“I swear, my dear. Sometimes our conversations remind me of a broken sword."She raised an eyebrow."Sharp as hell," Lightsong said, "but lacking a point.”

“She’s only seventeen years old,” Llarimar said. “I can’t imagine beingmarried to the God King at her age.”“I can’t imagine you being married to the God King at any age, Scoot,”Lightsong said. Then he pointedly cringed. “Actually, yes I can imagine it,and the dress looks painfully inelegant on you. Make a note to have myimagination flogged for its insolence in showing me that par tic u lar sight.”“I’ll put it in line right behind your sense of decorum, Your Grace,”Llarimar said dryly.“Don’t be silly,” Lightsong said, taking a sip of wine. “I haven’t had oneof those in years.”

“Regardless, you ask why Idid not greet you. Well, let us assume that I had acted as you suggest Ishould. Upon your approach, you would have had me gush over you?”“Naturally.”“You would have me point out how stunning you appear in that gown?”“I wouldn’t complain.”“Mention how your dazzling eyes glisten in the fireworks like burningembers?”“That would be nice.”“Expound on how your lips are so perfectly red that they could leave anyman breathless with wonder, yet drive him compose the most brilliant ofpoetry each time he recalled the moment?”“I’d be flattered for certain.”“And you claim you want these reactions from me?”“I do.”“Well blast it, woman,” Lightsong said, picking up his cup. “If I’mstunned, dazzled, and breathless, then how the hell am I supposed to greetyou? By definition, won’t I be struck dumb?”She laughed. “Well, then, you’ve obviously found your tongue now.”“Surprisingly, it was in my mouth,” he said. “I always forget to checkthere.”

“I bring you a message from a friend of ours," she said quietly. "He wanted you to know that he's not dead. He can't be killed.""He is hope."The she raised the spear and rammed it directly into the Lord Ruler's heart.”

“I am what the universe made me to be, my dear.”

“Wit was insulting each person as they stepped onto the island. “Brightness Marakal! What adisaster that hairstyle is; how brave of you to show it to the world. Brightlord Marakal, I wish you’dwarned us you were going to attend; I’d have forgone supper. I do so hate being sick after a full meal.Brightlord Cadilar! How good it is to see you. Your face reminds me of someone dear to me.”“Really?” wizened Cadilar said, hesitating.“Yes,” Wit said, waving him on, “my horse. Ah, Brightlord Neteb, you smell unique today—did youattack a wet whitespine, or did one just sneeze on you? Lady Alami! No, please, don’t speak—it’s mucheasier to maintain my illusions regarding your intelligence that way. And Brightlord Dalinar.” Wit noddedto Dalinar as he passed. “Ah, my dear Brightlord Taselin. Still engaged in your experiment to prove amaximum threshold of human idiocy? Good for you! Very empirical of you.”

“Breeze raised his dueling cane, pointing it at Ham. "I see my period of intellectual respite has come to an end." Ham smiled. "I thought up a couple of beastly questions while I was gone, and I've been saving them just for you, Breeze.""I'm dying of anticipation," Breeze said. He turned his cane toward Lestibournes. "Spook, drink."Spook rushed over and fetched Breeze a cup of wine."He's such a fine lad," Breeze noted, accepting the drink. "I barely even have to nudge him Allomantically. If only the rest of you ruffians were so accommodating."Spook frowned "Niceing the not on the playing without.""I have no idea what you just said, child," Breeze said. "So I'm simply going to pretend it was coherent, then move on."Kelsier rolled his eyes. "Losing the stress on the nip," he said. "Notting without the needing of care.""Riding the rile of the rids to the right," Spook said with a nod."What are you two babbling about?" Breeze said testily."Wasing the was of brightness," Spook said. "Nip the having of wishing of this.""Ever wasing the doing of this," Kelsier agreed.Breeze turned to Dockson with exasperation. "I believe our companions have finally lost their minds, dear friend."Dockson shrugged. Then, with a perfectly straight face, he said, "Wasing not of wasing is."Breeze sat, dumbfounded, and the room burst into laughter. Breeze rolled his eyes indignantly, shaking his head and muttering about the crew's gross childishness.Vin nearly choked on her wine as she laughed. "What did you even say?" she asked of Dockson as he sat down beside her."I'm not sure," he confessed. "It just sounded right.""I don't think you said anything, Dox," Kelsier said.”