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He turned away again, and Vin watched him. She did understand what he meant, for she had once thought as he did. Idly, she wondered what kind of person she might have become if shed gained full access to her powers without—at the same time—learning of friendship and trust from Kelsiers crew.
"What would you do, Vin?" Zane asked, turning back toward her. "Assuming you didnt have any constraints—assuming there were no repercussions for your actions?"
Go north. The thought was immediate. Find out what is causing that thumping. She didnt say it, however. "I dont know," she said instead.
He turned, eyeing her. "You arent taking me seriously, I see. I apologize for wasting your time. "
He turned to go, walking directly between her and OreSeur. Vin watched him, and felt a sudden stab of concern. Hed come to her, willing to talk rather than just fight—and shed wasted the opportunity. She was never going to turn him to her side if she didnt talk to him.
"You want to know what Id do?" she asked, her voice ringing in the silent mists.
Zane paused.
"If I could just use my power as I wanted?" Vin asked. "No repercussions? Id protect him. "
"Your king?" Zane asked, turning.
Vin nodded sharply. "These men who brought armies against him—your master, this man named Cett. Id kill them. Id use my power to make certain that nobody could threaten Elend. "
Zane nodded quietly, and she saw respect in his eyes. "And why dont you?"
"Because. . . "
"I see the confusion in your eyes," Zane said. "You know that your instincts to kill those men are right—yet you hold back. Because of him. "
"There would be repercussions, Zane," Vin said. "If I killed those men, their armies might just attack. Right now, diplomacy could still work. "
"Perhaps," Zane said. "Until he asks you to go kill someone for him. "
Vin snorted. "Elend doesnt work that way. He doesnt give me orders, and the only people I kill are the ones who try to kill him first. "
"Oh?" Zane said. "You may not act at his order, Vin, but you certainly refrain from action at it. You are his toy. I dont say this to insult you—you see, Im as much a toy as you are. Neither of us can break free. Not alone. "
Suddenly, the coin Vin had dropped snapped into the air, flying toward Zane. She tensed, but it simply streaked into Zanes waiting hand.
"Its interesting," he said, turning the coin in his fingers. "Many Mistborn stop seeing the value in coins. To us, they simply become something to be used for jumping. Its easy to forget the value of something when you use it so often. When it becomes commonplace and convenient to you. When it becomes. . . just a tool. "
He flipped the coin up, then shot it out into the night. "I must go," he said, turning.
Vin raised a hand. Seeing him use Allomancy made her realize that there was another reason she wanted to speak with him. It had been so long since shed talked with another Mistborn, one who understood her powers. Someone like her.
But, it seemed to her that she was too desperate for him to stay. So she let him go, and returned to her vigil.
He fathered no children, yet all of the land became his progeny.
25
VIN WAS A VERY LIGHT sleeper—a heritage from her youth. Thieving crews worked together out of necessity, and any man who couldnt guard his own possessions was considered to be unworthy of them. Vin, of course, had been at the very bottom of the hierarchy—and while she hadnt had many possessions to protect, being a young girl in a primarily male environment gave her other reasons to be a light sleeper.
So it was that when she awoke to a quiet bark of warning, she reacted without thinking. She tossed off her covers, reaching immediately for the vial on her bedstand. She didnt sleep with metals inside of her; many of the Allomantic metals were, to some small extent, poisonous. It was unavoidable that shed have to deal with some of that danger, but she had been warned to burn away excess metals at the end of each day.
She downed this vial even as she reached for the obsidian daggers hidden beneath her pillow. The door to her sleeping chamber swung open, and Tindwyl walked in. The Terriswoman froze in midstep as she saw Vin crouching on the beds footboard a few feet away, twin daggers glistening, body tense.
Tindwyl raised an eyebrow. "So you are awake. "
"Now. "
The Terriswoman smiled.
"What are you doing in my rooms?" Vin demanded.
"I came to wake you. I thought we might go shopping. "
"Shopping?"
"Yes, dear," Tindwyl said, walking over to pull open the curtains. It was far earlier in the day than Vin usually rose. "From what I hear, youre going to meet with His Majestys father on the morrow. Youll want a suitable dress for the occasion, I assume?"
"I dont wear dresses anymore. " What is your game?
Tindwyl turned, eyeing Vin. "You sleep in your clothing?"
Vin nodded.
"You dont keep any ladies-in-waiting?"
Vin shook her head.
"Very well, then," Tindwyl said, turning to walk from the room. "Bathe and change. Well leave when youre ready. "
"I dont take commands from you. "
Tindwyl paused by the door, turning. Then her face softened. "I know you dont, child. You may come with me if you wish—the choice is yours. However, do you really want to meet with Straff Venture in trousers and a shirt?"
Vin hesitated.
"At least come browse," Tindwyl said. "It will help take your mind off things. "
Finally, Vin nodded. Tindwyl smiled again, then left.
Vin glanced at OreSeur, who sat beside her bed. "Thanks for the warning. "
The kandra shrugged.
Once, Vin wouldnt have been able to imagine living in a place like Keep Venture. The young Vin had been accustomed to hidden lairs, skaa hovels, and the occasional alley. Now she lived in a building bespeckled with stained glass, bounded by mighty walls and grand archways.
Of course, Vin thought as she left the stairwell, many things have happened that I didnt expect. Why think about them now?
Her youth in the thieving crews had been much on her mind of late, and Zanes comments—ridiculous though they were—itched in her mind. Did Vin belong in a place like this keep? She had a great many skills, but few of them were beautiful hallway kinds of skills. They were more. . . ash-stained alleyway kinds of skills.
She sighed, OreSeur at her side as she made her way to the southern entryway, where Tindwyl said shed be waiting. The hallway here grew wide and grand, and opened directly into the courtyard. Usually, coaches came right up into the entryway to pick up their occupants—that way the noblemen wouldnt be exposed to the elements.
As she approached, her tin let her hear voices. One was Tindwyl, the other. . .
"I didnt bring much," Allrianne said. "A couple hundred boxings. But I do so need something to wear. I cant survive on borrowed gowns forever!"
Vin paused as she turned into the last part of the hallway.
"The kings gift will surely be enough to pay for a dress, dear," Tindwyl said, noticing Vin. "Ah, here she is. "
A sullen-looking Spook stood with the two women. He had on his palace guards uniform, though he wore the jacket undone and the trousers loose. Vin walked forward slowly. "I wasnt expecting company," she said.
"Young Allrianne was trained as a courtly noblewoman," Tindwyl said. "She will know the current fashions, and will be able to advise on your purchases. "
"And Spook?"
Tindwyl turned, eyeing the boy. "Packman. "
Well, that explains his mood, Vin thought.
"Come," Tindwyl said, walking toward the courtyard. Allrianne followed quickly, walking with a light, graceful step. Vin glanced at Spook, who shrugged, and they followed as well.
"How did you get pulled into this?" Vin whispered to Spook.
"Was up too early, sneaking food," Spook grumbled. "Miss Imposing there noticed me, smiled like a wolfhound, and said, Well be needing your services this afternoon, young man. "
Vin nodded. "Stay alert and keep your tin burning. Remember, were at war. "
Spook obediently did what she said. Standing close to him as she was, Vin easily picked up and identified his tins Allomantic pulses—meaning he wasnt the spy.
Another one off the list, Vin thought. At least this trip wont be a total waste.
A coach waited for them by the front keep gates. Spook climbed up beside the coachman, and the women piled into the back. Vin sat down inside, and OreSeur climbed in and took the seat next to her. Allrianne and Tindwyl sat across from her, and Allrianne eyed OreSeur with a frown, wrinkling her nose. "Does the animal have to sit on the seats with us?"
"Yes," Vin said as the carriage started moving.
Allrianne obviously expected more of an explanation, but Vin didnt give one. Finally, Allrianne turned to look out the window. "Are you sure well be safe, traveling with only one manservant, Tindwyl?"
Tindwyl eyed Vin. "Oh, I think that well be all right. "
"Oh, thats right," Allrianne said, looking back at Vin. "Youre an Allomancer! Are the things they say true?"
"What things?" Vin asked quietly.
"Well, they say you killed the Lord Ruler, for one. And that youre kind of. . . um. . . well. " Allrianne bit her lip. "Well, just a little bit rickety. "
"Rickety?"
"And dangerous," Allrianne said. "But, well, that cant be true. I mean, youre going shopping with us, right?"
Is she trying to provoke me on purpose?
"Do you always wear clothing like that?" Allrianne asked.
Vin was in her standard gray trousers and tan shirt. "Its easy to fight in. "
"Yes, but. . . well. " Allrianne smiled. "I guess thats why were here today, right, Tindwyl?"
"Yes, dear," Tindwyl said. Shed been studying Vin through the entire conversation.
Like what you see? Vin thought. What is it you want?
"You have to be the strangest noblewoman Ive ever met," Allrianne declared. "Did you grow up far from court? I did, but my mother was quite certain to train me well. Of course, she was just trying to make me into a good catch so Father could auction me off to make an alliance. "
Allrianne smiled. It had been a while since Vin had been forced to deal with women like her. She remembered hours spent at court, smiling, pretending to be Valette Renoux. Often when she thought of those days, she remembered the bad things. The spite shed faced from court members, her own lack of comfort in the role.
But, there had also been good things. Elend was one. She would never have met him if she hadnt been pretending to be a noblewoman. And the balls—with their colors, their music, and their gowns—had held a certain transfixing charm. The graceful dancing, the careful interactions, the perfectly decorated rooms. . .
Those things are gone now, she told herself. We dont have time for silly balls and gatherings, not when the dominance is on the verge of collapse.
Tindwyl was still watching her.
"Well?" Allrianne asked.