Page 86 (2/2)

"It was our optie things, Jastes, not destroy the a temper Elend had never seen in his friend "You want to knohy I'm here, Elend? Did you even pay attention to as happening in the Southern Dominance while you played in Luthadel?"

"I'm sorry about what happened to your fa the bottle off his desk "You're sorry? I i we talked about--freedo them into submission And you knohat happened?"

Elend closed his eyes

"They killed everyone, Elend," Jastes said "That's what you do when you take over You kill your rivals and their fairls, even the babies And you leave their bodies, as a warning That's good politics That's how you stay in power!"

"It's easy to believe in so when you win all the ti his eyes "The losses are what define a man's faith"

"Losses?" Jastes demanded "My sister was a loss?"

"No, Ithe bottle down on his desk "Guards!"

Two men threw back the tent flap and moved into the room

"Take His Majesty captive," Jastes said, with an unsteady wave of his hand "Send a otiate"

"I' anymore, Jastes," Elend said

Jastes stopped

"Do you think I'd co?" Elend asked "They deposed me The Asse"

"You bloody idiot," Jastes said

"Losses, Jastes," Elend said "It hasn't been as hard for me as it was for you, but I do think I understand"

"So," Jastes said, running a hand through his "hair," "that fancy suit and haircut didn't save you, eh?"

"Take your koloss and go, Jastes"

"That sounded like a threat, Elend," Jastes said "You aren't king, you don't have an arrounds do you have for threats?"

"They're koloss," Elend said "Do you really want the into the city? It's your home, Jastes--or, it was once There are thousands of people inside!"

"I cancontrol my army," Jastes said

"No, I doubt you can," Elend said "What happened, Jastes? Did they decide they needed a king? They decided that's the way that 'humans' did it, so they should do it, too? What is it that they carry in those pouches?"

Jastes didn't answer

Elend sighed "What happens when one of them just snaps and attacks you?"

Jastes shook his head "I'et that atium"

"And my people?"

Jastes paused only briefly, then lowered his eyes and uards One laid a hand on Elend's shoulder

Elend's reaction surprised even hi his nose, then took the otherBefore Jastes could do more than cry out, Elend juiven to hiht Jastes by the shoulder Elend sla hi to consider his actions--rammed the knife into his old friend's shoulder

Jastes e you would do anything useful, Jastes," Elend growled, "I'd do it right now But I don't kno you control these things, and I don't want to set them loose"

Soldiers piled into the roo his cries of pain

"You listen," Elend said "I don't care if you've been hurt, I don't care if you don't believe in the philosophies anyet yourself killed playing politics with Straff and Cett

"But I do care if you threaten my people I want you to o attack Straff's homeland, or maybe Cett's They're both undefended I proet the atiuive you a bit of counsel Think about that wound in your arm for a little while, Jastes I was your best friend, and I nearly killed you What the hell are you doing sitting in the ed koloss?"

Soldiers surrounded hi the knife fro the weapon against his throat

The guards froze

"I' the confused Jastes ahead of hi out of the tent He noticed with souards Sazed had counted n of Elend's horse So he kept a wary eye on the soldiers, pulling Jastes toward the invisible line between the human camp and the koloss one Elend turned as he reached the periht hie for the arm Others made moves as if to chase Elend, but they paused, hesitant

Elend had crossed the line into the koloss ca soldiers, Jastes at their center Even as they ministered to him, Elend could see the look in Jastes's eyes Hatred He wouldn't retreat The man Elend had knoas dead, replaced by this product of a neorld that didn't kindly regard philosophers and idealists