To the Stars | Throne of Glass

73

She wasn't pleased to find herself walking down the staircase which led to the dungeons when she'd only been carried out a mere two days ago. Down, down she padded, Arobynn leading the way past the mellow light of the flickering candles. The sounds of dripping water only grew as they went deeper.

He pushed open the door which led to that room - the room where she'd stood and scowled, knelt and wept. 'This is our council room,' Arobynn said. No one was in there yet, but she still gave a sweep of the room. The blood - Gregori's blood - was scrubbed from the stone walls and the floor, the chair and the table gleaming slightly from the glowing light radiating from the chandelier above.

Ben walked into the room behind them before taking a seat on the right of the head of the long table. Arobynn gestured for her to sit opposite Ben. 'Welcome to my Inner Circle.' It may have sounded... well, stupid, coming from anyone else, but she knew it was a privilege. Having already been part of one-

No. She forced herself to forget.

Only Arobynn's Inner Circle. None else.

'Already given such a high position,' Ben whispered, winking at her. Arobynn seemed to have heard the hushed comment, but didn't comment, and cut them a sharp smile.

Not a minute later, men - the same men - began to take their places. One man, short and thin - shorter than her - growled instantly as his eyes fell upon her. 'What is she doing here?'

Arobynn jerked his chin to the foot of the table. 'Sit there.' Fuming, the man stalked to his new seat, eyes simmering with ire, disbelief and humiliation. 'If you have a problem, Tern, you're welcome to leave. I'm sure Harding will be happy to replace you,' Arobynn stated mildly.

'I have already been replaced. By a girl,' Tern muttered.

Arobynn chose not to reply, and instead swept his arm. 'This is Celaena Sardothien, though I'm sure most of you already have met her.' Adarlan's Assassin.

'Celaena - Tern, Mullin, Mordecai and Lothaire.' She studied the men closely as Arobynn called each of them out. Lothaire looked the friendliest. Tern, Mullin, who was scarily muscular, and Mordecai, all bore scowls and frowns.

'Where's Gregori?' one asked.

Gregori?

Arobynn gave a humourless chuckle. 'I'm afraid Gregori has been through some... troubles, and is not yet recovered to join us today.' A knowing look towards her direction, in which the others followed. Ben only looked anxious.

Mordecai sneered at her, and the image of him staring at her bare body flashed through her mind. 'Piss off,' she said to him.

'What did you do to Gregori?'

He had pieced it together, then. 'Torture,' she said simply.

Most men in the room tensed instantly. But Mordecai smiled, and it wasn't the nice sort of smile. Ben, seated to his left, snarled at him. 'You keep your hands off her,' he murmured with an icy tone.

'Wouldn't dream of it, Second.'

She could look out for herself well enough.

Arobynn rapped his knuckles on the table. 'Right. Let's start, shall we?'

~

It wasn't half as bad as she expected it to be. There was little general debate, though she could see Ben was ready to strangle Mordecai if he even looked at her funny. She wound up with another mission by the end of the discussion - which was mainly talk of politics. One - Lothaire, if she could remember properly - briefly mentioned the beginnings of slave trade in Adarlan. Most men had perked up at that. But otherwise, it wasn't dreadfully exciting.

~

That night, Arobynn requested a private dinner. She'd had a few before; hence wasn't entirely surprised, and accepted.

Dressed in one of her more casual gowns (though not simple; nothing Celaena bought or owned was to be called simple), she fiddled with her nails as she waited for Arobynn to speak.

They were seated in a small drawing room - there was no fireplace, so candles were lit. Somehow, it made the whole meeting much more... private and secretive. The platters for the main course were laid out. Water - not wine - was poured into glasses - for both Celaena and Arobynn.

When the final servant had bowed and left, Arobynn swept a hand before clasping his fingers together and leaning his forearms on the table. 'Eat.'

Celaena began cutting the steak before her, and placed a piece into her mouth, savouring the rich flavour and mild spices before swallowing. 'Yes?'

'The Stygian Suite is being performed two days from now at the Royal Theatre. Would you like to attend?'

Celaena nearly spat out her mouthful of food. 'What? Yes!'

Arobynn's eyes danced with amusement. 'In a month's time, it is soon the ball of All Hallows' Eve. I would like you to attend that gathering, however, you will have a secondary task if you go.'

She leaned her wrists on the edge of the table. 'I'm listening.'

'Gawain Cultt is our generous host.' Upon seeing Celaena's raised brow, he continued, 'Yes, he was once part of the Guild. A couple of years ago, he left, stealing a considerable amount of money from the Guild as he did so - and we were not able to track him down for some time.'

Celaena stabbed a pea, twirling her fork idly, though her full attention was on Arobynn's words.

'As you and I both know, this Guild is home to many wanted assassins, including you and I in some ways. Cultt intends to reveal the Guild's location-'

'Bullshit.' A curse slipped from her lips before she could help it.

'-along with other critical information to a client for a large sum of money. That client will then help him establish a new Assassin's Guild. The catch is,' Arobynn said with a sly glance, 'Cultt's client is myself. We've now gathered he has brought himself a mansion on one of the blocks not too far away from here. He is to meet with the client on All Hallows' Day - and I want him dead by then.'

'Of course.'

Arobynn threw her a razor-sharp smile, and they resumed their dinner with slightly more pleasant talk.