“Elend?” she said, stepping forward.
He raised a hand, warding her back. “Things have changed, Valette.”
No, she thought. This can’t change, not yet! “Things? What ‘things’? Elend, what are you talking about?”
“I am heir to House Venture,” he said. “And dangerous times are coming. House Hasting lost an entire convoy this afternoon, and that’s only the beginning. Within the month, the keeps will openly be at war. These aren’t things I can ignore, Valette. It’s time I stopped being a liability to my family.”
“That’s fine,” Vin said. “That doesn’t mean—”
“Valette,” Elend interrupted. “You are a liability too. A very big one. I won’t lie and claim that I never cared for you—I did, and I still do. However, I knew from the start—as you did—that this could never be anything more than a passing dalliance. The truth is, my house needs me—and it’s more important than you are.”
Vin paled. “But …”
He turned to go back to dinner.
“Elend,” she said quietly, “please don’t turn away from me.”
He paused, then looked back at her. “I know the truth, Valette. I know how you’ve lied about who you are. I don’t care, really—I’m not angry, or even disappointed. The truth is, I expected it. You’re just … playing the game. Like we all are.” He paused, then shook his head and turned away from her. “Like I am.”
“Elend?” she said, reaching for him.
“Don’t make me embarrass you in public, Valette.”
Vin paused, feeling numb. And then, she was too angry to be numb—too angry, too frustrated … and too terrified.
“Don’t leave,” she whispered. “Don’t you leave me too.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “But I have to go meet with my friends. It was … fun.”
And he left.
Vin stood in the darkened corridor. She felt herself shiver quietly, and she turned to stumble back out onto the main balcony. To the side, she could see Elend bid good evening to his family, then head through a back corridor toward the keep’s living section.
He can’t do this to me. Not Elend. Not now …
However, a voice from within—a voice she had nearly forgotten—began to speak. Of course he left you, Reen whispered. Of course he abandoned you. Everyone will betray you, Vin. What did I teach you?
No! she thought. It’s just the political tension. Once this is over, I’ll be able to convince him to come back….
I never came back for you, Reen whispered. He won’t either. The voice felt so real—it was almost like she could hear him beside her.
Vin leaned up against the balcony railing, using the iron grating for strength, holding herself up. She wouldn’t let him destroy her. A life on the streets hadn’t been able to break her; she wouldn’t let a self-important nobleman do so. She just kept telling herself that.
But, why did this hurt so much more than starvation—so much more than one of Camon’s beatings?
“Well, Valette Renoux,” a voice said from behind.
“Kliss,” Vin said. “I’m … not in the mood to talk right now.”
“Ah,” Kliss said. “So Elend Venture finally spurned you. Don’t worry, child—he’ll get what he deserves shortly.”
Vin turned, frowning at the odd tone in Kliss’s voice. The woman didn’t seem like herself. She seemed too … controlled.
“Deliver a message to your uncle for me, will you dear?” Kliss asked lightly. “Tell him that a man such as himself—without house alliances—might have a difficult time gathering intelligence in the upcoming months. If he needs a good source of information, tell him to send for me. I know lots of interesting things.”
“You’re an informant!” Vin said, pushing aside her pain for the moment. “But, you’re …”
“A foolish gossip?” the short woman asked. “Why, yes I am. It’s fascinating, the kinds of things you can learn when you’re known as the court gossip. People come to you to spread obvious lies—such as the things you told me about House Hasting last week. Why would you want me to spread such untruths? Could House Renoux be making a bid for the weapons market during the house war? Indeed—could Renoux be behind the recent attack on the Hasting barges?”
Kliss’s eyes twinkled. “Tell your uncle that I can be made to keep quiet about what I know—for a small fee.”
“You’ve been duping me all along….” Vin said numbly.
“Of course, dear,” Kliss said, patting Vin’s arm. “That’s what we do here at court. You’ll learn eventually—if you survive. Now, be a good child and deliver my message, all right?”
Kliss turned, her squat, gaudy dress suddenly seeming a brilliant costume to Vin.
“Wait!” Vin said. “What was that you said about Elend earlier? He’s going to get what he deserves?”
“Hum?” Kliss said, turning. “Why … that’s right. You’ve been asking after Shan Elariel’s plans, haven’t you?”
Shan? Vin thought with rising concern. “What is she planning?”
“Now that, my dear, is an expensive secret indeed. I could tell you … but then, what would I have in return? A woman of an unimportant house like myself needs to find sustenance somewhere….”
Vin pulled off her sapphire necklace, the only piece of jewelry she was wearing. “Here. Take it.”
Kliss accepted the necklace with a thoughtful expression. “Hum, yes, very nice indeed.”
“What do you know?” Vin snapped.
“Young Elend is going to be one of the first Venture casualties in the house war, I’m afraid,” Kliss said, stuffing the necklace into a sleeve pocket. “It’s unfortunate—he really does seem like a nice boy. Too nice, probably.”
“When?” Vin demanded. “Where? How?”
“So many questions, but only one necklace,” Kliss said idly.
“It’s all I have right now!” Vin said truthfully. Her coin pouch contained only bronze clips for Steelpushing.
“But it’s a very valuable secret, as I’ve said,” Kliss continued. “By telling you, my own life would be—”
That’s it! Vin thought furiously. Stupid aristocratic games!
Vin burned zinc and brass, hitting Kliss with a powerful blast of emotional Allomancy. She Soothed away all of the woman’s feelings but fear, then took hold of that fear and yanked on it with a firm tug.
“Tell me!” Vin growled.
Kliss gasped, wobbling and nearly falling to the ground. “An Allomancer! No wonder Renoux brought such a distant cousin with him to Luthadel!”
“Speak!” Vin said, taking a step forward.
“You’re too late to help him,” Kliss said. “I’d never sell a secret like this if it had a chance of turning on me!”
“Tell me!”
“He’ll be assassinated by Elariel Allomancers this evening,” Kliss whispered. “He might be dead already—it was supposed to happen as soon as he withdrew from the lord’s table. But if you want revenge, you’ll have to look toward Lord Straff Venture too.”