To the Stars | Throne of Glass

63

Darkness flashed across her eyes as he struck her again. 'You-' Blood filled her mouth as Arobynn punched her, knuckles striking her teeth. Then she jolted, and the light dimmed. Water dripped. No- no- the dungeons - he was taking her to the dungeons! Celaena jerked free, and sprinted for the door. A dagger, thrown hilt first, struck her head. She sprawled to the ground, Celaena unleashing a caterwaul of rage as she went. Arobynn slammed a cupped hand into her ear, and suddenly everything went silent.

~

Celaena couldn't fall asleep. Her mind kept drifting back to what Ben had said. When he'd said he loved her, she didn't expect that much. He honestly, honestly, cared for her.

Friend. Sister.

The thought made her toes curl, and her cheeks warm. It even blocked out the pulsing throb in her arm. Just a bit. Biting back a snarl, she shifted upright to survey her hand. Arobynn would be pleased.

Ben, who hadn't left her side for one moment, instantly snapped his gaze to her.

'Are you good?' Not okay. No, never okay.

'I'm alright.'

'Celaena,' Ben began, clearly distressed, 'I'm sorry for shouting at you. I saw the fear in your eyes, and I'm sorry for scaring you. I made you afraid. I- I couldn't help-'

But she wasn't listening. 'I love you,' she whispered to the night; to the person with a beautiful soul beside her.

'Brother.'

Ben's soft, quiet smile lingered in her mind even as she closed her eyes and fell asleep at last.

~

Ben left at dawn, and returned with supplies to re-set the bandages. 'Bone broken in three places,' he had said. Celaena hadn't yet heard of a permanent healer within the Guild, so she supposed Ben filled in that role. Hissing as he wrapped strips of cloth round her wrist and upwards, she clenched the bed covers with a tight fist. 'It's just going to take time to heal,' Ben said eventually. 'Herbs and medicines won't help.'

'How long?'

'I'd wager a few months. Three?'

She didn't stop the snarl that ripped from her teeth. 'I'm going to be walking around the Keep like this for three rutting months?'

He nodded, face equally furious. Celaena pointed to her sword hanging in its satchel on the wall. The first rays poked through the window, and the tiny jewels in the hilt burst into flame. 'At least I'll definitely improve my left handed sword skills.'

Ben sighed. 'You mangled your hand for that? Surely you could've done something less... damaging?'

'It didn't occur to me in the moment.'

Ben huffed, cuffing her around the head. 'Idiot.'

Celaena swayed, but didn't tear her eyes from Ben. Neither deigned to speak further about last night, so she asked, 'Are you and Arobynn close?'

He blinked. 'Quite.'

'I could do with a story to pass time,' she edged.

'You- Oh, honestly, Celaena.' He smoothed the covers at the end of the bed before sitting, resting his back against one of the beams. 'We've been friends for some time- since our childhood. Arobynn was already feared by the children in our neighbourhood. I thought different. One day, I cooked up the nerve to approach him. He is five years older than I, and though that may not be much of a difference now, it was extremely daunting then. He was already well-built, and, if that wasn't enough, he had cornered me and was threatening to gut me.' Ben broke off with a small laugh before continuing.

'He let me go eventually; I began seeking him out more and more often, and we became friends of some sort. He persuaded me to join the Guild, though it wasn't nearly as developed as now. Arobynn saw that I was good with weapons, and I enjoyed the experience too. I saw he was ambitious. He never stopped of talking about the Guild becoming his one day. And when the opportunity arose, he seized it. He was only King of the Assassins of his local estate until you came along. He suddenly announced the Keep, this Keep, as his own. No one challenged him, and that's led us to where we are now.'

It was a story with many gaps and holes, but Celaena listened intently all the same. A sudden thought crossed her mind. 'Do you know anything about Sam's childhood?'

Ben nodded.

An icy sensation suddenly swept through her. Celaena named it jealousy. 'How do you know?' She didn't want to know the answer. Some part of her wanted Ben all to herself. Her brother; her father. She wanted him to mean nothing to anyone else. It was that same, selfish tug from three years ago.

Ben uncrossed his legs, and shuffled across the mattress to sit next to her. He took her hand, and squeezed it. 'Celaena. I know what you're thinking. I love you, I do. But I care for others, too. It's not selfish if you'd want to claim me.'

She sighed. 'I'm sorry.'

Ben let go of her hand, and began to run his fingers through her hair. He was plaiting it.

After a while, Ben said, 'I suspect you know most of Sam's past. But it's always been a sensitive subject for him to discuss. Human beings are stupid and foolish, Celaena. His mother was murdered by a jealous client. His father had already passed before he was born.

'He was blessed with good looks. Arobynn said as much. If his mother had left him with Clarisse instead, he may have made a fine courtesan.' He stopped, and left it at there.

~

Celaena left to train for a while despite Ben's numerous warnings. By the time she'd reached the training hall, it was past breakfast, and the room was rather full. But Arobynn found her instantly. His eyes glinted, giving the impression of the cool blade of a dagger resting in the morning sun, and the corners of his mouth pulled into a smirk. He didn't ask what she'd done to her hand. Somehow, despite his eyes never straying from hers, somehow, he already knew what she'd done.

'I have Sam for you today. Harding is on a mission.' She nodded stiffly, and slid her sword from its sheath. He added, 'Do not think that you can use your arm as an excuse. I do not want you to whinge and cry if you lose.'

Ire sparked in her eyes, and she clamped her lips together tightly to refrain from snarling back a comment. She wasn't going to whinge. But Arobynn was already waiting for them to begin.

Sam shifted onto his right foot, and sank back on his haunches slightly. He was ready, then.

The dance begun.