*Celeana PoV*
Celeana has sorted herself out, and had decided to let him start the conversation.
Because she had no idea what to say.
She climbed up onto her roof from the bedroom window, and crept over to where she had asked to meet. All she hoped for now was that he showed up, and that she didn't disappoint him. And that he would still be the same friend she'd had all those years ago. He hadn't reported her to the King so - she could hope.
There.
A dark shadow hunched on the roof, breath panting out.
Aedion withdrew his hood and stalked forwards, and she stood to meet him.
She was praying that she didn't mess this up.
*Aedion PoV*
Every step was an eternity.
Because there she was. Aelin, proud and tall, stood before him. She looked almost as dazed as he felt.
"Well?" She asked, with the pure Aelin sass he remembered. "Let's here the story, then."
Aedion took a deep breath, and began.
He spoke of Therails, of his years in the Bane, of his fabricated body counts and of his cover-up reputation.
He spoke of winning back the sword of Ornyth, of dealing with the King, of all the years he had mourned her. And when he finished, she gave him a look that did not pity, but judged. Whatever she saw, it was enough that she opened her mouth, and told her own story.
She told of ending up with Arobynn Hamel - Arobynn Hamel, Gods be damned - of turning herself into Celeana, of working to survive in Rifthold. Rifthold, the city he'd visited too many times to count, and she'd been inside the city limits the whole time.
She told him about Skull's Bay, and the slaves. She told him about the Red Desert, and Ansel.
She told him about Sam, and how she'd loved and lost him.
She told him about Endovier, and at that he came over and held her, in order to remind himself that she was here, and safe, and had gotten out.
She told him about the king's competition, about being his assassin, and how she hadn't killed a single one until Archer Finn.
She told him about Nehemia, and about Elena, about Wyrdkeys and books and gates.
Then she took a deep breath, and told him about Chaol, and of how it all ended.
Then she said, "Aedion, I leave for Wendlyn tomorrow. I was supposed to go last weeks, but there was a bad storm and the ship couldn't sail. I need answers, and the only person who can gives them to me is Maeve. So I'm going."
He couldn't suppress a rise of anger, to have her back only to lose her again. But - at least he knew she was alive. That was something. "If ... if that's what you need to do, then do it." He stammered. "Just - come back safe, ok?"
She smiled, and they held each other under the stars, content in the knowledge that they were both safe. But he might have imagined it, but he thought her attention was eastward, towards Wendlyn. And all that waited for her there.