Vin kicked up the staff of the man she’d just killed, catching it. A Coinshot cried out as she growled and dashed toward them, spinning her weapon. One had the presence of mind to Push off the bleachers and launch himself away. Vin’s weapon still caught him in midair, throwing him to the side. The next swing took down his companion, who had tried to dash away.
Elend stood breathing heavily, his costume disheveled.
He did better than I thought he would, Vin admitted, flexing, trying to judge the damage to her side. She needed to get a bandage on that shoulder. The coin hadn’t hit bone, but the bleeding would—
“Vin!” Elend cried out.
Something very strong suddenly grabbed her from behind. Vin choked as she was jerked backward and thrown to the ground.
The first Thug. She’d broken his leg, then forgotten—
He got his hands around her neck, squeezing as he knelt above her, his legs pressing against her chest, his face wild with rage. His eyes bulged, adrenaline mixing with pewter.
Vin gasped for breath. She was taken back to years before, to beatings performed by men looming above her. Camon, and Reen, and a dozen others.
No! she thought, flaring her pewter, struggling. He had her pinned, however, and he was much larger then she was. Much stronger. Elend slammed his staff against the man’s back, but the Thug barely even flinched.
Vin couldn’t breathe. She felt her throat being crushed. She tried to pry the Thug’s hands apart, but it was as Ham had always said. Her small size was a great advantage to her in most situations—but when it came down to brute strength, she was no match for a man of bulk and muscle. She tried Pulling herself to the side, but the man’s grip was too strong, her weight too small compared with his.
She struggled in vain. She had duralumin still—burning it only made other metals vanish, not the duralumin itself—but last time that had nearly gotten her killed. If she didn’t take the Thug down quickly, she’d be left without pewter once again.
Elend pounded, yelling for help, but his voice sounded distant. The Thug pressed his face almost up against Vin’s, and she could see his fury. At that moment, incredibly, a thought occurred to her.
Where have I seen this man before?
Her vision darkened. However, as the Thug constricted his grip, he leaned closer, closer, closer. …
She didn’t have a choice. Vin burned duralumin and flared her pewter. She flung her opponent’s hands aside and smashed her head upward into his face.
The man’s head exploded as easily as the eyeball had earlier.
Vin gasped for breath and pushed the headless corpse off her. Elend stumbled back, his suit and face sprayed red. Vin stumbled to her feet. Her vision swam as her pewter dissipated—but even through that, she could see an emotion on Elend’s face, stark as the blood on his brilliant white uniform.
Horror.
No, she thought, her mind fading. Please, Elend, not that. …
She fell forward, unable to maintain consciousness.
Elend sat in his ruined suit, hands against forehead, the wreckage of the Assembly Hall hauntingly empty around him.
“She’ll live,” Ham said. “She actually isn’t hurt that badly. Or … well, not that badly for Vin. She just needs plenty of pewter and some of Sazed’s care. He says the ribs aren’t even broken, just cracked.”
Elend nodded absently. Some soldiers were clearing away the corpses, among them the six men that Vin had killed, including the one at the end. …
Elend squeezed his eyes shut.
“What?” Ham asked.
Elend opened his eyes, forming his hand into a fist to keep it from shaking. “I know you’ve seen a lot of battles, Ham,” he said. “But, I’m not used to them. I’m not used to …” He turned away as the soldiers dragged away the headless body.
Ham watched the corpse go.
“I’ve only actually seen her fight once before, you know,” Elend said quietly. “In the palace, a year ago. She only threw a few men against the walls. It was nothing like this.”
Ham took a seat beside Elend on the benches. “She’s Mistborn, El. What did you expect? A single Thug can easily take down ten men—dozens, if he has a Coinshot to support him. A Mistborn … well, they’re like an army in one person.”
Elend nodded. “I know, Ham. I know she killed the Lord Ruler—she’s even told me how she faced several Steel Inquisitors. But … I’ve just never seen …”
He closed his eyes again. The image of Vin stumbling toward him at the end, her beautiful white ball gown covered in the gore of a man she’d just killed with her forehead …
She did it to protect me, he thought. But that doesn’t make it any less disturbing.
Maybe that even makes it a little more disturbing.
He forced his eyes open. He couldn’t afford to be distracted; he had to be strong. He was king.
“You think Straff sent them?” Elend asked.
Ham nodded. “Who else? They targeted you and Cett. I guess your threat to kill Straff wasn’t as binding as we assumed.”
“How is Cett?”
“He barely escaped alive. As it is, they slaughtered half of his soldiers. In the fray, Demoux and I couldn’t even see what was happening up on the stage with you and Vin.”
Elend nodded. By the time Ham had arrived, Vin had already dealt with the assassins. It had taken her only a few minutes to wipe out all six of them.
Ham was silent for a moment. Finally, he turned to Elend. “I’ll admit, El,” he said quietly. “I’m impressed. I didn’t see the fight, but I saw the aftermath. It’s one thing to fight six Allomancers, but it’s another to do that while trying to protect a regular person, and to keep any bystanders from harm. And that last man …”
“Do you remember when she saved Breeze?” Elend asked. “It was so far away, but I swear I saw her throw horses into the air with her Allomancy. Have you ever heard of anything like that?”
Ham shook his head.
Elend sat quietly for a moment. “I think we need to do some planning. What with today’s events, we can’t …”
Ham looked up as Elend trailed off. “What?”
“Messenger,” Elend said, nodding toward the doorway. Sure enough, the man presented himself to the soldiers, then was escorted up to the stage. Elend stood, walking over to meet the short man, who wore Penrod’s heraldry on his coat.
“My lord,” the man said, bowing. “I’ve been sent to inform you that the voting will proceed at Lord Penrod’s mansion.”
“The voting?” Ham asked. “What nonsense is this? His Majesty was nearly killed today!”
“I’m sorry, my lord,” the aide said. “I was simply told to deliver the message.”
Elend sighed. He’d hoped that, in the confusion, Penrod wouldn’t remember the deadline. “If they don’t choose a new leader today, Ham, then I get to retain the crown. They’ve already wasted their grace period.”
Ham sighed. “And if there are more assassins?” he asked quietly. “Vin will be laid up for a few days, at least.”
“I can’t rely on her to protect me all the time,” Elend said. “Let’s go.”