A Night In Rifthold (A TAB "Deleted Scene")

TAB "Deleted Scene"

          Silver moonlight cast a soft glow over Celaena's tired face as she sat up in their bed and rubbed her eyes. She hadn't been able to fall asleep, and it wasn't thoughts of where Sam would be or what he would be doing the night after that haunted her-Arobynn did. When Arobynn had come to her apartment and asked whether she'd told Sam the truth about where she came from, Celaena had again started thinking of the night Arobynn found her. Sam had helped her forget about it all then, but after finding out Arobynn had approached Sam too? She shook her head. Gods, Arobynn just wouldn't stop. Sam was right to book them passage to another continent. To a place where even Arobynn wouldn't be able to bother them. She looked to her side to where Sam slept. A small smile danced on her lips. He looked so at peace while he slept. No thoughts disturbing him and only sweet dreams filling his head. She wished he could have that kind of peace while awake too. Wished they both could.

          I have a feeling that's something he'd like to know. Perhaps before he dedicates his life to you.

          She hated to admit it, but Arobynn was right. Sam should know the truth. Panic flooded her thoughts. What if he wants nothing to do with me afterwards? What if he hates me for not telling him before? What if... No. Celaena trusted Sam, and she knew Sam would never leave her all alone like that. But what if he did? a devilish little voice whispered from the back of her mind. She wouldn't listen to that voice. Sam deserved to know the truth, and whatever happened after-whether it was good or bad-she would deal with it.

          Celaena shook Sam awake, and he grumbled, "Are you going to make a habit of waking me up, Celaena?"

          She huffed a laugh and told him, "Sit up, I've got something to tell you. I need to tell you the full story of what happened the night Arobynn found me."

          He sat up, leaned toward her, and cupped her cheek, immediately awake at her words. "I told you before, I don't need to know until you're ready to face it and tell me," he said gently.

          "I know, but this is important. You need to know, and I am ready," she tried replying with conviction, but failed utterly. Sam's lips curled down in a frown, and she knew her eyes betrayed her fear and worry. He opened her mouth to protest again, but she shook her head and started speaking slowly, "I lied to you when I said I have no family left anymore. My cousin is still alive. In fact, you know of him. His name is Ae-" There was a loud crash that came from the warehouse below them, and someone barked a curse. Sam and Celaena were standing beside the bed with daggers in hand in a heartbeat. Celaena exchanged an alarmed look with Sam, and both of them rushed out of the apartment on silent feet, listening carefully. They came to the warehouse just in time to see two men run away. The men both had the builds of warriors, and they wore their cloaks with the hoods up. One had twin swords strapped to his back, and the other had his hand on the pommel of his sword. What were they doing here at this time of night?

          "They're going to split up to make sure no one follows them," spoke Sam quietly, "I'll trail the man with the twin swords. Celaena, you follow his friend." Celaena nodded and climbed the building in front of them to get a better vantage point. As she tracked the intruder from the rooftops, she felt slightly relieved that whoever the intruders were had interrupted her and Sam. They had given her a few minutes of distraction from it. Mostly though, she needed to know who those people were. Were they spies sent by Arobynn? If they were then she and Sam were in trouble. They needed to hunt down the intruders and find out who they were and what they were doing. If they turned out to be spies from Arobynn then they would need to silence them permanently. They didn't have time to change their plans, and she wouldn't think about all the things that could go wrong if Arobynn really did know their exact plan for tomorrow night.

          The man she was following stopped and gave a short whistle, and she saw his partner coming towards him. He must not know she and Sam were following him and his friend. Or maybe they had a hideout nearby. Celaena looked across the rooftops and saw Sam coming towards her too. They could drop down from the rooftops and ambush the intruders together. When she looked back down, she could see the man's eyes glinting in the little light around them. His eyes were a beautiful turquoise color-like the turquoise in her eyes. Suddenly, she paled. Was it just her imagination or were his turquoise eyes also ringed with gold? Like her own eyes? Sam crouched down beside her. He didn't move to attack the men that were now below them. He had undoubtedly seen the look on Celaena's face. The men ran away to whatever hideout they had as Sam asked her, "What's wrong?" Celaena stayed silent as he asked again, "Did you...did you see someone that reminded you of your past?" Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, she gulped and nodded.

          "I'm sorry, Sam," she managed to say, and she knew he knew the apology wasn't for letting the intruders go. "I trust you, and I want to tell you the full story of that night, but...but it seems like I have to face one more demon from my past before I can tell you." She could be wrong about that man. The gold she saw in his eyes could have been a figment of her imagination, and, in fact, it had probably just been a trick of the light, but it had dredged up old memories from her past, and she didn't want to think about them. At the very least, she would need a little more time before she could think about her past again.

          Sam leaned in and brought their foreheads together. "You don't need to face your demon alone. I'll be by your side the entire time. And you can take as much time as you need," he whispered to her. Celaena's smile was twin to Sam's when he said, "After all, we have all the time in the world." She was looking forward to that.