ventilation window.

  "Going back on patrol?" Elend asked.

  She turned, then nodded.

  "You might want to scout out Cetts defenses at Keep Hasting," Elend said.

  Vin nodded again. Elend smiled at her, then turned back to his letters. Vin pulled open the window and stepped out into the night. Zane stood in the mists, feet barely resting against the stone lip running beneath the window. He stood at a skewed angle, feet against the wall, body jutting out into the night.

  Vin glanced to the side, noting the bit of metal that Zane was Pulling against to hold himself stationary. Another feat of prowess. He smiled at her in the night.

  "Zane?" she whispered.

  Zane glanced upward, and Vin nodded. A second later, they both landed atop Keep Ventures metal roof.

  Vin turned to Zane. "Where have you been?"

  He attacked.

  Vin jumped back in surprise as Zane spun forward, a swirling form in black, knives twinkling. She came down with her feet half off the rooftop, tense. A spar, then? she thought.

  Zane struck, his knife coming dangerously close to her neck as she dodged to the side. There was something different about his attacks this time. Something more dangerous.

  Vin cursed and pulled out her own daggers, jumping back from another attack. As she moved, Zane sliced through the air, cutting the tip off one of her mistcloak tassels.

  She turned to face him. He walked forward, but held no combat posture. He seemed confident, yet unconcerned, as if he were strolling up to an old friend, not entering a fight.

  All right then, she thought, jumping forward, swiping with her daggers.

  Zane stepped forward casually, turning just slightly to the side, easily dodging one knife. He reached out, grabbing her other hand with an effortless motion, stopping its blow.

  Vin froze. Nobody was that good. Zane looked down at her, eyes dark. Unconcerned. Unworried.

  He was burning atium.

  Vin pulled free of his grip, jumping backward. He let her go, watching as she fell into a crouch, sweat beading on her brow. She felt a sudden, sharp stab of terror—a guttural, primal feeling. She had feared this day from the moment shed learned of atium. It was the terror of knowing she was powerless, despite all of her skills and abilities.

  It was the terror of knowing she was going to die.

  She turned to jump away, but Zane leaped forward before she even began to move. He knew what she would do before she did herself. He grabbed her shoulder from behind, pulling her backward, throwing her down to the rooftop.

  Vin slammed against the metal roofing, gasping in pain. Zane stood above her, looking down, as if waiting.

  I wont be beaten this way! Vin thought with desperation. I wont be killed like a trapped rat!

  She reached and swung a knife at his leg, but it was useless. He pulled the leg back slightly—just enough—so that her swing didnt even nick the cloth of his trousers. She was like a child, being held at a distance by a much larger, more powerful foe. This was what it must be like, being a normal person, trying to fight her.

  Zane stood in the darkness.

  "What?" she finally demanded.

  "You really dont have it," he said quietly. "The Lord Rulers atium stash. "

  "No," she said.

  "You dont have any at all," he said flatly.

  "I used the last bead the day I fought Cetts assassins. "

  He stood for a moment; then he turned, stepping away from her. Vin sat up, heart thumping, hands shaking just a bit. She forced herself to her feet, then stooped and retrieved her fallen daggers. One had cracked against the roofs copper top.

  Zane turned back toward her, quiet in the mists.

  Zane watched her in the darkness, saw her fear—yet also her determination.

  "My father wants me to kill you," Zane said.

  She stood, watching him, eyes still afraid. She was strong, and she repressed the fear well. The news from their spy, the words Vin had spoken while visiting Straffs tent, were all true. There was no atium to be had in this city.

  "Is that why you stayed away?" she asked.

  He nodded, turning away from her.

  "So?" she asked. "Why let me live?"

  "Im not sure," he admitted. "I may still kill you. But. . . I dont have to. Not to fulfill his order. I could just take you away—that would have the same effect. "

  He turned back toward her. She was frowning, a small, quiet figure in the mists.

  "Come with me," he said. "Both of us could leave—Straff would lose his Mistborn, and Elend would lose his. We could deny them both their tools. And we could be free. "

  She didnt respond immediately. Finally, she shook her head. "This. . . thing between us, Zane. It isnt what you think. "

  "What do you mean?" he said, stepping forward.

  She looked up at him. "I love Elend, Zane. I really do. "

  And you think that means you cant feel anything for me? Zane thought. What of that look Ive seen in your eyes, that longing? No, it isnt as easy as you imply, is it?

  It never is.

  And yet, what else had he expected? He turned away. "It makes sense. Thats the way it has always been. "

  "What is that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

  Elend. . . .

  "Kill him," God whispered.

  Zane squeezed his eyes shut. She would not be fooled; not a wom
an who had grown up on the streets, a woman who was friends with thieves and scammers. This was the difficult part. She would need to see things that terrified Zane.

  She would need truth.

  "Zane?" Vin asked. She still seemed a bit shaken by his attack, but she was the type who recovered quickly.

  "Cant you see the resemblance?" Zane asked, turning. "The same nose, the same slant of the face? I cut my hair shorter than he, but it has the same curl. Is it so hard to see?"

  Her breath caught in her throat.

  "Who else would Straff Venture trust as his Mistborn?" Zane asked. "Why else would he let me get so close, why else would he feel so comfortable letting me in on his plans?"

  "Youre his son," Vin whispered. "Elends brother. "

  Zane nodded.

  "Elend. . . "

  "Doesnt know of me," Zane said. "Ask him about our fathers sexual habits sometime. "

  "Hes told me," Vin said. "Straff likes mistresses. "

  "For more than one reason," Zane said. "More women means more children. More children means more Allomancers. More Allomancers means more chances at having a Mistborn son to be your assassin. "

  Breeze-blown mist washed over them. In the distance, a soldiers armor clinked as he patrolled.

  "While the Lord Ruler lived, I could never inherit," Zane said. "You know how strict the obligators were. I grew up in the shadows, ignored. You lived on the streets—I assume that was terrible. But, think of what it would be like to be a scavenger in your own home, unacknowledged by your father, treated like a beggar. Think of watching your brother, a boy your same age, growing up privileged. Think of watching his disdain for the things you longed to have. Comfort, idleness, love. . . "

  "You must hate him," Vin whispered.

  "Hate?" Zane asked. "No. Why hate a man for what he is? Elend has done nothing to me, not directly. Besides, Straff found a reason to need me, eventually—after I Snapped, and he finally got what hed been gambling to get for the last twenty years No, I dont hate Elend. Sometimes, however, I do envy him. He has everything. And still. . . it seems to me like he doesnt appreciate it. "

  Vin stood quietly. "Im sorry. "

  Zane shook his head sharply. "Dont pity me, woman. If I were Elend, I wouldnt be Mistborn. I wouldnt understand the mists, nor would I know what it was like to grow up alone and hated. " He turned, looking into her eyes. "Dont you think a man better appreciates love when he has been forced for so long to go without?"

  "I. . . "

  Zane turned away. "Anyway," he said, "I didnt come here tonight to lament my childhood. I came with a warning. "

  Vin grew tense.

  "A short time ago," Zane said, "my father let several hundred refugees through his barricade to approach the city. You know of the koloss army?"

  Vin nodded.

  "It attacked and pillaged the city of Suisna earlier. "

  Vin felt a start of fright. Suisna was only a day away from Luthadel. The koloss were close.

  "The refugees came to my father for help," Zane said. "He sent them on to you. "

  "To make the people of the city more afraid," Vin said. "And to provide a further drain on our resources. "

  Zane nodded. "I wanted to give you warning. Both of the refugees, and of my orders. Think about my offer, Vin. Think about this man who claims to love you. You know he doesnt understand you. If you leave, it will be better for both of you. "