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He held Vin tight, nodding good night to Sazed, then walking out toward his roo had worked out fine in the end

Sazed stood sloatching the two leave He wondered what they would think of him, when they heard of Luthadel's fall At least they would have each other for support

His wedding blessing was the last gift he could give thee me for my lies? he wondered What will it think of the Terrisman who took such a hand in politics, the Terrisy to save the lives of his friends? The things he'd said about the Well were, of course, falsehoods If there was such a power, he had no idea where it was, nor what it would do

How history judged him would probably depend on what Elend and Vin did with their lives Sazed could only hope that he had done the right thing Watching the that their youthful love would be spared, he couldn't help but sh, he stooped down and gathered up his medical items; then he retreated to his rooms to fabricate the map he had promised Vin and Elend

PART FIVE

SNOW AND ASH

He is accustoood, as he sees it

49

"YOU ARE A FOOL, ELEND Venture," Tindwyl snapped, arms folded, eyes ith displeasure

Elend pulled a strap tight on his saddle Part of the wardrobe Tindwyl haduniforloves, and a dark cloak to keep off the ash

"Are you listening to me?" Tindwyl demanded "You can't leave Not now! Not when your people are in such danger!"

"I'll protect the on the packhorses

They were in the keep's covered way, used for arrivals and departures Vin sat on her own horse, enveloped al her reins tensely She had very little experience riding, but Elend refused to let her run Pewter or no pewter, the wounds froht at the Assee she'd taken the night before

"Another way?" Tindwyl asked "You should be with the!"

"No, I' toward the Terriswoman "They rejected me, Tindwyl Now I have to worry about e They wanted a traditional king? Well, let them have my father When I return from Terris, perhaps they will have realized what they lost"

Tindwyl shook her head and stepped forward, speaking in a quiet voice "Terris, Elend? You go north For her You knohy she wants to go there, don't you?"

He paused

"Ah, so you do know," Tindwyl said "What do you think of it, Elend? Don't tell me you believe these delusions She thinks she's the Hero of Ages She supposes that she'll find so in the mountains up there--some power, or perhaps some revelation, that will transforlanced at Vin She looked down at the ground, hood down, still sitting quietly on her horse

"She's trying to follow her od to these people, so she thinks she has to do the same"

Elend turned to Tindwyl "If that is what she truly believes, then I support her"

"You support her madness?" Tindwyl demanded

"Do not speak oftone causing Tindwyl to flinch He swung up into his saddle "I trust her, Tindwyl Part of trust is belief"

Tindwyl snorted "You can't possibly believe that she is some prophesied messiah, Elend I know you--you're a scholar You iance to the Church of the Survivor, but you don't believe in the supernatural any more than I do"

"I believe," he said fir i she believes has at least thatnorth We will return once we've released the power there"

"Fine," Tindwyl said "Then you will be remembered as a coho abandoned his people"

"Leave us!" Elend ordered, raising his finger and pointing toward the keep

Tindwyl spun, stalking toward the doorway As she passed it, she pointed at the supply table, where she had previously placed a book-sized package, wrapped in brown paper, tied with a thick string "Sazed wishes you to deliver this to the Keeper Synod You'll find thedwen Enjoy your exile, Elend Venture" Then, she left

Elend sighed,his horse over beside Vin's

"Thank you," she said quietly

"For what?"

"For what you said"

"Iover to lay a hand on her shoulder

"Tindwyl ht, you know," she said "Despite what Sazed said, I could be mad Do you remember when I told you that I'd seen a spirit in the mists?"

Elend nodded slowly

"Well, I've seen it again," Vin said "It's like a ghost, forme And I hear those rhyths, like Allomantic pulses Only, I don't need bronze anymore to hear them"

Elend squeezed her shoulder "I believe you, Vin"

She looked up, reserved "Do you, Elend? Do you really?"

"I' very hard to Either way, I think going north is the right thing to do"