Mistborn Trilogy - Brandon Sanderson [855]
Spook snorted. “I wonder where your brother got an idea like that. Perhaps he knows someone else who’s claimed to have the Survivor’s blessing, killing people in his name . . .”
Beldre blushed.
“Your brother doesn’t trust us,” Sazed said. “Why do you?”
Beldre shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said quietly. “I guess . . . men who lie don’t save children from burning buildings.”
Sazed glanced at Spook, but couldn’t read anything in the young man’s hard expression. Finally, Spook spoke. “Breeze, Sazed, Allrianne, outside with me. Goradel, watch the woman.”
Spook pushed his way out into the hallway, and Sazed followed with the others. Once the door was closed, Spook turned to regard the rest of them. “Well?”
“I don’t like her,” Allrianne said, folding her arms.
“Of course you don’t, dear,” Breeze said. “You never like competition.”
“Competition?” Allrianne huffed. “From a timid little thing like that? Honestly.”
“What do you think, Breeze?” Spook asked.
“About the girl, or about you insulting me in there?”
“The first,” Spook said. “Your pride isn’t important right now.”
“My dear fellow,” Breeze said, “my pride is always important. As for the girl, I’ll tell you this—she’s terrified. Despite what she says, she’s very, very frightened—which means that she hasn’t done this sort of thing very often. My guess is that she’s noble.”
Allrianne nodded. “Definitely. Just look at her hands—when they’re not shaking from fright, you can see that they’re clean and soft. She grew up being pampered.”
“She’s obviously a bit naive,” Sazed said. “Otherwise she wouldn’t have come here, expecting that we’d just listen to her, then let her go.”
Spook nodded. He cocked his head, as if listening to something. Then he walked forward, pushing open the door to the room.
“Well?” Beldre asked, maintaining her false air of forcefulness. “Have you decided to listen to me?”
“In a way,” Spook said. “I’m going to give you more time to explain your point. Plenty of time, actually.”
“I . . . don’t have long,” Beldre said. “I need to get back to my brother. I didn’t tell him I was leaving, and . . .” She trailed off, apparently seeing something in Spook’s expression. “You’re going to take me captive, aren’t you?”
“Breeze,” Spook said, turning. “How do you think the people would respond if I started spreading the rumor that the Citizen’s own sister has turned against him, fleeing to our embassy for protection?”
Breeze smiled. “Well now. That’s clever! Almost makes up for how you treated me. Have I mentioned yet how rude that was?”
“You can’t!” Beldre said, standing, facing Spook. “Nobody will believe that I’ve deserted!”
“Oh?” Spook asked. “Did you speak to the soldiers outside before you came in here?”
“Of course not,” Beldre said. “They’d have tried to stop me. I ran up the steps before they could.”
“So, they can confirm that you entered the building of your own will,” Spook said. “Sneaking around a guard post.”
“Doesn’t look good,” Breeze agreed.
Beldre wilted slightly, sitting down in her chair. By the Forgotten Gods, Sazed thought. She really is naive. The Citizen must have expended a great deal of effort in sheltering her so.
Of course, from what Sazed had heard, Quellion rarely let the girl out of his sight. She was always with him, being watched over. How will he react? Sazed thought with a chill. What will he do when he learns we have her? Attack?
Perhaps that was the plan. If Spook could force an outright attack on the Citizen’s part, it would look bad. Especially bad when Quellion was turned back by a few soldiers—he couldn’t know how well fortified their position was.
When did Spook get so clever?
Beldre looked up from her seat, a few tears of frustration gleaming in her eyes. “You can’t do this. This is deceitful! What would the Survivor say if he knew what you were planning?”
“The Survivor?” Spook asked, chuckling.