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"You can, perhaps, learn to be a king, Elend Venture," Tindwyl said "Until then, you'll just have to learn to fake it"

Elend's angry response was cut off by a knock at the door Elend gritted his teeth, turning "Co open "There's news," Captain Demoux said, his youthful face excited as he entered "I--" He froze

Elend cocked his head "Yes?"

"Iuh" De "Haer fros has arrived"

"Really?" Elend said "Froer is from your father"

Elend frowned "Well, tell Ham I'll be there in a moment"

"Yes, Your Majesty," De "Uh, I like the new uniform, Your Majesty"

"Thank you, Demoux," Elend said "Do you, by chance, knohere Lady Vin is? I haven't seen her all day"

"I think she's in her quarters, Your Majesty"

Her quarters? She never stays there Is she sick?

"Do you want me to summon her?" Deet her Tell Haer comfortable"

Demoux nodded, then withdrew

Elend turned to Tindas s to herself with a look of satisfaction Elend brushed by her, walking over to grab his notebook "I', Tindwyl"

"We'll see"

Elend shot a glance at the ed Terriswoman in her robes and jewelry

"Practice expressions like that one," Tindwyl noted, "and you just ht do it"

"Is that all it is, then?" Elend asked "Expressions and costu?"

"Of course not"

Elend stopped by the door, turning back "Then, what does? What do you think , Tindwyl of Terris?"

"Trust," Tindwyl said, looking hi is one who is trusted by his people--and one who deserves that trust"

Elend paused, then nodded Good answer, he acknowledged, then pulled open the door and rushed out to find Vin

If only the Terris religion, and belief in the Anticipation, hadn't spread beyond our people

17

THE PILES OF PAPER SEEMED to book that she wanted to isolate and rees? How did the logbook author knohere to go, and what did he think he'd have to do when he got there?

Eventually, lying a piles turned in odd directions to keep the to have to take notes

With a sigh, she rose and crossed the roo the room's desk She'd never used it before; in fact, she'd complained about it to Elend What need did she have of a writing desk?

So she'd thought She selected a pen, then pulled out a little jar of ink, reht her to write He'd quickly grown frustrated with her scratchings, coht her to read so that she could decipher contracts and i was less useful In general, Vin shared this opinion

Apparently, however, writing had uses even if one wasn't a scribe Elend was always scribbling notes and memos to himself; she'd often been impressed by how quickly he could write How did he rabbed a couple of blank sheets of paper and walked back over to her sorted piles She sat doith crossed legs and unscrewed the top of the ink bottle

"Mistress," OreSeur noted, still lying with his paws before hi desk behind to sit on the floor"

Vin looked up "And?"

"The purpose of a writing desk is, well, writing"

"But my papers are all over here"

"Papers can be moved, I believe If they prove too heavy, you could always burn pewter to give yourself th"

Vin eyed his amused face as she inked the nib of her pen Well, at least he's displaying so other than his dislike of me "The floor is more comfortable"

"If you say so, Mistress, I will believe it to be true"

She paused, trying to deter's face, she thought Too hard to read

With a sigh, she leaned down and began to write out the first word She had to e, and she had to pause often to sound out words and find the right letters She'd barely written a couple of sentences before a knock ca her?

"Come in," she called

She heard a door open in the other room, and Elend's voice called out "Vin?"

"In here," she said, turning back to her writing "Why did you knock?"

"Well, you

"So?" Vin asked