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"We need to move the skaa out of those homes," Elend continued "Noblemen's houses are mostly stone mansions with a lot of s a separate hearth or a stove for every roo, but they have massive hearths and open rooms"

Demoux nodded slowly

"The Lord Ruler couldn't have his workers freezing," Elend said "Those tenee population of people with limited resources"

"I understand, my lord," Demoux said

"Don't force themented with army volunteers--has no official authority in the city If a family wants to stay in their pilfered aristocratic house, let them Just "

Demoux nodded, then er arrived The anized ju plans

Elend nodded to the newcoroup, correct?"

The man nodded as he bowed He wasn't in uniforerhead, and honest smile

"Don't I know you?" Elend said

"I helped you a year ago, my lord," the man said "I led you into the Lord Ruler's palace to help rescue Lady Vin"

"Goradel," Elend said, reuard"

The man nodded "I joined up in your ar to do"

Elend smiled "Notto help us today What's your report?"

"You were right, my lord," Goradel said, "the skaa have already robbed the eht of the walls A good half of the abandoned mansions have wooden walls on the inside, and a lot of the tenements were made of wood Most all of them have wooden roofs"

"Good," Elend said He surveyed the gathering mass of men He hadn't told them his plans; he'd simply asked for volunteers to help him with some manual labor He hadn't expected the response to nuathering quite a group,Elend

Elend nodded, giving leave for Goradel to withdraw "We'll be able to try an even more ambitious project than I'd planned"

"My lord," De the city down around ourselves?"

"We either lose buildings or we lose people, Deo"

"And if the king tries to stop us?"

"Then we obey," Elend said "But I don't think Lord Penrod will object He's too busy trying to get a bill through the Assembly that hands the city over to my father Besides, it's probably better for hi, than it is to have the in the barracks"

Demoux fell silent Elend did as well; both kne precarious their position was Only a short time had passed since the assassination attempt and the transfer of power, and the city was in shock Cett was still holed up inside of Keep Hasting, and his armies had moved into position to attack the city Luthadel was like a man with a knife pressed very closely to his throat Each breath cut the skin

I can't do ht I have to hts He could feel the bitter cold, despite the daylight, his cloak, and the shelter There were a lot of people in Luthadel, but if he could get enough ht be able to do soood

"My lord!"

Elend turned as a shortmustache approached "Ah, Felt," he said "You have news?" Theon the poisoned-food proble breached

The scout nodded "I do indeed, ees with a Rioter, and we caees seeers in the city? Of course they'd be the first ones we'd suspect I figured, with howwith the wells and the food and the like, so in and out of the city"

Elend nodded They'd been watching Cett's soldiers inside Keep Hasting very carefully, and none of them was responsible Straff's Mistborn was still a possibility, but Vin had never believed that he was behind the poisoning Elend hoped that the trail--if it could be found--would lead back to so who on his serving staff had been replaced by a kandra

"Well?" Elend asked

"I interrogated the people who run passwalls," Felt continued "I don't think they're to blame"

"Passwalls?"

Felt nodded "Covert passages out of the city Tunnels or the like"

"Such things exist?" Elend asked with surprise

"Of course,between cities was very difficult for skaa thieves during the Lord Ruler's reign Everyone who entered Luthadel was subject to interview and interrogation So, ways to get into the city covertly were very prevalent Most of those have shut down--the ones who used to lower people up and down by ropes over the walls A few are still running, but I don't think they are letting the spies in Once that first as poisoned, the passwalls all got paranoid that you'd co people out of the city--ones ant to run froed city and the like"

Elend frowned He wasn't certain what he thought of the fact that people were disobeying his order that the gates be shut, with no passage out