To the Stars | Throne of Glass

80

WARNING: MATURE-ISH SCENES AHEAD.

***

He hadn't taken her eyes off her all night.

She could feel it. Feel his slimy gaze as his keen eyes tracked her as she had waltzed across the ballroom. Now retired to the shadows of the hall, Celaena Sardothien swirled her goblet, the wine, a dark maroon, lapping at the edges.

Arobynn didn't care if she drunk it or not. Even if he did, she wouldn't have given a damn.

She looked up. The man had gone from his perch. Celaena cast her gaze around the hall. Her eyes met Arobynn's, and she forced a casual demeanour onto her face. Bored. Unfazed. He tipped his head and delivered a lax grin to her. She smiled back, and moved her gaze on.

And found herself staring into the broad chest of the vulture-eyed man.

'Lovely,' he muttered. 'Ravishing.' He reached out a hand. 'Let me-' Celaena slapped it away, careful not to jostle the wine goblet. The man inches closer still, swaying. He was drunk.

She recognised him as Mordecai, one of the higher-ranked assassins within the Guild. Why had he allowed himself to become as such?

'Cel...aena,' he slurred, taking a heavy step towards her. She attempted to slip past, but, even drunk, he managed to shift slightly, blocking her way. Slowly, she retreated backwards as Mordecai lumbered forwards, forcing her into a doorway.

Now in a more secluded area, Celaena quickly marked any exits. Two small windows, and the one door. It was closed with a small click.

Mordecai gave a malicious smile. 'You and I are going to have some fun,' he chuckled, gripping her wrists and slamming her to the stone wall behind her. The wine glass fell from her fingers, smashing into smithereens on the marble floor.

Honestly, the wiser half of Celaena was screaming at her to draw a dagger, to raise her knee, anything to get this brute off her. But she resisted the voice - the sensible, level-headed, clear-minded Celaena. And the wild, uncontainable half smiled, waiting to see what he would do.

Pinning her wrists above her head with one hand, the man slowly reached out a hand. Wonder and lust took over, glazing his eyes with such a wildness. He placed his calloused palm under her ribs. Dangerous. This was so dangerous.

Celaena lifted her head. Mordecai stared at her, mouth parted and breathing deeply. Like a crazed, feral animal. With a rough jerk, he ripped the clasp that held the back of her dress, and her back suddenly kissed the cool surface of stone.

Growls, full of longing and desperation, came from his throat as he tore at her sleeve. Celaena watched his face carefully.

And then the warm summer air met her breasts, the top half of her dress pooling at her hips. Mordecai was transfixed, staring at them with such ravenous hunger. Celaena gently eased a hand free, and ran it through his hair, down his cheek, crooning soft, dulcet words. Her fingers ran down his neck, trailing his shoulder and over his chest. She coaxed him with gentle murmurs, and Celaena could feel his trembling underneath her touch.

Hypnotised and small, like a pup to its master. Mordecai growled, the noise mellow and subdued.

But perhaps she was vain enough to believe he was no longer a threat. For a second later, the savage hunger had returned.

He had his shirt unbuttoned in a flash, and moved closer to grind his hips against hers. A muted knock of metal on metal sounded as he unclasped the button to his pants.

A wave of disgust so powerful that it made her gag rushed over Celaena. Enough. This was enough.

Mordecai grabbed the back of her head, forcing his lips to hers. But he didn't get far. A glimmer of steel-

And two daggers met his heart.

One from Celaena. The other... The door flew open, and Arobynn had sent the other flying, the dagger plunging through the shoulder and deep into Mordecai's chest.

Arobynn slammed the door shut behind him. 'WHAT IN THE WYRD WERE YOU THINKING?' he thundered.

Celaena plucked her dagger from the cooling corpse, letting it sag to the ground from her arm, and replied, 'I was fine.'

Arobynn glared at her, seething with barely restrained anger. 'You call that fine?' She could read the second thought in his eyes: And here I was, thinking we'd make it perfectly fine through tonight.

He stalked over to her, and gripped her shoulders hard with two hands, digging in his nails. 'If revealing your breasts to a man you hardly know is fine to you, Celaena - if allowing yourself to be played with as such is fine, then by all means, go ahead,' he hissed.

She shook off his arms, and tugged the sleeve of her dress back up, onto her shoulder. She wasn't at all that bothered that Arobynn had seen so much. Honestly, there was so such thing as modesty to her.

'I swore no one would ever lay a wrong hand on you. And yet you willingly let him...' Arobynn pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed deeply. 'You're always looking for trouble. Sam, at least, knows when to make wise decisions.'

She muttered a reply that had Arobynn growling, 'You were prepared? You had it all under your control? Well, Celaena, if you enjoyed it, I could give you the pleasure of experiencing it to the fullest.'

She snorted. 'I'm good.'

'So quick to back down on my offer.'

'You're my mentor, Arobynn.' Everything was wrong in that sentence. And they both knew it.

'He was no older than I am.'

Celaena snarled. 'I get it. You can stop now.'

Arobynn dragged a palm down his face before straightening, once again the portrait of unruffled dignity and lethal grace, and offered an arm to her. 'I'll deal with the body later.'

The body - as if he hadn't known the man. But she took his arm, and smiled through her teeth.

Together, the two assassins joined the ball once again.