Well of Ascension

by Brandon Sanderson

  The soldier hesitated, then rushed from the room. Straff focused on his breathing. In and out. In and out. Zane was a snake. In and out. In and out. Zane hadn't wanted to use the knife-no, that was expected. In and out. But when had the poison come? Straff had been feeling ill the entire day before.

  "My lord?"

  Amaranta stood at the doorway. She had been beautiful once, before age had gotten to her-as it got to all of them. Childbirth destroyed a woman. So succulent she had been, with her firm breasts and smooth, unblemished

  skin....

  Your mind is wandering, Straff told himself. Focus.

  "I need ... antidote," Straff forced out, focusing on the Amaranta of the now: the woman in her late twenties, the old-yet still useful-thing that kept him alive in the face of Zane's poisons.

  "Of course, my lord," Amaranta said, walking over to his poison cabinet, getting out the necessary ingredients.

  Straff settled back, focusing on his breathing. Amaranta must have sensed his urgency, for she hadn't even tried to get him to bed her. He watched her work, getting out her burner and ingredients. He needed ... to find ... Zane

  She wasn't doing it the right way.

  Straff burned tin. The sudden flash of sensitivity nearly blinded him, even in the shade of his tent, and his aches and shivers became sharp and excruciating. But his mind cleared, as if he'd suddenly bathed in frigid water.

  Amaranta was preparing the wrong ingredients. Straff didn't know a great deal about the making of antidotes. He'd been forced to delegate this duty, instead focusing his efforts on learning to recognize the details-the scents, the tastes, the discolorations-of poisons. Yet, he had watched Amaranta prepare her catch-all antidote on numerous occasions. And she was doing it differently this time.

  He forced himself out of his chair, keeping tin flared, though it caused his eyes to water. "What are you doing?" he said, walking on unsteady feet toward her.

  Amaranta looked up, shocked. The guilt that flashed in her eyes was enough confirmation.

  "What are you doing!" Straff bellowed, fear giving him strength as he grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her. He was weakened, but he was still much stronger than she.

  The woman looked down. "Your antidote, my lord ..."

  "You're making it the wrong way!" Straff said.

  "I thought, you looked fatigued, so I might add something to help you stay awake."

  Straff paused. The words seemed logical, though he was having trouble thinking. Then, looking down at the chagrined woman, he noticed something. His eyes enhanced beyond natural detail, he caught a slight glimpse of a bit of uncovered flesh beneath her bodice.

  He reached down and ripped off the side of her dress, exposing her skin. Her left breast-disgusting to him, for it sagged a slight bit-was scarred and cut, as if by a knife. None of the scars were fresh, but even in his addled state, Straff recognized Zane's handiwork.

  "You're his lover?" Straff said.

  "It's your fault," Amaranta hissed. "You abandoned me, once I aged and bore you a few children. Everyone told me you would, but yet, I hoped ..."

  Straff felt himself growing weak. Dizzy, he rested a hand on the wooden poisons cabinet.

  "Yet," Amaranta said, tears on her cheeks. "Why did you have to take Zane from me, too? What did you do. to draw him off? To make him stop coming to me?"

  "You let him poison me," Straff said, falling to one knee.

  "Fool," Amaranta spat. "He never poisoned you-not a single time. Though, at my request, he often made you think that he had. And then, each time, you ran to me. You suspected everything Zane did-and yet, you never once paused to think what was in the 'antidote' I gave you."

  "It made me better," Straff mumbled.

  "That's what happens when you're addicted to a drug, Straff," Amaranta whispered. "When you get it, you feel better. When you don't get it... you die." Straff closed his eyes.

  "You're mine now. Straff," she said. "I can make you-"

  Straff bellowed, gathering what strength he had and throwing himself at the woman. She cried in surprise as he tackled her, pushing her to the ground.

  Then she said nothing, for Straff's hands choked her windpipe. She struggled for a bit, but Straff weighed far more than she did. He'd intended to demand the antidote, to force her to save him, but he wasn't thinking clearly. His vision began to fuzz, his mind dim.

  By the time he regained his wits, Amaranta was blue and dead on the ground before him. He wasn't certain how long he'd been strangling her corpse. He rolled off her, toward the open cabinet. On his knees, he reached up for the burner, but his shaking hands toppled it to the side, spilling hot liquid across the floor.

  Cursing to himself, he grabbed a flagon of unheated water and began to throw handfuls of herbs into it. He stayed away from the drawers that held the poisons, sticking to those that held antidotes. Yet, there were many crossovers. Some things were poisonous in large doses, but could cure in smaller amounts. Most were addictive. He didn't have time to worry about that; he could feel the weakness in his limbs, and he could barely grab the handfuls of herbs. Bits of brown and red shook from his fingers as he dumped handful after handful into the mixture.

  One of these was the herb that she'd gotten him addicted to. Any one of the others might kill him. He wasn't even sure what the odds were.

  He drank the concoction anyway, gulping it down between choking gasps for air, then let himself slip into unconsciousness.

  I have no doubt that if Alendi reaches the Well of Ascension, he will take the power and then-in the name of the presumed greater good-give it up.

  50

  "ARE THOSE THE FELLOWS YOU want. Lady Cett?"

  Allrianne scanned the valley-and the army it contained-then looked down at the bandit, Hobart. He smiled eagerly-or, well, he kind of smiled. Hobart had fewer teeth than he had fingers, and he was missing a couple of those.

  Allrianne smiled back from atop her horse. She sat sidesaddle, reins held lightly in her fingers. "Yes, I do believe that it is, Master Hobart."

  Hobart looked back at his band of thugs, grinning. Allrianne Rioted them all a bit, reminding them how much they wanted her promised reward. Her father's army spread out before them in the distance. She had wandered for an entire day. traveling west, looking for it. But, she'd been heading in the wrong direction. If she hadn't run afoul of Hobart's helpful little gang, she would have been forced to sleep outside.

  And that would have been rather unpleasant.

  "Come, Master Hobart," she said, moving her horse forward. "Let's go and meet with my father."

  The group followed happily, one of them leading her packhorse. There was a certain charm to simple men, like Hobart's crew. They really only wanted three things: money, food, and sex. And they could usually use the first to get the other two. When she'd first run across this group, she'd blessed her fortune-despite the fact that they had been running down a hillside in ambush, intent on robbing and raping her. Another charm about men like these was that they were rather inexperienced with Allomancy.

  She kept a firm hold on their emotions as they rode down toward the camp. She didn't want them reaching any disappoindng conclusions-such as "Ransoms are usually bigger than rewards." She couldn't control them completely, of course-she could only influence them. However, with men so base, it was fairly easy to read what was going on in their heads. It was amusing how quickly a little promise of wealth could turn brutes into near gentlemen.

  Of course, there wasn't much of a challenge in dealing with men like Hobart, either. No ... no challenge, as there had been with Breezy. Now, that had been fun. And rewarding, too. She doubted she'd ever find a man as aware of his emotions, and as aware of the emotions of others, as Breezy. Getting a man like him-a man so expert in Allomancy so determined that his age made him inappropriate for her-to love her ... well, that had been a true accomplishment.

  Ah, Breezy, she thought as they passed out of the forest and onto the hillside before the army. Do an
y of your friends even understand what a noble man you are?

  They really didn't treat him well enough. Of course, that was to be expected. That was what Breezy wanted. People who underestimated you were easier to manipulate. Yes. Allrianne understood this concept quite well-for there were few things more quickly dismissed than a young, silly girl.

  "Halt!" a soldier said, riding up with an honor guard. They had swords drawn. "Step away from her, you!"

  Oh, honestly, Allrianne thought, rolling her eyes. She Rioted the group of soldiers, enhancing their sense of calmness. She didn'.t want any accidents.

  "Please, Captain," she said as Hobart and his crew drew weapons, huddling around her uncertainly. "These men have rescued me from the savage wilderness and brought me safely home, at much personal cost and danger."

  Hobart nodded firmly, an action undermined just a bit as he wiped his nose on his sleeve. The soldier captain looked over the ash-stained, motley-clothed group of bandits, then frowned.

  "See that these men have a good meal, Captain," she said airily, kicking her horse forward. "And give them space for the night. Hobart, I'll send your reward once I meet with my father."

  Bandits and soldiers moved in behind her, and Allrianne made sure to Riot them both, enhancing their senses of trust. It was a tough sell for the soldiers, especially as the wind shifted, blowing the full stench of the bandit crew across them. Still, they all reached the camp without incident.

  The groups parted, Allrianne giving her horses to an aide and calling for a page to warn her father that she'd returned. She dusted off her riding dress, then strode through camp, smiling pleasantly and looking forward to a bath and the other comforts-such as they were-that the army could provide. However, first there were things she needed to attend to.

  Her father liked to spend evenings in his open-sided planning pavilion, and he sat there now, arguing with a messenger. He looked over as Allrianne swished into the pavilion, smiling sweetly at Lords Galivan and Detor, her father's generals.

  Cett sat on a high-legged chair so he could get a good view of his table and its maps. "Well, damn it," he said. "You are back."

  Allrianne smiled, wandering around his planning table, looking at the map. It detailed the supply lines back to the Western Dominance. What she saw was not good.

  "Rebellions back home. Father?" she asked.

  "And ruffians attacking my supply carts," Cett said. "That boy Venture bribed them, I'm sure of it."

  "Yes, he did," Allrianne said. "But. that's all pointless now. Did you miss me?" She made sure to Tug strongly on his sense of devotion.

  Cett snorted, pulling at his beard. "Fool of a girl," he said. "I should have left you home."

  "So I could have fallen to your enemies when they raised a rebellion?" she asked. "We both know that Lord Yomen was going to move the moment you pulled your armies out of the dominance."

  "And I should have let that damn obligator have you!"

  Allrianne gasped. "Father! Yomen would have held me for ransom. You know how terribly I wilt when I'm locked up."

  Cett glanced at her, and then-apparently despite himself-he started to chuckle. "You'd've had him feeding you gourmet foods before the day was through. Maybe I should have left you behind. Then, at least, I'd have known where you were-rather than worrying where you'd run off to next. You didn't bring that idiot Breeze back with you. did you?"

  "Father!" Allrianne said. "Breezy is a good man."

  "Good men die quickly in this world, Allrianne," Cett said. "I know-I've killed enough of them."

  "Oh, yes," Allrianne said, "you're very wise. And taking an aggressive stance against Luthadel had such a positive outcome, didn't it? Chased away with your tail between your legs? You'd be dead now, if dear Vin had as little conscience as you."

  "That 'conscience' didn't stop her from killing some three hundred of my men," Cett said.

  "She's a very confused young lady," Allrianne said. "Either way, I do feel obliged to remind you that I was right. You should have made an alliance with the Venture boy. instead of threatening him. That means you owe me five new dresses!"

  Cert rubbed his forehead. "This isn't a damn game, girl."

  "Fashion, Father, is no game," Allrianne said firmly. "I can't very well enchant bandit troops into leading me safely home if I look like a street rat, now can I?"

  "More bandits, Allrianne?" Cett asked with a sigh. "You know how long it took us to get rid of the last group?"

  "Hobart's a wonderful man," Allrianne said testily. "Not to mention well-connected with the local thieving community. Give him some gold and some prostitutes, and you might just be' able to talk him into helping you with those brigands that are attacking your supply lines."

  Cett paused, glancing at the map. Then he began to pull at his beard thoughtfully. "Well, you're back," he finally said. "Guess we'll have to take care of you. I suppose you want someone to carry a litter for you as we head home...."

  "Actually," Allrianne said, "we're not going back to the dominance. We're returning to Luthadel."

  Cett didn't immediately dismiss the comment; he could usually tell when she was being serious. Instead, he simply shook his head. "Luthadel holds nothing for us, Allrianne."

  "We can't go back to the dominance, either," Allrianne said. "Our enemies are too strong, and some of them have Allomancers. That's why we had to come here in the first place. We can't leave the area until we have either money or allies."

  'There's no money in Luthadel," Cett said. "I believe Venture when he says the atium isn't there."

  "I agree," Allrianne said. "I searched that palace well, never found a bit of the stuff. That means we need to leave here with friends, instead of money. Go back, wait for a battle to start, then help whichever side looks like it's going to win. They'll feel indebted to us-they might even decide to let us live."

  Cett stood quietly for a moment. "That's not going to help save your friend Breeze, Allrianne. His faction is by far the weakest-even teaming with the Venture boy, I doubt we could beat Straff or those koloss. Not without access to the city walls and plenty of time to prepare. If we go back, it will be to help your Breeze's enemies."

  Allrianne shrugged. You can't help him if you're not there. Father, she thought. They're going to lose anyway- if you are in the area, then there's a chance you'll end up helping Luthadel.

  A very small chance, Breeze. That's the best I can give you. I’m sorry.

  Elend Venture awoke on their third day out of Luthadel, surprised at how rested he could feel after a night spent in a tent out in the wilderness. Of course, part of that might have been the company.

  Vin Jay curled up beside him in their bedroll, her head resting against his chest. He would have expected her to be a light sleeper, considering how jumpy she was, but she seemed to feel comfortable sleeping beside him. She even seemed to become just a little less anxious when he put his arms around her.

  He looked down at her fondly, admiring the form of her face, the slight curl of her black hair. The cut on her cheek was almost invisible now, and she'd already pulled out the stitches. A constant, low bum of pewter gave the body remarkable strength for recovery. She didn't even favor her right arm anymore-despite the cut shoulder-and her weakness from the fight seemed completely gone.

  She still hadn't given him much of an explanation regarding that night. She had fought Zane-who had apparently been Elend's half brother-and TenSoon the kandra had left. Yet, neither of those things seemed like they could have caused the distress in her he'd sensed when she'd come to him in his rooms.

  He didn't know if he'd ever get the answers he wanted. Yet, he was coming to realize that he could love her even if he didn't completely understand her. He bent down and kissed the top of her head.

  She immediately tensed, eyes opening. She sat up, exposing a bare torso, then glanced around their small tent. It was dimly lit with the light of dawn. Finally, she shook her head, looking over at him. "You're a bad influence on me."


  "Oh?" he asked, smiling as he rested on one arm.

  Vin nodded, running a hand through her hair.."You're making me get used to sleeping at night," she said. "Plus, I don't sleep in my clothing anymore."

  "If you did, it would make things a little awkward."

  "Yes," she said, "but what if we get attacked during the night? I'd have to fight them naked."

  "I wouldn't mind watching that."

  She gave him a flat stare, then reached for a shirt.

  "You're having a bad influence on me, too, you know," he said as he watched her dress.

  She raised an eyebrow.

  "You're making me relax," he said. "And letting me stop worrying. I've been so tied up with things in the city lately that I'd forgotten what it was like to be an impolite recluse. Unfortunately, during our trip, I've had time to read not only one, but all three volumes of Troubeld's Arts of Scholarship."

  Vin snorted, kneeling in the low tent as she pulled her belt tight; then she crawled over to him. "I don't know how you read while riding," she said.

  "Oh, it's quite easy-if you aren't afraid of horses."

  "I'm not afraid of them," Vin said. "They just don't like me. They know I can outrun them, and that makes them surly."

  "Oh, is that it?" Elend asked, smiling, pulling her over to straddle him.

  She nodded, then leaned down to kiss him. She ended it after a moment, however, moving to stand. She swatted his hand away as he tried to pull her back down.

  "After all the trouble I took to get dressed?" she asked. "Besides, I'm hungry."

  He sighed, reclining back as she scampered out of the tent, into the red morning sunlight. He lay for a moment, quietly remarking to himself on his fortune. He still wasn't sure how their relationship had worked out, or even why it made him so happy, but he was more than willing to enjoy the experience.

  Eventually, he looked over at his clothing. He had brought only one of his nice uniforms-along with the riding uniform-and he didn't want to wear either too often. He didn't have servants anymore to wash the ash out of his clothing; in fact, despite the tent's double flap, some ash had managed to work its way inside during the night. Now that they were out of the city, there were no workers to sweep the ash away, and it was getting everywhere.