“Elend: I kind of lost track of time…Breeze: For two hours?Elend: There were books involved.”

“Well, then," he said. "Let's do it.""What?" Vin asked."Save the world." Elend said. "Stop the ash.”

“Ham smiled. "Cett's going to be furious."Elend shrugged. "He's a paraplegic. What's he going to do? Bite us?”

“Elend started. "Vin!" Then, he smiled. "What took you so long?""I got delayed by an Inquistor and a dark god," she said. "Now hustle.”

“What if they take you captive?” Goradel asked.“My dear man,” Breeze said, leaning forward to look out at Goradel. “That’s why kings send ambassadors. This way, if someone gets captured, the king is still safe. We, my friend, are something Elend can never be: expendable.”Goradel frowned at that. “I don’t feel very expendable.”

“Great, Elend thought. I’ve filled my inner council with a bunch of thrill-seeking masochists. Even worse, I’ve decided to join them.”

“Vin,” he said flatly, “did you just suggest that we attend a ball being held in the middle of a city we’re besieging?”“You think it’s a good idea,” Vin said, smiling impishly.“It’s a crazy idea,” Elend said. “I’m emperor—I shouldn’t be sneaking into the enemy city so I can go to a party.”Vin narrowed her eyes, staring at him.“I will admit, however,” Elend said, “that the concept does have considerable charm.”