Page 242 of The Well of Ascension

Elend smiled. “You’re worth the wait. Besides, I think I had to figure a few things out as well.”

“Like how to be a king?”

“And how to stop being one.”

Vin shook her head. “You never stopped being one, Elend. They can take your crown, but they can’t take your honor.”

Elend smiled. “Thank you. However, I don’t know how much good I’ve done the city. By even being here, I divided the people, and now Straff will end up in control.”

“I’ll kill Straff if he puts one foot in this city.”

Elend gritted his teeth.Back to the same problems again. They could only hold Vin’s knife against his neck for so long. He’d figure out a way to wiggle around, and there was always Jastes and those koloss….

“Your Majesty,” Sazed said as he worked, “perhaps I can offer a solution.”

Elend glanced down at the Terrisman, raising an eyebrow.

“The Well of Ascension,” Sazed said.

Vin opened her eyes immediately.

“Tindwyl and I have been researching the Hero of Ages,” Sazed continued. “We are convinced that Rashek never did what the Hero was supposed to. In fact, we aren’t even convinced that this Alendi of a thousand years agowasthe Hero. There are too many discrepancies, too many problems and contradictions. In addition, the mists—the Deepness—are still here. And now they are killing people.”

Elend frowned. “What are you saying?”

Sazed pulled a stitch tight. “Something still needs to be done, Your Majesty. Something important. Looking at it from a smaller perspective, it might seem that the events at Luthadel and the rise of the Well of Ascension are unrelated. However, from a larger view, they may be solutions to one another.”

Elend smiled. “Like the lock and the key.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Sazed said, smiling. “Precisely like that.”

“It thumps,” Vin whispered, eyes closing. “In my head. I canfeelit.”

Sazed paused, then wrapped a bandage around Vin’s arm. “Can you feel where it is?”

Vin shook her head. “I…There doesn’t seem to be a direction to the pulses. I thought they were distant, but they’re getting louder.”

“That must be the Well returning to power,” Sazed said. “It is fortunate that I know where to find it.”

Elend turned, and Vin opened her eyes again.

“My research has revealed the location, Lady Vin,” Sazed said. “I can draw you a map, from my metalminds.”

“Where?” Vin whispered.

“North,” Sazed said. “In the mountains of Terris. Atop one of the lower peaks, known as Derytatith. Travel there will be difficult this time of year….”

“I can do it,” Vin said firmly as Sazed turned to working on her chest wound. Elend flushed again, then paused as he turned away.

I’m…married.“You’re going to leave?” Elend asked, looking to Vin. “Now?”

“I have to,” Vin whispered. “Ihaveto go to it, Elend.”

“You should go with her, Your Majesty,” Sazed said.

“What?”

Sazed sighed, looking up. “We have to face facts, Your Majesty. As you said earlier, Straff will soon take this city. If you are here, you will be executed. However, Lady Vin will undoubtedly need help securing the Well.”

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