28

In Keep Lekal’s pyramid ballroom, Vin admires stained glass echoing the logbook’s imagery and reflects on the Deepness. She locates Lady Kliss and plants a crafted lie: House Hasting is secretly shifting resources south to withdraw from Luthadel. The rumor, backed by Dockson’s forgeries, is meant to erode Hasting’s contracts and alliances.

Vin meets Elend on the balcony. They share a near-kiss before Elend urges Valette to leave Luthadel, warning the city is spiraling and hinting Venture’s power is more fragile than it appears. He confides that House Venture administers the Lord Ruler’s atium mining and is struggling to meet quotas—critical to imperial Allomantic economics and Venture’s standing. Vin cautions him about Shan Elariel.

Determined to protect Elend, Vin confronts Shan directly, but Shan curtly dismisses her, seemingly jealous and no longer willing to use Valette in her schemes. Vin withdraws to seek other ways to learn Shan’s plans.

Meanwhile, Elend retires to the gentlemen’s lounge with Jastes and Telden. They question Valette’s motives; Elend defends her but remains uneasy. Returning to Keep Venture, Elend spars with his father, Straff, who orders him to a political luncheon with Lord Tegas’s daughter. Elend mentions hearing that Hasting might bolt the city—unknowingly repeating Vin’s planted rumor—and endures Straff’s contempt.

Later, Jastes arrives at Venture to report he had Valette followed: her carriage left the city empty, implying she slipped away inside Luthadel. Alarmed—especially after revealing the atium secret—Elend decides to comply with Straff’s luncheon in exchange for borrowing spies, instructing they be used to follow Valette.