My children dead, our hand exposed, and that … creature of Elend’s still lives!
“I’m sorry, Father,” Zane said. “I thought that the chaos and crowded quarters would keep the girl isolated, and force her not to use coins. I really thought this would work.”
Straff frowned. He well knew that Zane thought himself more competent than his father; what Mistborn wouldn’t think such a thing? Only a delicate mixture of bribery, threats, and manipulation kept Zane under control.
Yet, no matter what Zane thought, Straff was no fool. He knew, at that moment, that Zane was hiding something. Why send those men to die? Straff thought. He must have intended them to fail—otherwise he would have helped them fight the girl.
“No,” Zane said softly, talking to himself as he sometimes did. “He’s my father …” He trailed off, then shook his head sharply. “No. Not them either.”
Lord Ruler, Straff thought, looking down at the muttering madman beside him. What have I gotten myself into? Zane was growing more unpredictable. Had he sent those men to die out of jealousy, out of lust for violence, or had he simply been bored? Straff didn’t think that Zane had turned on him, but it was difficult to tell. Either way, Straff didn’t like having to rely on Zane for his plans to work. He didn’t really like having to rely on Zane for anything.
Zane looked up at Straff, and stopped talking. He did a good job of hiding his insanity, most of the time. A good enough job that Straff sometimes forgot about it. Yet, it still lurked there, beneath the surface. Zane was as dangerous a tool as Straff had ever used. The protection provided by a Mistborn outweighed the danger of Zane’s insanity.
Barely.
“You needn’t worry, Father,” Zane said. “The city will still be yours.”
“It will never be mine as long as that woman lives,” Straff said. He shivered. Perhaps that’s what this was all about. Zane’s attack was so obvious that everyone in the city knows I was behind it, and when that Mistborn demon wakes, she will come after me in retribution.
But, if that were Zane’s goal, then why not just kill me himself? Zane didn’t make sense. He didn’t have to. That was, perhaps, one of the advantages of being insane.
Zane shook his head. “I think you will be surprised, Father. One way or another, you will soon have nothing to fear from Vin.”
“She thinks I tried to have her beloved king assassinated.”
Zane smiled. “No, I don’t think that she does. She’s far too clever for that.”
Too clever to see the truth? Straff thought. However, his tin-enhanced ears heard shuffling in the mists. He held up a hand, halting his procession. In the distance, he could just barely pick out the flickering blobs of wall-top torches. They were close to the city—uncomfortably close.
Straff’s procession waited quietly. Then, from the mists before them, a man on horseback appeared, accompanied by fifty soldiers of his own. Ferson Penrod.
“Straff,” Penrod said, nodding.
“Ferson.”
“Your men did well,” Penrod said. “I’m glad your son didn’t have to die. He’s a good lad. A bad king, but an earnest man.”
A lot of my sons died today, Ferson, Straff thought. The fact that Elend still lives isn’t fortunate—it’s irony.
“You are ready to deliver the city?” Straff asked.
Penrod nodded. “Philen and his merchants want assurances that they will have titles to match those Cett promised them.”
Straff waved a dismissive hand. “You know me, Ferson.” You used to practically grovel before me at parties every week. “I always honor business agreements. I’d be an idiot not to appease those merchants—they’re the ones who will bring me tax revenue from this dominance.”
Penrod nodded. “I’m glad we could come to an understanding, Straff. I don’t trust Cett.”
“I doubt you trust me,” Straff said.
Penrod smiled. “But I do know you, Straff. You’re one of us—a Luthadel nobleman. Besides, you have produced the most stable kingdom in the dominances. That’s all we’re looking for right now. A little stability for this people.”
“You almost sound like that fool son of mine.”
Penrod paused, then shook his head. “Your boy isn’t a fool, Straff. He’s just an idealist. In truth, I’m sad to see his little utopia fall.”
“If you are sad for him, Ferson, then you are an idiot, too.”
Penrod stiffened. Straff caught the man’s proud eyes, holding them with his stare, until Penrod looked down. The exchange was a simple one, mostly meaningless—but it did serve as a very important reminder.
Straff chuckled. “You’re going to have to get used to being a small fish again, Ferson.”
“I know.”
“Be cheerful,” Straff said. “Assuming this turnover of power happens as you promised, no one will have to end up dead. Who knows, maybe I’ll let you keep that crown of yours.”
Penrod looked up.
“For a long time, this land didn’t have kings,” Straff said quietly. “It had something greater. Well, I’m not the Lord Ruler—but I can be an emperor. You want to keep your crown and rule as a subject king under me?”
“That depends on the cost, Straff,” Penrod said carefully.
Not completely quelled, then. Penrod had always been clever; he’d been the most important nobleman to stay behind in Luthadel, and his gamble had certainly worked.
“The cost is exorbitant,” Straff said. “Ridiculously so.”
“The atium,” Penrod guessed.
Straff nodded. “Elend hasn’t found it, but it’s here, somewhere. I was the one who mined those geodes—my men spent decades harvesting them and bringing them to Luthadel. I know how much of it we harvested, and I know that nowhere near the same amount came back out in disbursements to the nobility. The rest is in that city, somewhere.”
Penrod nodded. “I’ll see what I can find, Straff.”
Straff raised an eyebrow. “You need to get back into practice, Ferson.”
Penrod paused, then bowed his head. “I’ll see what I can find, my lord.”
“Good. Now, what news did you bring of Elend’s mistress?”
“She collapsed after the fight,” Penrod said. “I employ a spy on the cooking staff, and she said she delivered a bowl of broth to Lady Vin’s room. It returned cold.”
Straff frowned. “Could this woman of yours slip the Mistborn something?”
Penrod paled slightly. “I … don’t think that would be wise, my lord. Besides, you know Mistborn constitutions.”
Perhaps she really is incapacitated, Straff thought. If we moved in … The chill of her touch on his emotions returned. Numbness. Nothingness.
“You needn’t fear her so, my lord,” Penrod said.
Straff raised an eyebrow. “I’m not afraid, I’m wary. I will not move into that city until my safety is assured—and until I move in, your city is in danger from Cett. Or, worse. What would happen if those koloss decide to attack the city, Ferson? I’m in negotiations with their leader, and he seems to be able to control them. For now. Have you ever seen the aftermath of a koloss slaughter?”