To the Stars | Throne of Glass

25

Celaena jogged up the stairs two by two after Ben. When they reached the top, Ben swung open the door on the left and Celaena slipped in, shutting the door with a click. He instantly crossed over to the bedside table where a jug of water sat. As Ben poured himself a glass, she surveyed the room.

The burgundy curtains draped across the window blocked out all traces of sunlight. The whole room was cloaked in shadow, but was noticeably similar to hers. The bed, a dresser, but rather than books lining the shelves, jars and spices and herbs lay in clumps or boxes along the top rows. And a huge assortment of blades hung in satchels. Daggers, knives, and fancy swords with fancy etchings and real jewels embedded within their hilts. Celaena whistled. The Guild was rich. Arobynn was rich - wealthier than most merchants. How much money did he have?

Ben coughed.

'Yes?'

He set the glass down onto the table and walked over to the bed. Celaena remained by the door.

'I don't bite.'

She gave a small smile and went to perch on the end of his bed. 'I know.'

Ben ran a hand through his hair. The movement gave a full view of his throat, a small, thin, scar drawn across the side. Celaena swallowed. 'I'm sorry.'

He dragged his fingers down his face in exasperation. 'If I hear you say that one more time, I'll rip out your tongue.'

She snorted. 'You should be grateful that I'd even apologised in the first place. It's a blessing.' But she fell silent, all the same.

A pause. She looked at Ben. He asked, 'Did yesterday bring back some... memories?'

~

Celaena remained silent. Then, just as opened his mouth to ask her to tell him another day, she spoke. Her voice was so, so quiet. 'It was the night-' her voice hitched, and stopped so suddenly he thought that she had somehow been frozen.

'The night after my parents had... died. It- the thing, the person- came back for me. Lady Marion was so brave. She died. Because of me. She died to save me.' Celaena couldn't help the tears falling. 'That night, I ran for my life. Yesterday... I revisited the memory. But you,' she took a few deep breaths. 'I fought back. I didn't- didn't realise that...' She trailed off.

Ben didn't know what to do, what to say. 'Are you-'

'Aelin Ashryver Galathynius was my name.'

For a few heartbeats, there was just the blood pounding in his ears. A deafening silence. Then he clasped her to him, and pressed his forehead to hers. 'I don't care whether your name is Celaena or Aelin. I will always stand by you.' He meant every word of it.

And that was enough to make the tears well in her eyes. Big, fat, droplets ran down her cheeks.

The next moment, Ben had her in his arms as she buried her face into his neck.

'Assassins are supposed to have hearts of steel, not blubbering jelly,' Ben teased softly. But even as the words left his mouth, he knew that her childhood was incomparable to his. That she was still fragile. Like the delicate wings of a bird.

The sniffles finally ceased, and he looked at her puffy red eyes. 'I want to tell you everything.'

He hadn't expected it, and drew back slightly. 'Are you sure?'

She gripped his wrist tightly. 'Yes.'

Spoken with such certainty. Then Celaena poured her heart out.

~

Ben had listened calmly, not interrupting once, save for the moment where he had told her to hush, and threatened to pull out someone's eyeballs. When she had asked who it was, he just said, 'Eavesdropper.' They had gotten sidetracked for a while as he taught her signs that someone was listening in.

When she had finally finished her story, Ben had sworn not to breathe a word to anyone. 'I promise.' he said.

Then she scrubbed her eyes furiously, and left.

~

Celaena. Oh, Celaena. Ben walked out of the Keep on unsteady feet. Breaking into a sprint, he ran down the cobbled streets, feeling strangely bare; the single dagger and sword strapped to his body were the only weapons he carried. He ran through the slums. The hood half-obscured his sight, but Ben was familiar enough with this place.

Then he walked into the Vaults, ready for bloodshed.

***

damn he gonna take his anger out on those poor bastards and they didn't even do anything wrong