Page 64 (1/2)

There was still a spy sonore that fact for far too long

Elend looked deeply into the well The dark pit--wides of nu up, stone lips spread and preparing to s hi with a group of healers

"We first noticed when soof diarrhea and abdominal pains," the healer said "The sy, my lord We'vealready lost several to the

"Everyone who grew sick lived in this area," the healer continued "And drew their water from this well or another in the next square"

"Have you brought this to the attention of Lord Penrod and the Asseured that you"

I'ht However, he couldn't say the words Not to thisfor help

"I'll take care of it," Elend said, sighing "Youour clinic, my lord," he said

"Then appropriate one of the empty noble mansions," Elend said "There are plenty of those Hauard to help "

Haather twenty on-duty men from the palace torelieved, and bowed to Elend as he left

Ha Elend beside the well "Coincidence?"

"Hardly," Elend said, gripping the edge if the ith frustrated fingers "The question is, which one poisoned it?"

"Cett just ca his chin "Would have been easy to send out some soldiers to covertly drop in the poison"

"Seeto increase our tension, to get back at us for playing hiot that Mistborn who could have easily placed the poison"

Of course, Cett had had this sa his water supply back before he reached the city Elend ground his teeth There was really no way to knohich one was behind the attack

Either way, the poisoned wells meant trouble There were others in the city, of course, but they were just as vulnerable The peopleon the river for their water, and it was far less healthy, its waters muddy and polluted by waste frouards around these wells," Elend said, waving a hand "Board thes, and then tell the healers to watch with particular care for other outbreaks"

We just keep getting wound tighter and tighter, he thought as Ha before winter ends

After a detour for a late dinner--where so sick left her concerned--Vin went in and checked on Elend, who had just returned fro the city with Hainal quest: that of finding Dockson

They located him in the palace library The room had once been Straff's personal study; Elend see for some reason

Personally, Vin didn't find the library's location nearly as ah the roons of having been pillaged by Elend The rows of books lay pocked by forlorn empty spots, their companions taken away one by one, as if Elend were a predator, slohittling down a herd

Vin s before Elend had stolen every book in the setfully placing them in one of his piles--ostensibly for return Still, there were a large nuures, and notebooks on finances; things that Elend usually found of little interest

Dockson sat at the library's desk noriting in a ledger He noticed her arrival, and glanced over with a smile, but then turned back to his notations--apparently not wanting to lose his place Vin waited for him to finish, OreSeur at her side

Of all the ed thethe last year She remembered her first impressions of hiht-hand man, and the more "realistic" of the pair And yet, there had always been an edge of huht man He hadn't foiled Kelsier so much as complemented him

Kelsier was dead Where did that leave Dockson? He wore a nobleman's suit, as he always had--and of all the crewmembers, the suits seemed to fit him the best If he shaved off the half beard, he could pass for a noblee who had lived his entire life trading goods beneath a great house ers, but he had always done that He still played the role of the responsible one in the crew So, as different? He was the sas He just felt different The laughter was gone; the quiet enjoyment of the eccentricity in those around hied fro

And that hat made her suspicious

This has to be done, she thought, s at Dockson as he set down his pen and waved her to take a seat

Vin sat down, OreSeur padding over to stand beside her chair Dockson eyed the dog, shaking his head slightly "That's such a remarkably well-trained beast, Vin," he said "I don't think I've ever seen one quite like it"

Does he know? Vin wondered with alar's body? No, that couldn't be Otherwise OreSeur could find the i OreSeur's head "There is a trainer in the market He teaches wolfhounds to be protective--to stay with young children and keep theer"

Dockson nodded "So, any purpose to this visit?"

Vin shrugged "We never chat anymore, Dox"

Dockson sat back in his chair "ThisI have to prepare the royal finances to be taken over by soainst Elend"