Page 97 (1/2)

Even without tin, she heard the creak

Vin spun Zane stood on the balcony, his figure a black silhouette in thearound hiaway frorowled quietly

"It's time," Zane said

"Ti the lao," Zane said "To leave theseTo be free"

Free

"Idon't know, Zane," Vin said, looking away

She heard him step forward "What do you owe him, Vin? He doesn't know you He fears you The truth is, he was never worthy of you"

"No," Vin said, shaking her head "That's not it at all, Zane You don't understand I was never worthy of him Elend deserves someone better He deservessoht to give up his throne Someone who sees more honor--and less foolishness--in that"

"Either way," Zane said, stopping a short distance from her "He cannot understand you Us"

Vin didn't reply

"Where would you go, Vin?" Zane asked "If you weren't bound to this place, bound to him? If you were free, and could do whatever you wished, where would you go?"

The thulanced toward OreSeur, who sat quietly by the side wall, uilty? What did she have to prove to him?

She turned back to Zane "North," she said "To Terris"

"We can go there Wherever you want Location is irrelevant toas it is not this place"

"I can't abandon the so, you steal away Straff's only Mistborn?" Zane asked "The trade is a good one My father will know that I have disappeared, but he will not realize that you aren't still in Luthadel He'll be evenyourself freedoift"

Zane took her hand, forcing her to look at him He did look like Elend--like a hard version of Elend Zane had been broken by life, just as she had been, but both had put theer, or ile?

"Come," Zane whispered "You can save ht with a chill If I stay, I will have to kill again

And slowly, she let him draw her away fro darkness beyond She reached up, pulling out a metal vial for the journey, and the ood instincts, Vin thought Instincts like my own Instincts that won't let him trust, but that keep hi, and sain, but she felt a sudden stab of fear This is it, she thought After this, everything changes The ti choice

Elend wouldn't have jumped like that when I took out the vial

She froze Zane tugged on her wrist, but she didn'tas he stood at the edge of her balcony

"I'o with you"

"What?" Zane asked "Why not?"

Vin shook her head, turning and walking back into the roo "What is it about hireat leader He's not a warrior He's no Alloeneral What is it about him?"

The answer came to her simply and easily Make your decisions--I'll support you in them "He trusts me," she whispered

"What?" Zane asked incredulously

"When I attacked Cett," Vin said, "the others thought I was acting irrationally--and they were right But Elend told theood reason, even if he didn't knohat it was"

"So he's a fool," Zane said

"When we spoke later," Vin continued, not looking at Zane, "I was cold to hi to decide whether to stay with himent He'd support me if I chose to leave him"

"So he's also unappreciative," Zane said

Vin shook her head "No He just lovesat Zane He looked angry Desperate, even "I believe you I still can't go with you"

"But why?"

"Because it would require leaving Elend," she said "Even if I can't share his ideals, I can respect the, Zane"

Zane stood quietly for aaround his shoulders "I've failed, then"

Vin turned away from him "No It isn't that you've failed You aren't flawed si her toward the mist-covered floor Vin turned her head, shocked, as she crashed into the wooden floor, the breath going out of her

Zane loomed above her, his face dark "You were supposed to save me," he hissed