Queen Of Glass

Chapter 29

Kaltain R'ompier stood before the King of Adarlan, a feeling that bordered between fear and delight swelling within her chest. It was a great honor to be requested for a private meeting with the king, but it could also be a very bad sign. What if he knew about the princess? She'd be executed...and she'd never be Queen.
In a moment of despair and right, Kaltain raised her eyes to the great man's face, looking for the sentence that was surely to be bestowed upon her. She saw no look of anger or ruthless wrath. Relief flooded through her. He didn't know about Anuksun—or if he did, he wasn't going to do anything about it.
Rising from her curtsey, Kaltain briefly glanced over at Duke Perringtonn, who was standing beside her. She watched the two masterful men exchange smug expressions before they turned their attention to her. What was going on?
One of Kaltain's small ivory hands grasped onto the folds of the skirt of her dress, displaying the nervous feelings that were still lurking inside of her though she had visual confirmation that she would not be punished for the death of the princess. But what if she had unknowingly done something else? What if someone had overheard her conversation with Roland a few days ago? What if they knew what they were planning?
I'll find out whoever did this and skin them from head to toe.
"Lady Kaltain," the King of Adarlan said with the kind smile that he always reserved for her. Her nervousness eased once again. He wouldn't address her like that if she were going to be punished. Maybe she would be rewarded! It's about damn time.
"Do you understand that come tomorrow morning, you will be facing off Jodra Nustrom and," the King of Adarlan paused, his face writhing with dislike, "Lithaen Gordaina."
You mean Celaena Sardothien. Kaltain had been shocked at first to hear who the wench really was—shocked, then terrified, and then suddenly the pieces had all come together.
The prince had been spending so much time with Celaena Sardothien to keep her from thinking about killing Kaltain! It was so simple and wonderful that Kaltain couldn't help smiling as she thought about it. The prince had been neglecting her to save her from Celaena Sardothien. Why, it was obvious that the assassin was madly in love with the prince, and if she knew that Dorian and Kaltain were secretly meant to be together, she would probably go mad and kill everyone! Oh, my prince, you never cease to amaze me. What wit, what charm, what courage! To put yourself in danger's way to keep me, your beloved future Queen, safe...Soon, my darling! Soon we will be together...
"Duke Perringtonn tells me that your skills with a sword have greatly improved in that past few months, Kaltain."
Kaltain blushed with shame. It was so unladylike to have those wretched lessons—it calloused her hands and made her sweat and smell bad, and...why was she doing it again? Something about Wendlyn?
"Should you defeat both other girls, you know what will happen, correct?"

I'll marry the prince! "Of course, your highness," she said huskily.
The king sighed darkly. "There is something that the Duke and I thought we should warn you about, my dear Kaltain. The Lady Lithaen Gordaina is not whom she appears to be. I don't want to frighten you, Lady, and do not be alarmed when I tell you that Lithaen Gordaina is really Celaena Sardothien."
You clod, of course I knew that. "Oh!" she gasped, feigning surprise. "Oh, my...I knew that there was something wrong with her..." Kaltain's brows knitted in false concern. "But the prince! He surely knows, doesn't he? Why would his majesty spend time with such a lowlife criminal? Why would he endanger himself like that?" she said, putting a hand to her heart as she batted her long eyelashes furiously.
A sad smile spread across the king's face and she heard Duke Perringtonn click his tongue approvingly. "I don't know, my sweet Lady, but your concern warms my heart. You've always been very caring about my son, and I'm sure that one day your worries will be well-rewarded." A look passed between them that only Kaltain and the King of Adarlan could catch and understand.
Kaltain's heart nearly burst out of her chest for joy. The King of Adarlan had just given his permission and consent for her to marry Dorian DeHavilliard! Fighting the instinct to throw her arms around the king and hug him, and remembering that Duke Perringtonn was still in the picture, Kaltain kept a straight face.
"Because both his majesty and I are puzzled and alarmed by the prince's behavior, we've decided that some drastic measures must be taken, my Lady," the Duke crooned, sounding more like a simpering walrus than a love-struck man.
The king nodded in agreement. "Which is why, Lady, we believe it to be acceptable to say that should you go further than trapping Celaena Sardothien at killing-point, no harm would come to you."
Kaltain R'ompier blinked. Was she getting permission to...
"I know that killing is not one of your natural instincts," the king offered gently, "but it has become the only option for us. Celaena Sardothien is a criminal and a poison to this country's well being. While I'm held to my word not to harm her until this contest is over, you, Kaltain are not."
Kill someone? She had never actually killed anyone with her bare hands...true, she had hired an assassin and had him butcher an innocent girl, and true she had had men hanged by her father before, but it was different when she had to do it herself...especially against Celaena Sardothien, Adarlan's assassin. How could she, an innocent flower, withstand the destructive killing instinct of a thorn-bush like Celaena Sardothien? How could she possibly kill her?
Kaltain bowed low to the king before making her reply, her hands clenching her skirt once more. "She's Celaena Sardothien," she said, her voice trembling. Kill her...how could she do that with her bare hands? Just run her through with the blade? Where? How would she die the fastest? What if she didn't die?
"Which is why we've decided to give you as much of an advantage as possible," the king said. "You see, each of you is to bring your own weapon into the fighting ring tomorrow—if you do not bring one in by the chosen time, you fight with your bare hands..."
Seeing that Kaltain was still not catching on, the king sighed and continued. "No one has told this to either my son or the captain of the guard. No one is going to."
Kaltain's eyes lit up with understanding. "So you mean for Celaena to go into the ring unarmed?"
"It will give you the best advantage," the king smiled. "Plus, we'll have her worn down by Jodra Nustrom first—she may not even beat Jodra, but either way, you will fight her with the greater advantage."
Fighting Celaena Sardothien unarmed was like fighting a lion deprived of its teeth and claws. It could still fight with sheer muscle, but when tired and possibly injured, it would be like slaying an infant. A wicked smile bloomed across Kaltain's face. Once Celaena Sardothien was dead, the path would be clear to Dorian DeHavilliard. All that she had to do was run Celaena through with her sword—it would take one movement and less than three seconds for Kaltain R'ompier to win a duel and a crown.