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He froze in the doorway, blocking Vin’s view

She flared pewter and tin i for attackers There was nothing Just silence

"No…" Kelsier whispered

Then Vin saw the trickle of dark red liquid seeping around the side of Kelsier’s foot It pooled slightly, then began to drip down the first step

Oh, Lord Ruler

Kelsier stumbled into the room Vin followed, but she knehat she’d see The corpse lay near the center of the chamber, flayed and disnizable as human The walls were sprayed red

Could one body really produce this much blood? It was just like before, in the basele victim

"Inquisitor," Vin whispered

Kelsier, heedless of the gore, stumbled to his knees beside Marsh’s corpse He raised a hand as if to touch the skinless body, but remained frozen there, stunned

"Kelsier," Vin said urgently "This was recent--the Inquisitor could still be near"

He didn’t move

"Kelsier!" Vin snapped

Kelsier shook, looking around His eyes met hers, and lucidity returned He stu across the roo on a s, tucked half-hidden beneath a blank sheet of paper Vin snatched it as Kelsier reached the

He turned back, looking over the rooht

Farewell, Marsh, Vin thought regretfully, following

" ‘I think that the Inquisitors suspect le sheet recovered fro--was clean and white, free from the blood that stained Kelsier’s knees and the botto as he sat at Clubs’s kitchen table " ‘I’ve been asking too e to the corrupt obligator who supposedly trained ht to seek out the secrets that the rebellion has always needed to kno does the Ministry recruit Mistborn to be Inquisitors? Why are Inquisitors ular Allomancers? What, if any, are their weaknesses?

" ‘Unfortunately, I’ve learned next to nothing about the Inquisitors--though the politicking within the regular Ministry ranks continues to aators don’t even care about the world outside, except for the prestige they earn by being thethe Lord Ruler’s dictates

" ‘The Inquisitors, however, are different They are far ators--and this is, perhaps, part of the dissension between the two groups

" ‘Regardless, I feel that I am close They do have a secret, Kelsier A weakness I’h none of them know it

" ‘I fear that I’ve prodded too much The Inquisitors tail me, watch me, ask after me So, I prepare this note Perhaps my caution is unnecessary

" ‘Perhaps not’ "

Dockson looked up "That’sall it says"

Kelsier stood at the far side of the kitchen, back to the cupboard, reclining in his usual position Butthere was no levity in his posture this tihtly bowed His disbelieving grief appeared to have vanished, replaced with another e darkly behind his eyes Usually when he spoke of the nobility

She shivered despite herself Standing as he was, she was suddenly aware of his clothing--dark gray -sleeved black shirt, charcoal trousers In the night, the clothing was sie In the lit roo

He stood up straight, and the roorew tense

"Tell Renoux to pull out," Kelsier said softly, his voice like iron "He can use the planned exit story--that of a ‘retreat’ back to his faone by to and a Tineye with him as protection, but tell him to abandon his canal boats one day out of the city, then return to us"

Dockson paused, then glanced at Vin and the others "Okay…"

"Marsh knew everything, Dox," Kelsier said "They broke him before they killed him--that’s how Inquisitors work"

He let the words hang Vin felt a chill The lair was compromised

"To the backup lair, then?" Dockson asked "Only you and I knew its location"

Kelsier nodded firmly "I want everyone out of this shop, apprentices included, in fifteen minutes I’ll meet you at the backup lair in two days"

Dockson looked up at Kelsier, frowning "Two days? Kell, what are you planning?"