The events of Samhuinn left Celaena exhausted, confused, and definitely not wanting to get out of bed when Chaol stormed into her room.
She groaned and covered her head with her pillow, stubbornly denying the captains presence.
"I am not getting up."
Chaol chuckled and ripped the blanket from Celaena, causing her to moan and blindly reach out in attempt to regain her protection from the cold.
"You don't need to get up early today, you lazy bastard. Training is cancelled."
This caused Celaena to jolt upright.
"Again? Why?"
Chaol paused before putting the sheets back on the bed. "Another competitor was found dead in the corridor. Xavier, the thief from Melisande."
Celaena frowned. "Have you narrowed down the culprit yet?"
"No, not yet, but-"
Celaena snorted and picked at her nails. "Some guards you are."
"-But the guards and I were wondering where you were last night." He gave her a pointed stare.
Her jaw dropped. "Are you assuming that I did it?" She said angrily, a little hurt that the captain didn't trust her.
Chaol seemed uneasy. "No one suspects you, Celaena-"
Celaena rolled her eyes and elegantly slipped out of bed, getting on her slippers. "Contrary to what you just said. Frankly, captain, I am offended by the lack of trust in this situation."
"I mean, you are an assassin, Celaena-"
Celaena waved him off with a dismissive hand gesture. "Details, details. Anyway, you may leave."
Chaol stood his ground. "You can't force me to leave a premises I am legally obligated to attend to."
Celaena grinned wickedly, baring slight resemblance to the stealth of a feline. "Oh, can't I?" She asked, words sounding innocent but tone contradicting it, "I am an assassin, after all."
Chaol, quite wisely, left the room.
****
Nox and Celaena had been walking around the palace grounds for a while now, circling the gardens and talking quietly.
Chaol paced along the balcony of Celaena's chambers, watching the two figures walk beside each other.
They had something between them, it was easy enough to tell. Chaol was confused as to what it was. They were just competitors, weren't they? How could they have a relationship with each other, any relationship more intimate than a friendly alliance, even with the knowledge only one would come out of this as a free person?
Chaol furrowed his brow,
Why did he feel soprotective of Celaena? She was an assassin.
But-
Who was Nox Owen?
****
Celaena side glanced at Sam, who was staring straight ahead, eyes glazed and not really seeing at all.
Celaena sighed. All she wanted was a chance at a normal life. she was done with killing, she was done with stealing lives and dreams.
But to be free, she would have to go against him.
She sighed and slipped her had into his, mulling over their relationship and where they stood.
Sam looked down at their interwoven hands, something shining in his eyes that Celaena couldn't pinpoint.
YOU ARE READING
After Everything
Fantasy"it was like a dance. a dance of silver and blades and speed. they danced around one another, moving in time, as if it had been rehearsed a hundred times before. they fought like old lovers, as if they knew the others next moves like it was written...
