Aelin's feet dragged, barely caught in the frill Phillipa had dressed in, as she stumbled after Chaol. The former assassin cursed her shoes to the deepest pits of hell - they looked gorgeous but they stung each part of her feet as she was towed behind Chaol.

The meeting with the King.

Aelin chest tightened - and it wasn't the corset.

"When you enter - stop where I stop" Chaol was saying. She barely heard him.

The King - Dorian's father, but also a Valg. The true king was trapped inside, had done everything to ensure Dorian's safety. She couldn't let him sense anything different about her, if her foreknowledge went into the hands of the Valg…

"Celaena - he's just a man." Chaol looked at her, his brows furrowing in concern. Perhaps her cheeks, already pale from Endovier, looked sickly.

" You're not on trial." He continued.

A trial? A low noise left her throat. This was the ultimate test - if she could get through this meeting without arising his suspicion, without calling attention to herself -

The Valg could not be allowed that foreknowledge. At all costs.

Aelin let her face slip into the cool mask, her features unsettlingly calm. She clasped her hands tightly to calm the slightest shaking, and the only thing that betrayed her nerves was the tight grip of her knuckles.

Chaol glanced at her again as they came to a stop in a long hallway where four guards were posted on two glass doors.

She gave him a nod - the slightest tilt of her lips and he looked forward again as he led her through the gates.


Despiteher preparation - her breath still hitched when she entered. The room glowed with a subtle green light, the floors a marbled red. The King was looking straight at her and when he spoke the words seemed to claw at her. Of course, she bowed low as soon as she entered. Kept her mouth shut and her gaze away from his.

Sweeping her eyes across the room, her heart stuttered again when she noticed Duke Perrington. Erawan. Gods.

The King of the Valgs.

Her eyes tore away from his form and she noticed her 23 competitors and couldn't bring herself to care for how they overlooked her. How jealous she was of them - their only care in the world winning this championship.

"And if you fall behind, if you fail, you will be packed off to whichever dark hole you were pulled from."

When the King spoke, Aelin couldn't help but notice the wrongness in the baritones of his voice. A subtle undertone, dark as the demon that lived in his body - so clear and yet so hidden.

Aelin kept her gaze steadily on the ground.

A test every week from 13 weeks. She could do that in her sleep - but the rest…

Footsteps thudded along the long hallway outside, and guard entered, bowing low.

"Your Highness -" his gaze was fearful, "I apologize sincerely for the interruption, but there's a man - he's insisting and we think you'd wish to see him."

The King's court flinched - the interruption may have been punishable by death at the very least. Dorian stood, grinning.

"I'll handle it, if we're finished." Dorian bowed, his back barely bending, and nodded to the mute councillors, taking the guard by the arm and leading him away. Aelin wondered if he'd saved that guards career - his own impertinence hidden with his status.

She repressed the hope that built in her chest at who the man could be, carefully keeping her features cool.

The King looked contemplatively at the glass doors and Aelin felt as if his gaze was crawling on her own skin.

"If there are no questions," his gaze burned when it landed on her. "You may take your leave."

There was a rush of bows and the steady trickle out the door. Chaol led her through the throng of sponsors and contestants who stayed near the entrance, not speaking till he passed the corridor and turned the first corner.


Dorian was leaning against the wall, his back turned to them. A tall figure, the palest of blonde hair covered the faint peak of pointed ears, stood in front of him. His pine green eyes caught Aelin's, and he smirked a gorgeous smile.

Aelin couldn't restrain her grin. He raised an eyebrow.

Did you doubt me?

A slight laugh escaped her.

Of course not - Buzzard.

The world could have burned at that moment and she wouldn't have cared.

Dorian noticed his companions straying attention span, and turned himself, smiling in confusion at the grin on her face.

"How convincing you were in your bowing and nodding! A sincere congratulations, Lillian."

Rowan looked at her, amused.

Her eyes glittered in response.

"Lillian - was it?"

Rowans voice lilted in its teasing.

"You can call me anything you like." She flirted back, her grin rising on one side.

"My wife might object to that - she's slightly possessive."

Aelin raked her gaze away from his eyes down his form, a smile tugging her lips as she locked her eyes with his again.

"She must be a wise and staggering beauty to keep you so faithful."

Rowan's answering smirk flashed his teeth and Aelin's eyes burned hotter.

"She is."

Dorian interjected their staring match.

"Chaol, Lillian, this is Rowan Whitethorn. He's an ambassador of the Fae Kingdom and House Whitehorn."

"A pleasure." Aelin extended her hand and Rowan took it with the grace of any royalty - gently kissing the back. His hands were callused and her own felt frail in his. The year in Endovier had not treated her body well. Rowan seemed to know where her thoughts had headed and gripped her hand tighter, his lips lingering even as he separated.

Chaol coughed, before shaking Rowan's hand. Aelin turned her head, hiding her laughing smile beneath her hair. Gods she'd missed him.

She kept her legs tense and still - Rowan was here and all she wanted to do was drag him far away from this place.

Dorian looked between them.

"How interesting - Whitethorn, you may be the first person to catch her interest."

Rowan's smirk turned soft as he gazed at her and Aelin couldn't tear her own eyes away.

"Your Highness! What a surprise!"

She blinked, and then frowned slightly. Kaltain dressed in the finest luxury barely glanced in her direction before turning her back to Aelin. She dragged her gaze from Dorian and looked at Rowan with a gleam in her eye Aelin did not like. She resisted the urge to bare her teeth at her.

"Her Majesty wished to see, Your Highness -"

Kaltain tore her gaze from Rowan to look at Dorian. Dorian himself looked like he was just barely managing not to grimace, but then he glanced at her and the smirk on his face put her on edge.

"Lady Kaltain - have I introduced you to my guest?" His winning smile didn't do anything to reassure Aelin.

"This is Lady Lillian Gordiana, from Bellhaven - sadly she's only staying a few years." Dorian's exaggerated sigh of disappointment barely disguised his amusement.

"Only?" Kaltain asked.

Rowan cleared his throat, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"I suppose with company as lovely as hers, years seem remarkably short." His voice was smooth as silk.

Aelin's eyes locked with his, and her lips tugged back into a smile.

Smooth.

The crinkle around his eyes betrayed Rowan's amusement.

"Yes - Lady Lillian and Captain Westfall are very close companions -" Dorian could've been cut by the sharp gaze Rowan gave him, but Aelin remained amused. It was so freeing to joke around like this. She ached to step forward, it would only take a few steps - she'd be in Rowan's arms, her mate, her husband -

Chaol gazed at her consideringly.

"Well! I wouldn't want to keep mother waiting - Chaol, would you escort Lord Rowan to a spare room for the night?" Dorians energy seemed falsely exuberant, as he took his leave.

Kaltain seemed put off, almost resigned as she left.

Chaol gave Aelin a strained smile - not wanting to arouse Rowan's suspicion after being labeled "close" to her.

"This way," Chaol strode ahead, but Aelin lingered behind, slowing down her pace as Rowan did the same.


They didn't speak, the closeness of their bodies enough for now. The silence seemed comforting now, instead of deafening as it had in Maeve's coffin and Endovier's cells -

Rowan gaze darted to Chaol, who had slowed his pace and seemed to be debating whether or not to start a conversation. Then, almost ostentatiously, with a flirty smile more for Chaol's benefit than hers, Rowan offered her his arm and Aelin took it gratefully.

Her breath stuttered slightly and she felt Rowan's muscles relax.

How did he always know when her mind drifted to dark places?

They stopped in front of the guards to her rooms and the delicious smell of her lunch wafted even though the closed doors. Before Chaol could speak, she moved closer to Rowan.

"Would you like to join me for lunch, Rowan, Chaol?"

"Of course -"

"I'm afraid I -"

They both paused.

Chaol glanced between them as he started again.

"I'm afraid I have duties to attend to," Chaol's gaze drifted to Rowan, who's answering smile was close lipped.

" Of course, Lillian - perhaps Captain Westfall could show me to my room first?" There was an undercurrent of steel in his voice.

Chaol affirmative answer was reluctant at best, and Aelin watched the two leave with a buoyant heart.

It was necessary to keep her cover as Lillian and Caleana - who had never met Rowan before. But a simple lunch, without Chaol, would allow them privacy to truly talk and be just Aelin and Rowan.

She grinned brightly at her guards before prancing into the lounge of her rooms, the food remaining untouched until a knock sounded on the door less than half an hour later.


Sorry this took way longer to update - exam season's coming up! Hope you enjoyed it, this chapter was a bit shorter, but the next one will be much longer - with a few twists and turns!