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"You will not apologize to ize to Sazed, or you will leave this conference"

Tindwyl sat for a moment; then she stood and left the room Elend didn't appear offended He si his letters

"You didn't need to do that, Your Majesty," Sazed said "Tindwyl's opinions of me are well founded, I think"

"I will do as I see fit, Sazed," Elend said, still writing "No offense,people treat you poorly I won't stand for it inyour help with my laws, she insulted me as well"

Sazed nodded, then reached over to pick up a new volu so quickly How long has it been since Tindwyl arrived? Two s Elend said were that different from what he would have said before--but the way he said the in a way that implied he expected respect

It's the collapse of his throne, the danger of the are, to either step up and lead or get crushed He'd known about the wells What other things had he discovered, and not told her?

"Elend?" Vin asked "I've thought more about the Deepness"

"That's wonderful, Vin," Elend said, sht now"

Vin nodded, and shts were more troubled He's not uncertain, like he once was He doesn't have to rely on people as much for support

He doesn't need ht Elend loved her; she knew that His aptitude wouldn't make her less valuable to him And yet, she couldn't stamp out her worries He'd left her once before, when he'd 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 won't, she told herself He's a better ood rew apart--particularly people ere so different to begin with Despite herself--despite her self-assurances--she heard a small voice pop up in the back of her ht banished, a voice she hadn't 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

"Going back on patrol?" Elend asked

She turned, then nodded

"You ," Elend said

Vin nodded again Elend smiled at her, then turned back to his letters Vin pulled open theand stepped out into the night Zane stood in thebeneath theHe stood at a skewed angle, feet against the wall, body jutting out into the night

Vin glanced to the side, noting the bit of ainst to hold himself stationary Another feat of prowess He sht

"Zane?" she whispered

Zane glanced upward, and Vin nodded A second later, they both landed atop Keep Venture's metal roof

Vin turned to Zane "Where have you been?"

He attacked

Vin ju for She came doith her feet half off the rooftop, tense A spar, then? she thought

Zane struck, his knife coed to the side There was so erous

Vin cursed and pulled out her own daggers, ju back froh 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 see up to an old friend, not entering a fight

All right then, she thought, juers

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

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

He was burning atiu 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, pri She had feared this day from theshe was powerless, despite all of her skills and abilities

It was the terror of knowing she was going to die

She turned to juan to rabbed her shoulder fro her down to the rooftop

Vin sla in pain Zane stood above her, looking down, as if waiting

I won't be beaten this way! Vin thought with desperation I won't 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 didn't even nick the cloth of his trousers She was like a child, being held at a distance by a er,a norht her

Zane stood in the darkness

"What?" she finally demanded

"You really don't have it," he said quietly "The Lord Ruler's atium stash"

"No," she said

"You don't have any at all," he said flatly

"I used the last bead the day I fought Cett's assassins"

He stood for aaway fro just a bit She forced herself to her feet, then stooped and retrieved her fallen daggers One had cracked against the roof's copper top

Zane turned back toward her, quiet in the mists