To the Stars | Throne of Glass

42

abrupt chapter ending ahead. you have been warned.

***

Celaena knew it was a dream. The blood on the bed was fake. Her parents, no matter how much she missed them, were not here. But it felt real.

Gasping, Celaena jolted upright in bed. Again, that same dream. Nightmare, even. It always returned at this time of year. She threw off the bed covers, shivering at the cold laced into the morning air, and stalked to the bathing room.

And even as Celaena told herself repeatedly it was just a dream, it didn't stop her from turning on the taps, filling the bath with hot water. When the tub was full, she ripped off her nightgown and climbed in. Erasing all traces of that phantom blood.

She submerged herself, and did not reappear for a long time.

~

Celaena thrust the sword in a quick, efficient manoeuvre, and Archer parried, switching to the defensive. She struck again with all her might, desperate to have her mind focused elsewhere. They had been training for the whole morning, and to her surprise, Archer had kept up through the gruelling drills and practice.

She caught the flash of steel as he feinted to the right, and she swept the sword, grunting as their blades clashed. Archer was panting heavily too, but they hadn't agreed to stop. Not yet. Celaena didn't want to, anyway.

~

Hunter was decent company. Ever since their sparring match, he had often found excuses to train alongside her. Now, they jogged at a steady pace over the emerald tiles of Rifthold. Every now and then, he would look at her, and open his mouth, then think the better of it, and close it.

Finally, they stopped, so close to the port that the salt could be scented even from their distant perch. Celaena ran a finger down the shingle. Hunter watched her with unusually wary eyes.

'What?' she finally said.

He rallied a deep breath.

'When exactly, were you going to announce yourself, Aelin Galathynius?'

~

Celaena froze. Hunter gripped the hilt of his daggers. He had known. From the first day they met. The news which had spread through Erilea like wildfire, then her sudden appearance, then her eyes. Slowly, he had fixed it together, piece by piece, until the conclusion was as clear as daylight. Hunter blinked, waited for her answer. And then she spoke.

~

Gods. Oh, gods. If Hunter, Hunter, of all people, figured out, then who else had? 'You know.' The didn't realise she was shaking until she glanced at her hands. They trembled, not just from the buffeting wind. And gods, her heart pounded so hard. She offered no explanation to Hunter, and he pushed no further. There was a rustle as he stood, and began to walk back. Celaena didn't stop him.

She stood, and walked after him. He paused, and turned to face her. 'Why are you here?' Celaena didn't reply. 'Does Aedion know where you are?'

Celaena whirled, grabbing the front of his tunic and slamming him into the brick chimney behind him. 'My personal life is none of your concern,' she hissed. 'For all you know, for all Erilea knows, I am Celaena Sardothien. Aelin Galathynius is dead.' She wouldn't cry, not now. There were no tears left in her anyway.

They stared at each other, chests rising and falling in uneven breaths. She had spent years, years of hiding Aelin where no one would find her, and Hunter had to come along and ruin everything. Bring up the one thing she desperately tried to forget all these years. Yet, she couldn't entirely blame him.

He opened his mouth. 'But-' He only got that far.

Celaena raked her nails across his cheek, and snarled, spit flying into his face. 'Shut. Up. Shut up, you rutting bastard!' Hunter placed a palm on his cheek. When he drew it away, two jagged lines of blood could be seen. Celaena wasn't one to apologise. But she knew she'd gone too far. 'I'm sorry,' she murmured. Hunter didn't appear to hear her. He was transfixed, staring at the red stain on his hand.

Celaena clenched and unclenched her fists, lips curled back from her teeth. She needed to do something - something to release the storm churning inside her. Celaena sank down onto her haunches and bit down on her arm, hard, screaming.

It did nothing but make her voice hoarse and dry. When she looked up, Hunter was gone.

~

Shit.

What terrors had she gone through so that such a thought drew such a reaction from her? Hunter stared at the blood on his palm. Too far. He'd pushed too far. So he turned, and sprinted away. The echo of her scream reached him as he pelted into the distance.

~

Hunter knew. What did that mean? Would he let slip anything? Or would he jeopardise her identity? Selfish as it may be, she couldn't let that happen. What should she do?

~

Celaena got her answer soon enough.

The next morning, there was a clatter of glass and Celaena threw off the covers, running straight out of the room. She had collapsed into bed yesterday after training, not bothering to change into her nightgown. Celaena followed the noise, and skidded to a halt outside a room in the neighbouring corridor. A maid was hurriedly brushing shards of glass into a dustpan, water soaking the rug. But that wasn't what made Celaena freeze. No, it wasn't that at all.

It was the sight of Hunter, sprawled across the bed.

Lifeless. 

~

She barely made it back to the bathing room before a wave of nausea rolled over her, and Celaena vomited.