“Spook: No, I'm not troubled. In fact, I actually think everything is going to be all right. Finally.”

“All right," Spook said. He reached to the ground, scooping up a pile of ash. "Let's just rub this into your clothing and on your face...." Breeze froze. "I'll meet you back ath the lair," he finally said.”

“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.”

“Breeze strolled over to the table and chose a seat with his characteristic decorum. The portly man raised his dueling cane, pointing it at Ham. 'I see that my period of intellectual respite has come to an end.'Ham smiled. 'I thought up a couple 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.'Ever wasing the wish of having the have,' Ham added with a smile. 'Brighting the wish of wasing the not.'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.”

“Galladon paused for a moment, then laughed. "Does nothing frighten you, sule?""Actually, pretty much everything here does—I'm just good at ignoring the fact that I'm terrified. If I ever realize how scared I am, you'll probably find me trying to hide under those cobblestones over there.”

“This is going to take a while. I'm a fantasy author. We have trouble with the concept of brevity.”

“The figure stood in the flames, dark, hard to make out. "I've given you the blessing of pewter, Spook," the voice said. "Use it to escape this place. You can break through the boards on the far side of that hallway, escape out onto the roof of the building nearby. The soldiers won't be watching for you—they're too busy controlling the fire so it doesn't spread."Spook nodded. The heat didn't bother him anymore. "Thank you."The figure stepped forward, becoming more than just a silhouette. Flames played against the man's firm face, and Spook's suspicions were confirmed. There was a reason he'd trusted that voice, a reason why he'd done what it had said.He'd do whatever this man commanded."I didn't give you pewter just so you could live, Spook," Kelsier said, pointing. "I gave it to you so you could get revenge. Now, go!”