Mistborn #02 The Well of Ascension

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?"
    He probably hadn't; Straff hadn't until just recently. Penrod just shook his head. "Vin won't attack you. Not if the Assembly votes to put you in command of the city. The transfer will be perfectly legal."
    "I doubt she cares about legality."
    "Perhaps," Penrod said. "But Elend does . And, where he commands, the girl follows."
    Unless he has as little control over her as I have over Zane , Straff thought, shivering. No matter what Penrod said, Straff wasn't going to take the city until that horrible creature was dealt with. In this, he could rely only on Zane.
    And that thought frightened him almost as much as Vin did.
    Without further discussion, Straff waved to Penrod, dismissing him. Penrod turned and retreated into the mists with his entourage. Even with his tin, Straff barely heard Zane land on the ground beside him. Straff turned, looking at the Mistborn.
    "You really think he'd turn the atium over to you if he found it?" Zane asked