Page 193 of The Well of Ascension

Zane turned back toward her. “Just keep yourself safe,” he said, then launched himself out into the mists.

Vin did not like being injured. Logically, she knew that other people probably felt the same way; after all, who would enjoy pain and debilitation? Yet, when the others got sick, she sensed frustration from them. Not terror.

When sick, Elend would spend the day in bed, reading books. Clubs had taken a bad blow during practice several months before, and he had grumbled about the pain, but had stayed off his leg for a few days without much prodding.

Vin was growing to be more like them. She could lie in bed as she did now, knowing that nobody would try to slit her throat while she was too weak to call for help. Still, she itched to rise, to show that she wasn’t very badly wounded. Lest someone think otherwise, and try to take advantage.

It isn’t like that anymore!she told herself. It was light outside, and though Elend had been back to visit several times, he was currently away. Sazed had come to check on her wounds, and had begged her to stay in bed for “at least one more day.” Then he’d gone back to his studies. With Tindwyl.

Whatever happened to those two hating each other?she thought with annoyance.I barely get to see him.

Her door opened. Vin was pleased that her instincts were still keen enough that she immediately grew tense, reaching for her daggers. Her pained side protested the sudden motion.

Nobody entered.

Vin frowned, still tense, until a canine head popped up over the top of her footboard. “Mistress?” said a familiar, half growl of a voice.

“OreSeur?” Vin said. “You’re wearing another dog’s body!”

“Of course, Mistress,” OreSeur said, hopping up onto the bed. “What else would I have?”

“I don’t know,” Vin said, putting away her daggers. “When Elend said you’d had him get you a body, I just assumed that you’d asked for a human. I mean, everyone saw my ‘dog’ die.”

“Yes,” OreSeur said, “but it will be simple to explain that you got a new animal. You are expected to have a dog with you now, and sonothaving one would provoke notice.”

Vin sat quietly. She’d changed back to trousers and shirt, despite Sazed’s protests. Her dresses hung in the other room, one noticeably absent. At times, when she looked at them, she thought she saw the gorgeous white gown hanging there, sprayed with blood. Tindwyl had been wrong: Vin couldn’t be both Mistborn and lady. The horror she had seen in the eyes of the Assemblymen was enough proof for her.

“You didn’t need to take a dog’s body, OreSeur,” Vin said quietly. “I’d rather that you were happy.”

“It is all right, Mistress,” OreSeur said. “I have grown…fond of these kinds of bones. I should like to explore their advantages a little more before I return to human ones.”

Vin smiled. He’d chosen another wolfhound—a big brute of a beast. The colorings were different: more black than gray, without any patches of white. She approved.

“OreSeur…” Vin said, looking away. “Thank you for what you did for me.”

“I fulfill my Contract.”

“I’ve been in other fights,” Vin said. “You never intervened in those.”

OreSeur didn’t answer immediately. “No, I didn’t.”

“Why this time?”

“I did what felt right, Mistress,” OreSeur said.

“Even if it contradicted the Contract?”

OreSeur sat up proudly on his haunches. “I didnotbreak my Contract,” he said firmly.

“But you attacked a human.”

“I didn’t kill him,” OreSeur said. “We are cautioned to stay out of combat, lest we accidentally cause a human death. Indeed, most of my brethren think that helping someone kill is the same as killing, and feel it is a breach of the Contract. The words are distinct, however. I did nothing wrong.”

“And if that man you tackled had broken his neck?”

“Then I would have returned to my kind for execution,” OreSeur said.

Vin smiled. “Then youdidrisk your life for me.”

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