Page 121 of The Well of Ascension

She immediately did as commanded.

“You, too,” Straff said to Vin.

Vin stiffened slightly. She looked toward Elend.

“It’s all right,” he said slowly.

She paused, then nodded. Straff himself was little danger to Elend, and she was a Mistborn. If something went wrong, she could get to Elend quickly. And, if she left, it would do what they wanted—make Elend look less powerful. In a better position to deal with Straff.

Hopefully.

“I’ll wait just outside,” Vin said quietly, withdrawing.

27

He was no simple soldier. He was a force of leadership—a man that fate itself seemed to support.

“All right,” Straff said, setting down his fork. “Let’s be honest, boy. I’m this close to simply having you killed.”

“You’d execute your only son?” Elend asked.

Straff shrugged.

“You need me,” Elend said. “To help you fight Cett. You can kill me, but you’d gain nothing. You’d still have to take Luthadel by force, and Cett would still be able to attack—and defeat you—in your weakened state.”

Straff smiled, folding his arms, leaning forward so he loomed over the table. “You are wrong on both counts, boy. First, I think that if I killed you, the next leader of Luthadel would be more accommodating. I have certain interests in the city who indicate that is true. Second, I don’t need your help to fight Cett. He and I already have a treaty.”

Elend paused. “What?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing these last few weeks? Sitting and waiting on your whims? Cett and I have exchanged pleasantries. He’s not interested in the city—he just wants the atium. We agreed to split what we discover in Luthadel, then work together to take the rest of the Final Empire. He conquers to the west and north, I head east and south. Very accommodating man, Cett.”

He’s bluffing,Elend thought with reasonable certainty. That wasn’t Straff’s way; he wouldn’t make an alliance with someone so near to him in strength. Straff feared betrayal too much.

“You think I would believe that?” Elend said.

“Believe what you wish,” Straff said.

“And the koloss army marching this way?” Elend asked, playing one of their trump cards.

This made Straff pause.

“If you want to take Luthadel before those koloss get here, Father,” Elend said, “then I think you might want to be a little more accommodating toward the man who’s come, offering you everything you want. I only ask one thing—let me have a victory. Let me fight Cett, secure my legacy.Thenyou can have the city.”

Straff thought about it, thought about it long enough that Elend dared to hope he might just have won. Then, however, Straff shook his head. “No, I think not. I’ll take my chances with Cett. I don’t know why he is willing to let me have Luthadel, but he doesn’t seem to care much about it.”

“And you do?” Elend said. “You know we don’t have the atium. What does the city matter to you now?”

Straff leaned forward a bit farther. Elend could smell his breath, odorous from the dinner spices. “That’s where you are wrong about me, boy. That’s why—even if you’d been able to promise me that atium—you would never have left this camp tonight. I made a mistake a year ago. If I’d stayed in Luthadel, I would have been the one on that throne. Instead, it was you. I can’t imagine why—I guess a weak Venture was still better than the other alternatives.”

Straff was everything Elend had hated about the old empire. Presumptuous. Cruel. Arrogant.

Weakness,Elend thought, calming himself.I can’t be threatening.He shrugged. “It’s only a city, Father. From my position, it doesn’t matter half as much as your army.”

“It’s more than a city,” Straff said. “It’s the Lord Ruler’s city—and it has my home in it. My keep. I understand that you’re using it as your palace.”

“I didn’t really have any other place to go.”

Straff turned back to his meal. “All right,” he said in between cutting chunks of steak, “at first, I thought you were an idiot for coming tonight, but now I’m not so certain. You must have seen the inevitable.”

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