Mistborn #04 The Alloy of Law

table before we sat, Waxillium thought. Would that have seemed too paranoid? He didn’t feel paranoid; he didn’t lie awake at nights, worried that he’d be shot, or think that conspiracies were trying to destroy him. He just liked to be careful.
    Marasi was still looking at Wayne; she seemed bemused.
    “We aren’t what you expected,” Waxillium said. “From the reports you read?”
    “No,” she admitted. “The accounts usually omitted matters of personality.”
    “There are stories ’bout us?” Wayne asked.
    “Yes. Many.”
    “Damn.” He sounded impressed. “Do we get royalties for them or something? If we do, I want Wax’s share, seeing as to how I did all the stuff they say he did. Plus he’s already rich and all.”
    “They are news-style reports,” Marasi said. “Those don’t pay royalties to their subjects.”
    “Filthy cheats.” Wayne paused. “I wonder if any of the other fine ladies in this establishment have heard of my outrageously heroic and masculine exploits.…”
    “Lady Marasi is a student at the university,” Waxillium said. “I’m assuming she read reports that are collected there. Most of the public won’t be familiar with them.”
    “That is true,” she said.
    “Oh,” Wayne said, sounding disappointed. “Well, maybe Lady Marasi herself might be interested in hearing more of my outrageously—”
    “Wayne?”
    “Yes.”
    “Enough.”
    “Right.”
    “I do apologize for him,” Waxillium said, turning to Marasi. She still wore the bemused expression on her face.
    “He does that a lot,” Wayne said. “Apologizing. I think it’s one of his personal failings. I try to help him out by being damn near perfect, but so far, that hasn’t been enough.”
    “It’s quite all right,” she said. “I do wonder if I should write something for my professors describing how … unique it was to meet you two.”
    “What is it, exactly, that you are studying at the university?” Waxillium asked.
    She hesitated, then blushed deeply.
    “Ah, see!” Wayne said. “Now, that’s how to act shy. You’re getting much better! Bravo.”
    “It’s just that…” She raised a hand to shade her eyes and looked down in embarrassment. “It’s just … Oh, all right. I’m studying legal justice and criminal behavioristics.”
    “That’s something to be ashamed of?” Waxillium said, sharing a confused look with Wayne.
    “Well, I’ve been told it’s not very feminine,” she said. “But beyond that … well, I’m sitting with you two … and … well, you know … you’re two of the most famous lawkeepers in the world, and all…”
    “Trust me,” Waxillium said. “We don’t know as much as you might think.”
    “Now, if you were studying buffoonery and idiotic behavior,” Wayne added, “ that is something we’re experts on.”
    “That’s two things,” Waxillium said.
    “Don’t care.” Wayne continued eating the bread. “So where are the other two? I’m assuming you didn’t really devour them. Wax only eats people on the weekend.”
    “Both will likely be returning soon, Wayne,” Waxillium said. “So if you had a purpose to your visit, you may wish to be on with it. Unless this is just normal, run-of-the-mill tormenting.”
    “I told you what it was about,” Wayne said. “You didn’t accidentally eat my note, did you?”
    “No. It didn’t say much.”
    “It said enough,” Wayne said, leaning in. “Wax, you told me to look at the hostages. You were right.”
    “They’re all Allomancers,” Waxillium guessed.
    “More than that,” Wayne said. “They’re all relatives.”
    “It’s only been three hundred years since the Originators, Wayne. We’re all relatives.”
    “Does that mean you’ll take responsibility for me?”
    “No.”
    Wayne chuckled, pulling a folded piece of paper from his duster pocket. “It’s more than that, Wax. Look. Each of the women kidnapped was from a particular line. I did some researchin’ . Real, serious stuff.” He paused. “Why do they call it re search if I’ve only done it this one time?”
    “Because I’ll bet you had to look things up twice,” Waxillium said, taking the paper and studying it. It was written awkwardly, but was decipherable. It explained the basic lines of descent of each of the women kidnapped.
    Several things stood out. Each of them could trace back to the Lord Mistborn himself. Because of that, most of them also had a strong heritage of Allomancy in their past. They were