Page 94 of The Well of Ascension
Vin sensed a hesitant reluctance to his words, and he didn’t look at her. It was as if he spoke grudgingly, giving up information that he’d rather have kept to himself.
So secretive,Vin thought. “Thank you,” she said.
OreSeur shrugged a pair of canine shoulders.
“I know you’d rather not have to deal with me,” she said. “We’d both rather keep our distance from each other. But, we’ll just have to make things work this way.”
OreSeur nodded again, then turned his head slightly and looked at her. “Why is it that you hate me?”
“I don’t hate you,” Vin said.
OreSeur raised a canine eyebrow. There was a wisdom in those eyes, an understanding that Vin was surprised to see. She’d never seen such things in him before.
“I…” Vin trailed off, looking away. “I just haven’t ever gotten over the fact that you ate Kelsier’s body.”
“That isn’t it,” OreSeur said, turning back to look at the city. “You’re too smart to be bothered by that.”
Vin frowned indignantly, but the kandra wasn’t looking at her. She turned, staring back up at the mists.Why did he bring this up?she thought.We were just starting to get along.She’d been willing to forget.
You really want to know?she thought.Fine.
“It’s because you knew,” she whispered.
“Excuse me, Mistress?”
“You knew,” Vin said, still looking into the mists. “You were the only one on the crew who knew Kelsier was going to die. He told you that he was going to let himself be killed, and that you were to take his bones.”
“Ah,” OreSeur said quietly.
Vin turned accusing eyes at the creature. “Why didn’t you say something? You knew how we felt about Kelsier. Did you evenconsidertelling us that the idiot planned to kill himself? Did it even cross your mind that we might be able to stop him, that we might be able to find another way?”
“You are being quite harsh, Mistress.”
“Well, you wanted to know,” Vin said. “It was worst right after he died. When you came to be my servant, by his order. You never even spoke of what you’d done.”
“The Contract, Mistress,” OreSeur said. “You do not wish to hear this, perhaps, but I was bound. Kelsier did not wish you to know of his plans, so I could not tell you. Hate me if you must, but I do not regret my actions.”
“I don’t hate you.”I got over that.“But, honestly, you wouldn’t even break the Contract for his own good? You served Kelsier for two years. Didn’t it even hurt you to know he was going to die?”
“Why should I care if one master or another dies?” OreSeur said. “There is always another to take their place.”
“Kelsier wasn’t that kind of master,” Vin said.
“Wasn’t he?”
“No.”
“I apologize, Mistress,” OreSeur said. “I will believe as commanded, then.”
Vin opened her mouth to reply, then snapped it closed. If he was determined to keep thinking like a fool, then it was his right to do so. He could continue to resent masters, just as…
Just as she resented him. For keeping his word, for holding to his Contract.
Ever since I’ve known him, I’ve done nothing but treat him poorly,Vin thought.First, when he was Renoux, I reacted against his haughty bearing—but that bearing wasn’t his, it was part of the act he had to play. Then, as OreSeur, I avoided him. Hated him, even, for letting Kelsier die. Now I’ve forced him into an animal’s body.
And, in two years of knowing him, the only times I’ve asked about his past, I did it so that I could glean more information about his people so that I could find the impostor.
Vin watched the mists. Of all the people in the crew, only OreSeur had been an outsider. He hadn’t been invited to their conferences. He hadn’t inherited a position in the government. He’d helped as much as any of them, playing a vital role—that of the “spirit” Kelsier, who had returned from the grave to incite the skaa to their final rebellion. Yet, while the rest of them had titles, friendships, and duties, the only thing OreSeur had gained from overthrowing the Final Empire was another master.
