Rising Flames | Throne of Glass

30

A weight was draped around Celaena's shoulders, and she looked up to see Sam. 'You're going to catch a cold.'

'It's summer,' she replied. But he adjusted the cloak anyway, fastening it at the front. Then he eased her into her feet, taking her hand in his. She didn't protest or pull away.

'When are we leaving here?' she asked quietly.

'Enya says Aedion will be back in a few months. So perhaps four months here, and a week of travel.'

'I want to leave here as soon as possible.'

'Me, too,' Sam admitted. 'Maeve, at least, was benevolent enough. Her cabal of Warriors, though...'

'I hate them all,' she muttered. 'Connall is bearable but sometimes just like Rowan - cold and distant. Fenrys is no better than Maeve. I hate them both. And I know Maeve plans to keep me here for until I can master my fire.'

Sam was silent, and only the muted thud of their synchronised footsteps down the stone steps were heard.

'The King of Adarlan wants my entire family, the royal family of Terrasen, dead. He needs to be entirely in control of Erilea before waging war on Wendlyn. He's been gathering armies since decades ago, but hadn't made a move on Terrasen because he thought he had no challengers. Turns out I'm alive, and so he'll be rallying legions to capture the North of Erilea soon. He could do it now, but he won't, not with me here. I need to be there to face him.'

Sam was still silent after her rant, and she turned her head to look at him.

He was crying.

There were tears running down his cheeks, throat bobbing and shoulders trembling.

'Sam?' Celaena breathed.

'Why?' came a small moan. 'Why you, Celaena? The burden you have, the loss and responsibility you have had to endure from such a young age - how is it fair, to place all this weight upon the shoulders of a child?' Sam's shoulders shook, and though his breaths remained forcefully even, his voice cracked as he spoke.

She hated pity, usually. But to see Sam so torn...

'Hey,' she said gently. 'Look at me.'

She stopped them, and Sam turned his head slightly.

'Am I crying?'

Sam swallowed.

And her heart crumbled.

'Oh, Sam,' she said, pressing her forehead to his. 'I know. It's hard. It's so hard to bear sometimes. I wish useless things, and hate myself and the world. But then,' she smiled, 'I remember there's you. I will live for you, and endure through all the pain because I know you are here. I may have given up once upon a time, as I was chained and put in that wagon. But you're here, now. And that, enough, is a gift which makes up for all my burdens.' She put her lips on his, and whispered, 'Together? We'll stay strong together and face whatever comes our way.'

Sam returned the kiss, and she tasted the salt of his tears upon her lips.

'I'll be by your side, and you'll be by mine.'

'Always,' he said quietly, voice breaking. 'I love you, and I'll always be by your side.'

~

The corridors were silent, her feet whispering against the carpeted floor as she crept down it. She paused at the end, glancing out of the window at the inky darkness beyond - and turned right. Her hand trailed the banister as she ascended the wooden stairs up to a small panelled room. She tugged open a door on the far side, walking up a few more steps.