Queen Of Glass

Book 2 Chapter 15

The King of Adarlan looked down at the large map of Wendlyn, his dark eyes shining in the candlelight.
"Half of our fleet will be within fighting range of the Gulf of Baello in two days' time," Perringtonn said, pointing to the north coast of their enemy's country. "We can hold off Wendlyn's ships for a few days—enough time for the soldiers in Peregrinno to ready themselves for the attack, and for the other half of our ships to arrive along the reef's barrier."
The king put his finger on the Gulf of Baello, and traced an invisible line down to Peregrinno. "It's an eighty mile journey across grasslands and marshes from Baello to Peregrinno. The earliest Wendlyn's army could arrive is a day after our attack." The king smiled, looking at the complex and twisted area of rivers and marshland that divided the grasslands of the North from the forests and mountains of the South. "And news of our assault won't even reach the capital, let alone the generals of Wendlyn's army, until several hours—or days—later. By the time Wendlyn's army realizes what's happened, we'll have sacked Peregrinno and be on our way to take the capital city."
Perringtonn enjoyed a short smile with his king before his face contracted with concern. "What of the assassin, my Lord? Won't this disrupt her plan to destroy the King of Wendlyn and his son?"
The King of Adarlan shook his head. "So long as our forces gain Peregrinno and the layouts and secrets of Wendlyn's barrier reef, we don't need that damned woman. When we take the capital for our own, she'll return to Adarlan."
"And what then, your highness?"
The King of Adarlan looked at the capital of Wendlyn, and grinned. "And then we'll hang her along with the rest of them."
O-o-o-O-o-o-O

"I remember the day the Valg broke into our world." "The what?"
"The demons."
"Oh, oh—right." Celaena looked around the massive wooden chamber, still unsure if she was awake or dreaming. All around them were shelves upon shelves of books and maps and strange objects that glittered and absorbed the glowing light of the Faerie orbs that floated around like fireflies. The smell of wood and summer hung thickly in the air; and the assassin could have sworn that in the domed ceiling of the library lay a piece of the night sky. They were inside the tree, the center of Dora'nelle.
Maeve was silent, and Celaena turned her head to look at the ancient queen, briefly wondering what kind of toll immortality demanded of a person. There were no lines on Maeve's face, but the assassin knew, watching the stars dance and fade in the Fae Queen's eyes, that perhaps the cost was much more than the assumed value.
"My sisters and I were still young then—we hadn't even traveled beyond the borders of Dora'nelle." "Sisters?"
Maeve smiled sadly. "Yes, sisters. I had two of them: Mora and Mab, both younger than I."
"What happened to them?"
"Oh, they passed into the next world long ago."
Celaena shifted awkwardly in her chair. "I'm sorry," she offered.
Maeve shook her head. "Its nothing to be sorry about. It was their choice to do so."
The assassin raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Mora and Mab both loved mortal men. Since there was little chance of me dying, they both knew they could chain themselves into the bonds of Time, and thus die a mortal death alongside their husbands."
Chills ran down Celaena's arms, thinking not only of their sacrifice, but also of one that another would have made.
"But the blood of my sisters still flows. Mora married an Ashryver—the first king of Wendlyn—and years later, one of Mab's descendents also married into that family, giving birth to your mother, Evaelien Ashryver. So, you see, we are linked: you are a great-niece of sorts."
"Can all Fae give up their immortality?"
"Only pure-blooded Fae. A drop of mortal blood is enough to, well, kill you. But, depending on how much Fae blood you have, you may live a very long life. Some mixed-bloods have lived for hundreds of years."
"Will I?"
Maeve smiled again. "I don't know. You know that you are one-eighth Fae, but also blessed with the full powers of a pure-blooded one."
Celaena nodded.
"A throwback to my great-grandmother."
Maeve tossed her hair. "I prefer the term: 'heir.' You are heir to the powers of my youngest sister, Princess Mab, guardian of the young, keeper of wild things."
Celaena Sardothien felt as if the bottom of her heart had dropped into her stomach.