“It’s all I have right now!” Vin said truthfully. Her coin pouch contained only bronze clips for Steelpushing.

“But it’s a very valuable secret, as I’ve said,” Kliss continued. “By telling you, my own life would be—”

That’s it! Vin thought furiously. Stupid aristocratic games!

Vin burned zinc and brass, hitting Kliss with a powerful blast of emotional Allomancy. She Soothed away all of the woman’s feelings but fear, then took hold of that fear and yanked on it with a firm tug.

“Tell me!” Vin growled.

Kliss gasped, wobbling and nearly falling to the ground. “An Allomancer! No wonder Renoux brought such a distant cousin with him to Luthadel!”

“Speak!” Vin said, taking a step forward.

“You’re too late to help him,” Kliss said. “I’d never sell a secret like this if it had a chance of turning on me!”

“Tell me!”

“He’ll be assassinated by Elariel Allomancers this evening,” Kliss whispered. “He might be dead already—it was supposed to happen as soon as he withdrew from the lord’s table. But if you want revenge, you’ll have to look toward Lord Straff Venture too.”

“Elend’s father?” Vin asked with surprise.

“Of course, foolish child,” Kliss said. “Lord Venture would love nothing more than an excuse to give the house title to his nephew instead. All Venture had to do was withdraw a few of his soldiers from the rooftop around young Elend’s room to let in the Elariel assassins. And, since the assassination will occur during one of Elend’s little philosophy meetings, Lord Venture will be able to rid himself of a Hasting and a Lekal too!”