The Hero of Ages

capable of. Why should I be so suspicious of Spook? Is it simply because I know him too well? Do I focus on my memories of the boy when he has obviously become a man?

'Anyway,' Spook said, 'how goes the research?'

'Rather well, actually,' Sazed said, turning around several of his diagrams so that Spook could see them. 'I am about ready to begin work on the actual construction.'

'How long will it take, do you think?'

'A few weeks, perhaps,' Sazed said. 'A rather short time, all things considered. Fortunately, the people who drained the canals left behind a large amount of rubble, which I can use. In addition, the Lord Ruler stocked this storehouse quite well. There is timber, as well as some basic carpentry supplies, and even some pulley networks.'

'What was that creature preparing for?' Breeze said. 'Food and water, I can understand. But, blankets? Timber? Pulleys?'

'Disaster, Lord Breeze,' Sazed said. 'He included everything that a people would need in the event that the city itself was destroyed. He even included bedrolls for sleeping and infirmary supplies. Perhaps he feared koloss rampages.'

'No,' Spook said. 'He prepared for exactly what is happening. Now, you'll be building something to plug the water? I kind of thought you'd just collapse the tunnels.'

'Oh, goodness no,' Sazed said. 'We don't have the manpower or equipment to cause a cave-in. Also, I wouldn't want to do anything that would risk bringing the cavern down upon us. My plans are to build a wooden blocking mechanism that can be lowered into the current. Enough weight, along with the proper framework, should provide reinforcement to stop the flow. It's actually not unlike the mechanisms used in the locks of canals.'

'Which,' Breeze added, 'he'll be happy to tell you about. At length.'

Sazed smiled. 'I do think that-'

He was cut off, however, as Captain Goradel arrived, looking a fair bit more solemn than usual.

'Lord Spook,' Goradel said. 'Someone is waiting for you above.'

'Who?' Spook asked. 'Durn?'

'No, my lord. She says she's the Citizen's sister.'

'I'm not here to join with you,' the woman-Beldre-said.

They sat in an austere audience chamber in the Inquisition building above their cavern. The room's chairs lacked any sort of cushioning, and steel plates hung on the wooden walls as decoration-to Sazed, they were uncomfortable reminders of what he had seen when he had visited the Conventical of Seran.

Beldre was a young woman with auburn hair. She wore a simple, Citizen-approved dress, dyed red. She sat with hands in lap, and while she met the eyes of those in the room, there was a nervous apprehension to her that weakened her position considerably.

'Why are you here then, my dear?' Breeze asked carefully. He sat in a chair across from Beldre. Allrianne sat at his side, watching the girl with an air of disapproval. Spook paced in the background, occasionally shooting glances at the window.

He thinks this is a feint, Sazed realized. That the girl is a distraction to throw us off before we get attacked. The boy wore his dueling canes, strapped to his waist like swords. How well did Spook even know how to fight?

'I'm here. .' Beldre said, looking down. 'I'm here because you're going to kill my brother.'

'Now, where did you get an idea like that!' Breeze said. 'We're in the city to forge a treaty with your brother, not assassinate him! Do we look like the types who would be very good at that sort of thing?'

Beldre shot a glance at Spook.

'Him excluded,' Breeze said. 'Spook is harmless. Really, you shouldn't-'

'Breeze,' Spook interrupted, glancing over with his strange, bandaged eyes, spectacles hidden underneath and bulging out from the face just slightly under the cloth. 'That's enough. You're making us both seem like idiots. Beldre knows why we're here-everyone in the city knows why we're here.'

The room fell silent.

He. . looks a little bit like an Inquisitor, wearing those spectacles beneath the bandages, Sazed thought, shivering.

'Beldre,' Spook said. 'You honestly expect us to think that you came here simply to plead for your brother's life?'

She glanced at Spook, defiantly meeting his eyes-or, rather, his lack thereof. 'You can try to sound harsh, but I know you won't hurt me. You're of the Survivor's crew.'

Spook folded his arms.

'Please,' Beldre said. 'Quellion is a good man, like you. You have to give him more time. Don't kill him.'

'What makes you think we'd kill him, child?' Sazed asked. 'You just said that you thought we would never harm you. Why is your brother different?'

Beldre glanced down. 'You're the ones who killed the Lord Ruler. You overthrew the entire empire. My brother doesn't believe it-he thinks that you rode the Survivor's popularity, claiming to be his friends after he'd sacrificed himself.'

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