Page 36 of The Well of Ascension

“Should we vote, then?” one of the other Assemblymen asked.

And they did. Elend recorded votes as they moved down the line of Assemblymen. The eight noblemen—seven plus Elend—voted for the proposal, giving Penrod’s opinion a great deal of weight. The eight skaa were mostly for it, and the merchants mostly against it. In the end, however, Elend got the two-thirds vote he needed.

“Proposal accepted,” Elend said, making the final tally, looking a bit surprised. “The Assembly divests itself of the right to surrender the city until after the king has met with Straff Venture in official parlay.”

Vin sat back in her seat, trying to decide what she thought of the vote. It was good that Elend had gotten his way, but the manner in which he’d achieved it bothered her.

Elend finally relinquished the lectern, sitting and letting a disgruntled Philen take the lead. The merchant read a proposal calling for a vote to turn control of city food stockpiles over to the merchants. However, this time Elend himself led the dissent, and the arguing began again. Vin watched with interest. Did Elend even realize how much like the others he acted while he was arguing against their proposals?

Elend and a few of the skaa Assemblymen managed to filibuster long enough that the lunch break arrived with no vote cast. The people in the audience stood, stretching, and Ham turned toward her. “Good meeting, eh?”

Vin just shrugged.

Ham chuckled. “We really have to do something about your ambivalence toward civic duty, kid.”

“I already overthrew one government,” Vin said. “I figure that takes care of my ‘civic duty’ for a while.”

Ham smiled, though he kept a wary eye on the crowd—as did Vin. Now, with everyone moving about, would be the perfect time for an attempt on Elend’s life. One person in particular caught her attention, and she frowned.

“Be back in a few seconds,” she said to Ham, rising.

“You did the right thing, Lord Penrod,” Elend said, standing beside the older nobleman, whispering quietly as break proceeded. “We need more time. You know what my father will do to this city if he takes it.”

Lord Penrod shook his head. “I didn’t do this for you, son. I did it because I wanted to make certain that fool Philen didn’t hand the city over before the nobility extracted promises from your father about our rights to title.”

“Now, see,” Elend said, holding up a finger. “There has to be another way! The Survivor would never have given this city away without a fight.”

Penrod frowned, and Elend paused, quietly cursing himself. The old lord was a traditionalist—quoting the Survivor at him would have little positive effect. Many of the noblemen felt threatened by Kelsier’s influence with the skaa.

“Just think about it,” Elend said, glancing to the side as Vin approached. She waved him away from the Assemblymen seats, and he excused himself. He crossed the stage, joining her. “What is it?” he asked quietly.

“Woman at the back,” Vin said quietly, eyes suspicious. “Tall one, in the blue.”

The woman in question wasn’t hard to find; she wore a bright blue blouse and colorful red skirt. She was middle-aged, of lean build, and had her waist-length hair pulled back in a braid. She waited patiently as people moved about the room.

“What about her?” Elend asked.

“Terris,” Vin said.

Elend paused. “You’re sure?”

Vin nodded. “Those colors…that much jewelry. She’s a Terriswoman for sure.”

“So?”

“So, I’ve never met her,” Vin said. “And she was watching you, just now.”

“People watch me, Vin,” Elend noted. “Iamthe king, after all. Besides, why should you have met her?”

“All of the other Terris people have come to meet me right after they enter the city,” Vin said. “I killed the Lord Ruler; they see me as the one that freed their homeland. But, I don’t recognize her. She hasn’t ever come thank me.”

Elend rolled his eyes, grabbing Vin by the shoulders and turning her away from the woman. “Vin, I feel it’s my gentlemanly duty to tell you something.”

Vin frowned. “What?”

“You’re gorgeous.”

Vin paused. “What does that have to do with anything?”

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