Perrin snorted at Nate’s suggestion; it would be Perrin’s pleasure to ‘rough’ up Mouse. “Oh trust me, even if Nessa had come away with me, I’m fairly certain I would have come back at some point to have it out with Mouse. I’ll happily ambush her. She busy tomorrow?”

He stood with an arm around Nessa’s waist, rubbing her back with his thumb, “But really, finding you alone to set up meetings wouldn’t be difficult, but it’s not exactly safe. Do you have a signal we could use, or a place to drop notes? Might be safer.”

Perrin raised an eyebrow, wishing that Nessa would have continued telling him what Ignas had done or said. He didn’t press the matter, but he felt himself growing angry again as he imagined things that could have transpired. As she laid out conditions for their ability to visit each other in the future, he nodded along, agreeing with what she said. Though, Perrin had no clue how Nate would be able to actually arrange things so that they could have what Nessa was requesting.

"I may still be figuring out what love is, but I've realized enough to know that I love you. And I'm not letting anyone, especially not bloody Ignas, put a stop to it."

Did she just use the word love? Out loud? Lord Ruler… Perrin found himself suddenly smiling, probably in a rather goofy fashion, but at the moment, he didn’t care. They had had a whirlwind of a week, with emotions running high, did she actually mean it? Maybe things were moving too fast? She was still so young, had he taken advantage of that? Certainly he cared about her too, why now was he questioning everything when she’d vocalized just how strong her feelings were? Had he taken too long to answer?

Perrin covered Nessa’s hand on his cheek with his own, still smiling like a fool. “I know.” He said softly. Wait… did that actually come out of his mouth?! Oh gods, really Perrin? It was too late now, the words had already left his mouth. A pathetic response, to be sure, but he wasn’t quite sure that he was ready to say the word ‘love’ out loud, even if it was likely that that was what he was feeling. This was still to new, he needed to know for sure before he said it to her as well.

After a few quiet moments of simply looking into Nessa’s eyes, Perrin shifted his gaze to Nate. “Can you arrange what she’s requested?”

Perrin blinked in surprise when Nessa flung herself at him, burying her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms gently around her, being careful not to squeeze too hard, though he wasn’t likely to hurt her even if he did. And then she spoke, and he found himself dumbfounded. She couldn’t possibly be serious, she wanted to stay?? Granted she had said she would go away with him, but that’s not what she wanted to do in this situation. And he understood why, but he still found himself angry; not at Nessa, but at Ignas. Everything came back to him. He would hurt people if they stayed, and he would hurt people if they left. Perrin was backed into a corner, and he did not like that feeling.

He balled his hands into fists as he held Nessa, his eyes glaring daggers at Nate as he chimed in again. None of the arrangements either Nessa or Nate could come up with tonight would be good enough in Perrin’s mind. Everything short of Perrin and Nessa leaving for one of the Outer Dominances and not looking back was unacceptable. At one time he would have found this an outrageous line of thought, but that was before he’d realized just what Nessa meant to him and what they could have. The Rebellion was something he had planned to give his life for, the idea that his life could have an impact and ease the burden of his people even a little was what motivated him every day. But then Sweets had shown up and everything he thought he had known was turned upside down. His world revolved around her now. And the sudden upheaval of his beliefs and world were still hard for him to grasp and fit in with what he had been working towards for years.

But she was most important. Her happiness, her safety.

If she wanted to stay, then despite his better judgement, he would stay as well. “I don’t like this. We should go and never look back, but… if you can’t leave, then I will stay.” He looked to Nate, gaze still angry, “I’ll go along with whatever arrangement you two think is best. But I have a condition.” Perrin finally relaxed his hands, pulling back from the hug he’d wrapped Nessa up into. He placed his hands on her arms, looking from Nessa to Nate, “If things start to go south with me and Ignas, and you sense he might actually act on his threats, you have to swear you’ll get her out, that you’ll hide her.” He looked down to Nessa, “And you have to swear that you’ll go along with it.”

He shook his head, expression hard, “Because if something happens to you, I can’t promise that the Rebellion as we currently know it will be intact when I’m done with Ignas.”

Perrin listened while quietly seething. The bitch thought it was fun to keep them apart? This wasn’t a game! It was their lives, potentially their future, that she was playing with. He shook at what most of Nate said.

“You assume I care if Ignas punishes Mouse at this point? No, Nessa can’t go back.” He turned and took Nessa’s hands in his own, “I can protect us both. To hell with Ignas and his manipulative ways, I don’t know if I even want to go back at this point. I can’t trust him!”

He looked back at Nate, “And even if I believed you that Nessa wouldn’t be hurt, we’d still be kept apart. No contact, both left wondering if the other was alive or dead; no, your plan isn’t acceptable.”

Perrin clenched and unclenched his jaw, still shaking his head. He’d just gotten Nessa back and now he was being told they’d have to be apart again? This wasn’t what he had signed up for! The Rebellion was supposed to help make a better way of life for skaa, but Ignas… Ignas just wanted the nobility to burn, he didn’t care about the skaa at all. And it had taken Perrin finding an amazing person to make him see it. He wasn’t allowed to be happy, he was a tool, and rather than make accommodations to ensure everyone was safe and happy, Ignas had resorted to threats. Any trust Perrin had had in him was all but gone. And the belief he’d placed in the purpose of the Rebellion was fading fast as well.

His gaze shifted to Nessa once again, “You agree with me, don’t you? We can’t stay.”

At Nessa’s touch on his arm, Perrin stopped flaring pewter, allowing the storm within him to settle to a gentle purr. He kept the dagger at the man’s throat -- Nate, was it? He was one of Mouse’s underlings, that made him a threat as far as Perrin was concerned. The woman had threatened to hurt Nessa if he made any attempts to find her, and he’d done just that every night since he’d met Mouse. Retaliation was certain once this Nate reported back to his boss. They could talk all they wanted to tonight, but as far as Perrin was concerned, the only option was for Nessa to come away with him so that Mouse couldn’t follow through on her threat. And really, this all came back to Ignas. Someone that Perrin was finding harder and harder to put his support behind as the days passed.

His eyes hadn’t left Nate’s as the pleas for Perrin to stay his hand had been made, but when Nate fell silent again, he glanced at Nessa. There was a moment where he seriously contemplated just cutting the man’s artery, but Nessa had asked for mercy, and he didn’t want her to resent him for something like this. So he withdrew the dagger and removed his arm from Nate’s chest.

“She can’t go back with you.” He looked from Nate to Nessa, “You can’t go back. Mouse threatened to kill you if I found you. Ignas’ orders, of course.” Perrin turned his gaze back to Nate, “Isn’t that right? He thinks threatening the person I… someone I care about is a good way to motivate me? He’s a damn fool, and he’s done nothing but make me question my allegiances.”

Perrin sheathed his dagger. “You wanted to talk.” He gestured towards the man, “Talk.”

Perrin snapped his eyes up, finding the source of the voice standing in the doorway. Adrenaline flooded his system and he flared pewter. He hadn’t heard the man before now, cursing how distracted he’d been upon finding Nessa; he shouldn’t have allowed himself to be caught with his guard down. One of his daggers found it’s way into his hand as he leapt across the room. Perrin grabbed the man by the neck and slammed him into the wall.

“You realize sneaking up on a Mistborn is a very bad idea, yes?” He snarled at the man and shifted so that his forearm held the man against the wall and allowed him to press the dagger in his other hand to the man’s neck. “Any last words? Mouse should have known I wouldn’t be afraid of her little underlings.”

Lord Ruler…

“Nessa!” He said her name in a breath of relief, pushing himself towards her with a gentle steelpush. “How did you get out here? Did they let you go? I thought you were being held prisoner.”

Perrin wrapped her up in his arms, his cheek pressed onto the top of her head. This almost seemed too perfect, there is no way she would have been allowed to walk around in the city by herself, not after everything Datura had said before.

Datura… she had lookouts all throughout this area, no doubt. “Come on, we need to get off the street.” He pulled away from her, though he kept hold of one of her hands. “In here.” He broke open a door to a building in the alley and stepped inside, glancing around to ensure they were alone.

Perrin found himself taking a step towards the figure, when she responded. That almost sounded like Nessa, but Mouse wouldn't be so foolish as to let her wander around by herself. Right? And surely she would have recognized him? His voice was rather perfect and hard to forget, if he did say so himself. (And he did.) That meant it must not have been her. Still... he stoked his tin some, trying to get a better look at her, but the mists were thick tonight, and obscured his vision just enough. He'd need to get closer, preferably without spooking her.

"I'm surprised you have to ask, but if you really want to know, I guess I can let you in on the secret. I'm on my way to visit someone."

"Ah, so you've been sent on a little errand then. With a note, perhaps? Datura would probably prefer that I handle delivering sensitive information."

I don’t care what Maks thinks, I’m going to find her. Perrin scowled at the silhouette of the warehouse that he had met the bitch Datura at. He had come back her each night since meeting with Mouse, watching the movements of those that left the building, trailing them to all sorts of different places so that he could discover more of their buildings. Confident that he’d pinpointed at least one, Perrin decided that now he’d try infiltration, much to Maks’ chagrin. The dressmaker hadn’t been happy with the fact that he was doing surveillance, so actual breaking and entering was beyond inappropriate.

With a flourish of his mistcloak, Perrin turned away from the warehouse and made his way towards the least likely place they were keeping Nessa. Just about all of the places he had scoped out were in the Industrial District, which made things easy for him, though easy for Perrin was not nearly the same as it would be for anyone else. He leapt from rooftop to rooftop, cloak flapping in the wind behind him. With his tin flared, he thought he saw another mistcloak-clad figure off in the distance, but he couldn’t be sure if that was just the dancing mists playing with his eyes.

Perrin reached his destination with ease; this warehouse looked even more rundown on the outside than the one he had just left, if such a thing were possible. He arrived just in time to see a lanky, young skaa dart away from the building with a purpose. Perhaps a messenger? Perrin glanced at the warehouse, then back towards where the skaa had run, debating internally about whether or not he should catch them and steal whatever note it was they were carrying. It might have potential information about Nessa on it, and even if it didn’t, it could reveal to him more information about Datura. Maybe even give him an in at another of her cell’s locations. He nodded once, then stepped off the rooftop. Perrin dropped a boxing below him and slowed his fall with a steelpush, then after orienting himself to where the skaa had gone, took off at a pewter enhanced sprint.

He wasn’t going quite as fast as he could, but he didn’t want to mow down the unaware skaa when he caught up to them; they were on the same side, after all. And really, it didn’t take long to catch up to them, running at their sluggish pace compared to how fast Perrin was moving. He blew past them, then skidded to a halt, blocking the skaa’s path. His hood was up, and he turned around with his arms folded, doing his best to look intimidating. “What’s your rush, friend?” He asked loudly, his voice echoing in the close quarters of the buildings.

Perrin clenched his jaw; was he so sure that Nessa was here that he was willing to risk her well being? He couldn't take that risk. Ignas had to come face him himself eventually. For now, Nessa was 'safe'. "I'm sure we'll be in touch, Mouse. Tell Ignas to stop being a coward and come talk to me himself." He smirked at her, though the expression didn't touch his eyes.

Maks looked between the pair, "A pleasure to meet you. Hopefully our relations in the future will be less.. tense."

Perrin snorted and pushed his way past Datura, all but shoving her out of the way. He was still tempted to run out and call Nessa's name, hoping beyond hope that she was here. The odds just weren't in his favor. "Hurry up, Maksy boy! We don't want to take up any more of the Mouse's time."

Maks gave a slight bow and followed behind Perrin, hands clasped behind his back.

Perrin didn't step back from Datura when she advanced on him, simply tilted his head back a little to look down his nose at her. His eyes were narrowed, and his fists were clenched, though he knew better than to strike her (even though he was sorely tempted). All he focused on was a few words that she had said; 'when she arrived.' Nessa was here. Or at least she had been. That was useful information to have, the question was, when to act on it? Should he call out her name as they left the building, force himself into rooms and search? Or should he come back on another night and sneak in? The latter left open the possibility of them moving her which made him uneasy. He was so focused internally that he didn't even hear the last bit of what she'd said.

"Maksy boy, I do believe we've served our purpose in coming here. We know that Ignas is alive, there's no reason for us to stay."

He watched Maks raise an eyebrow, obviously suspicious, "I.. suppose you're right..." Maks looked to Datura who still stood dangerously close to Perrin, "Did Ignas leave a message for us or give a hint as to when he'd be in contact?"

"When have I ever not done something he's asked?!" Perrin growled, spinning to face Datura. Ooooh how he wanted to wipe that smug grin off her lips. With his fists. Possibly his feet. A dagger might not hurt either. "Nessa hasn't done anything to deserve being held as leverage for something, and honestly, it's horrible leverage. When word gets out that our fearless leader would kill members of the rebellion out of SPITE... what do you think is going to happen?"

Maks had moved a step in between Perrin and Datura again. "Stop it. You've been told she's safe--"

"Safe, my ass." Perrin interrupted.

"She's safe." Maks gave Perrin a look, "Besides, why does it matter? It's not as if you two were a couple."

Perrin glared at Maks. Was he really taking her side in this? Of course, he wasn't wrong. They weren't a couple, they were just friends who had.. enjoyed an evening out together. It was more than that though. There was that hint of familiarity, something that drew him to her. He paused. "No, we aren't. But she... she reminds me of my sisters. And she's new to the rebellion. Nessa needed someone to look out for her, and that's what I was doing. Ignas is an idiot who jumps to conclusions that are just going to get people hurt."

Oh Lord Ruler, this was -not- good. What did this woman think she was playing at?!

Maks crossed the room to stand by Perrin who was staring Datura down. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop Perrin from trying to fight the woman, but perhaps he could be a voice of reason if she pushed him too far? This was not what he had signed up for in coming here tonight.

“What did he do to her? Is she safe?” Perrin’s body was tensed, and all the normal jovialness in his voice was gone. “If he hurt her, I swear I will kill him.”

Maks put a cautioning hand on Perrin’s arm but he shrugged it off, so he turned his attention to the woman who appeared to be possibly enjoying this. “So, if I’m understanding correctly, Ignas doesn’t think Perrin is capable of having friendships -and- serving the rebellion? Does he think that true of all of us, or just Perrin?”

Perrin let out a low growl, turning to pace along the back wall, glaring at Datura.

Well, Perrin’s small admiration for the woman quickly faded. Royalty? My lord? Yep, this lady was official on his shit list. He narrowed his eyes a little as she spoke, but his smirk remained.

“Ignas survived? Well that’s good news.” Maks chimed up from the other side of the room. “Did he have any instructions for us? We haven’t heard from him yet, and to be honest, I’m a bit concerned for the safety of my master’s shop. That attack went sideways, if anyone got captured and talked…” He shook his head.

“We still haven’t accounted for everyone that was there. Our friends.” Perrin frowned a little. Nessa, he thought. His stomach turned in knots, an ache that not even pewter could dull. But she was street smart, she’d survived this long without him hovering over her. Still, he would feel better knowing that she was alive.

Perrin cocked his head to the side when he took in the new ‘persona’ of the girl, or rather woman. He smirked at her, impressed that he had been fooled by her. Maks just had a confused and irritated look on his face; typical. “Just the woman we were looking for.” Perrin grinned at her, “I’m Perrin. The grumpy one by the door is Maks. We’re from the cell in Lan’s shop.”

Maks could be heard to sigh quietly. “As I mentioned before, we wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t urgent. I’m sure you were aware of the attack on the ball the other night? Well most of our agents who went out on that attack haven’t returned. We’re extremely concerned. Not only that, but Ignas hasn’t contacted us either, so of course we fear the worst.”

“Maks fears the worst. I’m an optimist.” Perrin chimed in.

Perrin smirked as he glanced at Maks, the man’s expression of disbelief almost made Perrin’s aches disappear completely. He held in a snarky comment at the girl’s invitation for them to follow her upstairs. As she led them, Maks touched Perrin’s arm, gesturing for him to hang back just a few more steps. The dressmaker covered his mouth, talking quieter than Perrin would have been able to hear if he were not so incredibly special. “Are we in the right place? I’m not sure we should trust these people.”

He rolled his eyes, moving ahead of Maks, “Have some faith.” Perrin murmured to him. He smiled at the girl as she opened an office door for them, “I should hope she would. She sleeping or something?” He walked around the room, casually looking at the decor. Maks however, leaned against the wall near the door, arms folded.

Names? Maks shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t want to just go dropping names around for anyone to hear or know. Glancing at Perrin, he opened his mouth to respond, still hesitating, but Perrin spoke up first. Maks cringed a little, hoping that the Mistborn was not foolish enough to mention anything too important.

“Listen, our mutual friends just told us we were to come here to check up on some fire safety. Make sure there weren’t any hazards around, you know how little the nobles and the Lord Ruler care for where we live and work. Have to take care of these things for ourselves.”

Maks looked at Perrin, feeling many things; confusion, a desire to punch him to get him to stop talking, and perhaps, just an inkling of trust? The comments about fire safety were too random for him to just have just thought of them on the spot. What game was he playing at? Whatever the case, Maks closed his mouth, choosing not to contradict Perrin and make things harder for them to gain this cell’s trust.

Maks turned his attention back to the door as it was cracked open. “Yes, actually. Our apologies for--”

“We were told we could find some of our friends here.” Perrin said taking a step towards the mouse of a girl in the doorway. Perhaps she was one of this cell’s cooks or maids? “Mind letting us in? Don’t want to draw a lot of attention to ourselves. Or something.” He flashed her a handsome smile, while Maks stood behind him, fuming.

“We wouldn’t have come if it weren’t urgent.” Maks added, hoping with everything that he had that this was the right place and Perrin hadn’t led them to just an actual warehouse.

“I wonder if this cell leader will hate Ignas as much as I do.” Perrin thought outloud. He smiled a bit as he heard yet another frustrated sigh from Maks. He glanced at the Smoker, “Now, we’re almost there, and you’ve yet to say anything; not that I’m complaining, mind you. But I’m curious… Why would you think it appropriate to come along with me to find the location of another cell, but it wasn’t alright for me to tell you who led it?”

Maks didn’t respond for a short time, but he eventually relented and broke his unofficial vow of silence, “Because you often stick your foot in your mouth whenever you open it, and we need to keep good relations with people who are on -our- side.”

Perrin chuckled, “Fair enough.” He spotted the warehouse that had been described on the list and pointed towards it, “Just over there.” Maks nodded without a word and adjusted his course, and soon the pair found themselves standing at a door. Perrin reached out and rapped his knuckles on the door a few times, humming pleasantly to himself as they waited for someone to come to the door.

“Will you stop that?”

Perrin stopped humming for a moment, “Stop what?” He resumed humming.

“That! We’re trying to not draw attention to ourselves out here.”

“Humming draws attention to us? You don’t think it’s suspicious enough for two skaa to be walking around out here in the mists? That’s what you’re worried about drawing attention to us?” Perrin snorted.

“I just think that---” Maks began, but he was cut short...

Perrin felt like all of Kredik Shaw had fallen on his head when he finally woke up. With eyes barely cracked open, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. “Ow.” He rubbed his temples, groaning when he lifted his arms even a little; likely had more than a couple broken ribs. Perrin reached within to stoke his pewter, but found his stores were empty. No wonder he was feeling so horrible. Luckily, Maks had followed through with his promise from the night before; a large bag of pewter sat on the nightstand with a pitcher of water.
He took a few minutes to down a large portion of the pewter, drinking slowly, as everything hurt, but the restored metal store helped to dull some of that pain and he was able to finally heave himself out of bed. The shop had it’s usual bustle; things hadn’t changed for the skaa living here since the attack on the ball. So strange to think that after the chaos and pain that so many had endured, life simply went on.

A fresh loaf of bread sat on the table with a small plate of butter. Perrin sat down at the table and cut himself a big slice, winking at one of the cooks as he did so. She smiled at him and rolled her eyes, then poked her head through the door that lead to the workroom. A few moments later Maks came through the door, worried look on his face, but then again, when didn’t he look worried? “Someday your face will freeze like that, you know.” Perrin said before taking a bite of the bread (which was amazing).

Maks’ expression shifted to confusion for a moment, then to annoyance, prompting a chuckle from Perrin; which hurt. “Feeling better?”

“No. But the pewter is helping. Thank you for that.” He nodded towards Maks. “How long was I out?”

“We’ll be closing up for the evening in about half an hour. So… a good twenty hours or so.” Maks folded his arms. “Are you up for talking yet? Ignas still hasn’t returned or sent word. I think it might be time to consider the fact that he didn’t survive the attack.”

Perrin sighed, chewing another bite of bread. “Gib meh a chahnce to eat.”

“No, I don’t think I will. Our position here is tenuous. If Ignas or Nessa were captured and tortured for information, we might very well be dead later tonight. You’re the one who was given the list of other rebellion cells, so you’re the one who has to step up and take some responsibility.” Maks said with a glare.

“Take some responsibility?” Perrin smirked. Risking his life to lead an inquisitor on a chase wasn’t good enough for Maks? Stupid seamstress. “Responsibility. Sure.” He reached into his pocket and fished out the list Ignas had given him the night before the attack. “Here’s one. Not too far. Led by someone named Datura. Shall we just go take a stroll? I think I could keep from passing out in the streets.”

Maks’ frown deepened, if that were even possible. “You shouldn’t have told me that; it’s sensitive information.”

Perrin laughed and tossed the list onto the table as he picked up his bread again, “Maks, you are an incredibly frustrating individual sometimes.” He took a large bite, and after he’d swallowed it, fished out another handful of pewter from his bad and washed it down with a glass of water. “You wanted another cell’s location, there you go.” He gestured towards the paper, “If you’d like for me to come with you on this little visit, you’ll have to wait until I finish my bread.” Perrin finished by grabbing the rest of the loaf and smiling like an ass at Maks.

Maks pinched the bridge of his nose, looking down. “Fine. I’ll go close up the shop. You have until then to finish your bread.”

The dressmaker retreated back through the door and Perrin held up a rude gesture towards his back while chewing happily. A half an hour passed pleasantly for Perrin as he finished the bread and much of the pewter. He convinced one of the cooks to get him another sack of it just as Maks returned to the kitchen. “Ah! Maksy boy! I’ve been waiting for forever, I thought you wanted to actually accomplish something today.”

Even from across the room, Perrin could hear Maks grind his teeth. He grinned broadly and, finding new strength in annoying Maks, stood up from the table without so much as a wince. Maks threw on a cape with a hood and exited the shop without a word to Perrin. The Mistborn chuckled and tied his new bag of pewter to his belt along with a flask of water, then grabbed a cape from near the door as well and headed out into the alley.

It was time to find this Datura.

It had been far too long since the ball had ended, since everything had gone awry. Well, perhaps not everything. Maks locked the front door of the shop; the sun had set, the business day was done. A day that had dragged on torturously slow for the dressmaker. Why hadn’t anyone returned to the shop yet? He picked up a sewing kit that had been left at a work station and returned it to a shelf in the back room.

A frown was on his lips, as it had been since two nights prior. His stomach had been tied up in knots, and food didn’t seem appealing. Still, he found himself in the kitchens each night, hoping and waiting until he slipped into fitful sleep. Tonight would doubtless be any different. The cook had already gone up to bed, so Maks made himself a cup of tea, though it was not nearly as good as when old Agatha made it. He sat down at the table, rapping his fingers on the wood. If Perrin or Ignas didn’t return by the following evening, Maks would assume them dead. But what then? Maks didn’t have any other rebel cell locations; it was safer that way.

He sat for hours, tea barely touched, and the door remained closed. Maks’ eyes closed and his head slumped down.

The dressmaker jerked awake. What was that? He stood cautiously, eyes on the door. Had someone knocked, or was it just someone walking upstairs? Maks picked up knife from the table and moved to the door, opening it slowly.

Dim light from the kitchen bathed the cobblestones and an empty alley. Maks sighed, opening the door wide, further illuminating the misty alley.

“It’s about time, Maksy boy.” A voice said from the shadows to the side of the door. Not just -a- voice, but one that belonged to the only person that would call him Maksy.

“Perrin!” Maks dropped the knife and moved to the Mistborn’s side. He was obviously wounded, weak. “Lord Ruler.. I thought for sure you were dead!” Maks pulled Perrin’s arm up around his shoulder and helped him into the kitchen. “Natt! Agatha!” He called up the stairs as he moved to set Perrin down in the seat he had occupied only moments before.

Perrin smirked at him, his face bruised and bloody, “Thought I was dead for sure a few times as well.” He winced as he shifted in the chair, trying to get more comfortable. “I need some metal. Pewter.”

Maks nodded, hurrying to the store cupboard. Vials in hand, he returned to Perrin, “Is anyone else alive?”

The Mistborn shrugged as he downed the metal. He closed his eyes, relaxing a little, “I played my part in the attack, I’ve no idea where anyone else is…” He trailed off, “Wait, no one else has returned?”

Maks shook his head, “No one.” He frowned, “I was ready to give everyone up for dead and continue on here alone. But now that you’ve returned, we can contact other cells and find out what Ignas has planned.”

Perrin tried to sit up straighter, hissing in pain, “Do you think we can put off our daring plans until I’ve had at least a few hours of actual rest?”

The dressmaker hesitated, then nodded once. It was then that Natt and Agatha arrived in the kitchen. “Soup and more pewter for Perrin. Do we have his room still prepared?” Agatha nodded in response, busying herself with heating up some soup from dinner. Natt had retrieved a med kit to tend to Perrin’s most obvious injuries, which he allowed, though obviously grudgingly. Maks remained quiet for a short time, but couldn’t for long. “Why didn’t you return sooner?”

“I was only able to-- ah!” He pulled away from Natt, pushing his hands away, “I only shook the inquisitor off my trail this morning, but I couldn’t risk returning too soon. The people here are too valuable.”

“I suppose I should thank you for that.” Maks folded his arms. “You can sleep, but when you awake, we have work to do. I don’t know any of the other rebel cells, but Ignas gave you that list. You’re the only line of communication we’ll have.”

Perrin nodded, obviously tired and weak. He stood, wobbling a little in the process, “I’ll just get to that sleep you mentioned, then.” Maks moved to Perrin to help steady him on his feet, but the man waved him off. “Bright and early.. tomorrow afternoon? Think I can drag myself out of bed by then.”

Maks smirked despite himself and nodded. “Sleep well. I’ll make sure there’s plenty of pewter brought to your room.”

The mistborn nodded gratefully, then made his way up to his room, leaving the dressmaker behind with his tea. Maks returned to the backdoor of the shop that had been left open. He peered out into the mists again, hoping that perhaps Ignas would miraculously appear as well. It was a foolish hope, however, and so Maks shut the door.