“And you do?” Elend said. “You know we don’t have the atium. What does the city matter to you now?”
Straff leaned forward a bit farther. Elend could smell his breath, odorous from the dinner spices. “That’s where you are wrong about me, boy. That’s why—even if you’d been able to promise me that atium—you would never have left this camp tonight. I made a mistake a year ago. If I’d stayed in Luthadel, I would have been the one on that throne. Instead, it was you. I can’t imagine why—I guess a weak Venture was still better than the other alternatives.”
Straff was everything Elend had hated about the old empire. Presumptuous. Cruel. Arrogant.
Weakness, Elend thought, calming himself. I can’t be threatening. He shrugged. “It’s only a city, Father. From my position, it doesn’t matter half as much as your army.”
“It’s more than a city,” Straff said. “It’s the Lord Ruler’s city—and it has my home in it. My keep. I understand that you’re using it as your palace.”
“I didn’t really have any other place to go.”
Straff turned back to his meal. “All right,” he said in between cutting chunks of steak, “at first, I thought you were an idiot for coming tonight, but now I’m not so certain. You must have seen the inevitable.”
“You’re stronger,” Elend said. “I can’t stand up to you.”
Straff nodded. “You’ve impressed me, boy. Wearing proper clothing, getting yourself a Mistborn mistress, maintaining control of the city. I’m going to let you live.”
“Thank you,” Elend said.
“And, in exchange, you’re going to give me Luthadel.”
“As soon as Cett is dealt with.”
Straff laughed. “No, that’s not the way these things work, boy. We’re not negotiating. You’re listening to my orders. Tomorrow, we’ll ride to the city together, and you’ll order the gates opened. I’ll march my army in and take command, and Luthadel will become the new capital of my kingdom. If you stay in line and do as I say, I’ll name you heir again.”
“We can’t do that,” Elend said. “I left orders that the gates weren’t to be opened to you, no matter what.”
Straff paused.
“My advisors thought you might try and use Vin as a hostage, forcing me to relinquish the city,” Elend said. “If we go together, they’ll assume you’re threatening me.”
Straff’s mood darkened. “You’d better hope that they don’t.”
“They will,” Elend said. “I know these men, Father. They’d be eager for an excuse to take the city away from me.”
“Then, why come here?”
“To do as I said,” Elend said. “To negotiate an alliance against Cett. I can deliver Luthadel to you—but I still need time. Let’s take down Cett first.”
Straff grabbed his dinner knife by the hilt and slammed it down into the table. “I said this wasn’t a negotiation! You don’t make demands, boy. I could have you killed!”
“I’m just stating facts, Father,” Elend said quickly. “I don’t want to—”
“You’ve gotten smooth,” Straff said, eyes narrowing. “What did you hope to accomplish with this game? Coming to my camp? Bringing nothing to offer …” He paused, then continued. “Nothing to offer except for that girl. Pretty little thing, she is.”
Elend flushed. “That won’t get you into the city. Remember, my advisors thought you might try threatening her.”
“Fine,” Straff snapped. “You die; I take the city by force.”
“And Cett attacks you from behind,” Elend said. “Pinning you against our wall and forcing you to fight surrounded.”
“He’d take heavy losses,” Straff said. “He wouldn’t be able to take and hold the city after that.”
“Even with diminished forces, he’d have a better chance of taking it from us than he would if he waited and then tried to take it from you.”
Straff stood. “I’ll have to take that chance. I left you behind before. I’m not going to let you loose again, boy. Those cursed skaa were supposed to kill you and leave me free of you.”
Elend stood as well. However, he could see the resolve in Straff’s eyes.
It isn’t working, Elend thought, panic beginning to set in. This plan had been a gamble, but he hadn’t ever really thought that he’d fail. Indeed, he’d played his cards well. But, something was wrong—something he hadn’t anticipated, and still didn’t understand. Why was Straff resisting so much?
I’m too new to this, Elend thought. Ironically, if he had let his father train him better as a child, he might have known what he’d done wrong. As it was, he suddenly realized the gravity of his situation. Surrounded by a hostile army. Separated from Vin.
He was going to die.
“Wait!” Elend said desperately.
“Ah,” Straff said smiling. “Finally realized what you’ve gotten yourself into?” There was pleasure in Straff’s smile. Eagerness. There had always been something inside Straff that had enjoyed hurting others, though Elend had rarely seen it applied to him. Propriety had always been there to stop Straff.
Propriety enforced by the Lord Ruler. At that moment, Elend saw murder in his father’s eyes.
“You never intended to let me live,” Elend said. “Even if I’d given you the atium, even if I’d gone with you to the city.”
“You were dead the moment I decided to march here,” Straff said. “Idiot boy. I do thank you for bringing me that girl, though. I’ll take her tonight. We’ll see if she cries my name or yours while I’m—”
Elend laughed.
It was a desperate laugh, a laugh at the ridiculous situation he’d gotten himself into, a laugh at his sudden worry and fear—but most of all, it was a laugh at the idea of Straff trying to force himself upon Vin. “You have no idea how foolish you sound,” Elend said.
Straff flushed. “For that, boy, I’ll be extra rough with her.”
“You are a pig, Father,” Elend said. “A sick, disgusting man. You thought you were a brilliant leader, but you were barely competent. You nearly got our house destroyed—only the Lord Ruler’s own death saved you!”
Straff called for his guards.
“You may take Luthadel,” Elend said, “but you’ll lose it! I may have been a bad king, but you’ll be a terrible one. The Lord Ruler was a tyrant, but he was also a genius. You’re neither. You’re just a selfish man who’ll use up his resources, then end up dead from a knife in the back.”
Straff pointed at Elend as soldiers rushed in. Elend didn’t cringe. He’d grown up with this man, been raised by him, been tortured by him. And, despite it all, Elend had never spoken his mind. He’d rebelled with the petty timidity of a teenage boy, but he’d never spoken the truth.
It felt good. It felt right.
Perhaps playing the weak hand was a mistake against Straff. He always was fond of crushing things.
And suddenly Elend knew what he had to do. He smiled, looking Straff in the eyes.