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Spook shrugged "That's true Though, I beca at him

"Kelsier handpicked the others," Spook said "Ham, Breeze, Sazed--even Vin He chose ot me as a bonus II was never really part of it all, Beldre I was kind of like an observer They postedsessions, and everyone just treated me like an errand boy Ithat first year!"

A hint of amusement showed on her face "You make it sound like you were a servant"

"Pretty rown used to speaking in an Eastern street slang, and everything I said caot an accent, they tell me So, I just stayed quiet most of the time, embarrassed The creas nice to nored"

"And now you're in charge of thehed "No Sazed's the one really in charge of us here Breeze ranks ive orders because he's too lazy to do so He likes toit Half the ti are just ideas he soot into my head"

Beldre shook her head "The Terrise? But, he looks to you!"

"He just lets reat man--one of the best I've known But, well, he's a scholar He's better off studying a project and writing notes than he is giving co the job that everyone else is too busy to do"

Beldre sat quietly for a moment, then finally took a sip of her tea "Ah," she said "It's good!"

"The Lord Ruler's own brew, for all we know," Spook said "We found it down here, with the rest of this stuff"

"This is why you ca to the cavern "I wondered why your emperor cared about Urteau We haven't really been an important force in the world since the Venture line moved its center of power to Luthadel"

Spook nodded "This is part of it, though Elend is also worried about the rebellion up here It's dangerous, having a foe who is slaughtering noble one of the major cities just a short distance north of Luthadel That's all I can really tell you, though Most of the time, I feel like I'm still just a bystander in all of this Vin and Elend, they're the ones who really knohat's going on To the in Urteau while they did i to treat you so," Beldre said

"No, it's all right," Spook said "I've kind of enjoyed being up here I feel like I've been able to do so, finally"

She nodded After a short ti her arms around her knees "What are they like?" she asked "I've heard so many stories They say that Emperor Venture alears white, and that the ash refuses to stick to hi at them And his wife, the Survivor's heir Mistborn"

Spook setful scholar--twice as bad as Sazed ever was He gets lost i1n his books and forgets about s he himself called He only dresses with any sense of fashion because a Terriswoed him soht in a world with too much violence

"And Vinwell, she really is different I've never been sure what to make of her Sometimes, she seems as frail as a child And then she kills an Inquisitor She can be fascinating and frightening at the same time I tried to court her once"

"Really?" Beldre said, perking up

Spook save her a handkerchief I heard that's how you do it in noble society"

"Only if you're a ro wistfully

"Well, I gave her one," Spook said "But I don't think she knehat I ure it out, she turnedto court her I ettable Spook"

He closed his eyes What anificant they were He'd heard that much I shouldn't have co orders Looking like I was in charge

The dae had been done, however She knew the truth about hi his eyes

"I don't think you're forgettable," Beldre said "Of course, I'd be o"

Spook s to use ainst hiive in?"

"Threats like that are hollow if you know you'll never do what you say," Spook said "Honestly, Beldre, I' you'll be safer here than back in your brother's palace"

"Please don't kill him, Spook," Beldre said "Maybetoo extreme"

Spook nodded "I'lltry"