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Odd pair, that one, Breeze thought to hi one of the skaa to make him more relaxed as he tried to sleep The rest of the crew is convinced that those two are enemies But, hatred rarely creates that measure of bitterness and frustration No, those two emotions come from an entirely different set of problems

Of course, isn't Sazed supposed to be a eunuch? I wonder how this all came about

His speculations trailed off as the warehouse doors opened Elend walked in--Ha one of his white uniforloves and a sword The white was an important symbol; with all of the ash and soot in the city, aElend's uniforned to be resistant to ash, and they still had to be scrubbed every day The effect orth the effort

Breeze i theal; Breeze had been ie how people felt, considering her lack of Alloust and pity; both were appropriate considering the environumentative; Breeze wasn't in a s at the moment

He stood as the two men approached People perked up as they saw Elend, his presence so them a hope that Breeze couldn't e

"Breeze," Elend said, nodding "Is Sazed here?"

"He just left, I'm afraid," Breeze said

Elend seemed distracted "Ah, well," he said "I'll find him later" Elend looked around the room, lips downturned "Hatheht not like that, Elend," Ham said

"I hope they don't," Elend said "But we'll see how they feel about their prices once they visit this roo its scarcity However, there is no reason but greed to deny the people clothing"

Ham nodded, but Breeze could see the reticence in his posture Did the others realize how strangely nonconfrontational Haue with friends, but he rarely actually ca Plus, he absolutely hated fighting with strangers; Breeze had always found that an odd attribute in one as hired, essentially, to hit people He gave Ha tothe ht, are you, Breeze?" Elend asked

"Lord Ruler, no!" Breeze said "My dear et entle at mention of the s to have to learn to think about other people"

"As long as I can think about thee in the activity"

Ham shook his head "You're hopeless"

"Are you heading back to the palace then?" Elend asked

"Yes, actually," Breeze said, checking his pocket watch

"Do you need a ride?"

"I brought e," Breeze said

Elend nodded, then turned to Ha about Elend's nextwith one of the other Assemblymen

Breeze wandered into the palace a short ti away theirthe , but little touches like that were second nature to Breeze

It was getting late, and few people were in the hallways Hethe scullerypass more quickly Beyond the kitchens he found a small stone room, lit by a couple of plain lamps, set with a small table It was one of the palace's boothlike, solitary dining rooi stretched out on the bench He eyed Breeze with a scowl "You're late"

"You're early," Breeze said, sliding into the bench across froru with a bottle of wine Breeze unbuttoned his vest, sighed quietly, and poured his up on his bench

Clubs sipped his wine

"You have your cloud up?" Breeze asked

"Around you?" Clubs said "Always"

Breeze sh he rarely had opportunities to use his powers any copper, every Allo bronze Butcopper made Clubs immune to any form of emotional Allomancy

"Don't see why thatwith emotions"

"I do," Breeze said

"Then why coht?" Clubs asked

"You mind the company?"

Clubs didn't answer That was pretty rueneral Most of the other crewht him in at the last moment, since the Coppercloud they usually used had died

"Do you knohat it's like, Clubs?" Breeze asked "Being a Soother?"

"No"

"It gives you re able to influence those around you, always feeling like you have a handle on how people will react"

"Sounds delightful," Clubs said flatly

"And yet, it does things to you I spend , and Soothing That's changed me I don'tlook at people the same way It's hard to just be friends with so to be influenced and changed"