Page 239 of The Well of Ascension

“I’m sure I’m not the first to think of it,” Vin said wearily. “But it isn’t the sort of secret that you share. Anyway, take his body.”

“I…would rather not wear the bones of that creature,” TenSoon said. “You don’t know how broken he was, Mistress.”

Vin nodded tiredly. “I could just find you another dog body, if you want.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mistress,” TenSoon said quietly. “I still have the bones of the other wolfhound you gave me, and most of them are still good. If I replace a few of them with the good bones from this body, I should be able to form a complete skeleton to use.”

“Do it, then. We’re going to need to plan what to do next.”

TenSoon was quiet for a moment. Finally, he spoke. “Mistress, my Contract is void, now that my master is dead. I…need to return to my people for reassignment.”

“Ah,” Vin said, feeling a wrench of sadness. “Of course.”

“I do not want to go,” TenSoon said. “But, I must at least report to my people. Please, forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive,” Vin said. “And thank you for that timely hint at the end.”

TenSoon lay quietly. She could see guilt in his canine eyes.He shouldn’t have helped me against his current master.

“Mistress,” TenSoon said. “You know our secret now. Mistborn can control a kandra’s body with Allomancy. I don’t know what you will do with it—but realize that I have entrusted you with a secret that my people have kept sacred for a thousand years. The way that Allomancers could take control of our bodies and make slaves of us.”

“I…don’t even understand what happened.”

“Perhaps it is better that way,” TenSoon said. “Please, leave me. I have the other dog’s bones in the closet. When you return, I will be gone.”

Vin rose, nodding. She left, then, pushing through the mists and seeking the hallway outside. Her wounds needed tending. She knew that she should go to Sazed, but somehow she couldn’t force herself in that direction. She walked faster, feet taking her down the hallway, until she was running.

Everything was collapsing around her. She couldn’t manage it all, couldn’t keep things straight. But she did know what she wanted.

And so she ran to him.

48

He is a good man—despite it all, he is a good man. A sacrificing man. In truth, all of his actions—all of the deaths, destructions, and pains that he has caused—have hurt him deeply. All of these things were, in truth, a kind of sacrifice for him.

Elend yawned, looking over the letter he’d penned to Jastes. Perhaps he could persuade his former friend to see reason.

If he couldn’t…well, a duplicate of the wooden coin Jastes had been using to “pay” the koloss sat on Elend’s desk. It was a perfect copy, whittled by Clubs himself. Elend was pretty certain that he had access to more wood than Jastes did. If he could help Penrod stall for a few more weeks, they might be able to make enough “money” to bribe the koloss away.

He set down his pen, rubbing his eyes. It was late. Time to—

His door slammed open. Elend spun, and caught sight of a flustered Vin dashing across the room and into his arms. She was crying.

And she was bloody.

“Vin!” he said. “What happened?”

“I killed him,” she said, head buried in Elend’s chest.

“Who?”

“Your brother,” she said. “Zane. Straff’s Mistborn. I killed him.”

“Wait. What? Mybrother?”

Vin nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Forget about that, Vin!” Elend said, gently prying her back and pushing her into his chair. She had a gash on her cheek, and her shirt was slick with blood. “Lord Ruler! I’m going to get Sazed right now.”

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