Love can be a poison.
Death, cruel and cunning, waited in that gold-flecked onyx stare.
The painting was a lie.
This thing between them, the force of it, could devour the world. And.
Something evil dwells in this castle, something wicked enough to make the stars quake.
With the strength of the most powerful forces in the world. The most powerful force in any realm. What brings loyalty beyond death, undimming despite the years. What remains unwavering in the face of hopelessness.
That’s the stag,” Celaena breathed. “The Lord of the North.” “Why does he get a fancy title? What about the swan and the dragon?” Celaena snorted, but the smile faded when she stared at the familiar constellation. “Because the stag remains constant – no matter the season, he’s always there.” “Why?” Celaena took a long breath. “So the people of Terrasen will always know how to find their way home. So they can look up at the sky, no matter where they are, and know Terrasen is forever with them.
I know I am not an easy person to care for, or an easy friend to have, but you have never once made me feel that way.
They burned the antler throne, Aedion. There is no throne for her.” “Then I’ll build one myself from the bones of our enemies.
Her beauty was a weapon – one she kept honed – but it could also be a vulnerability. Arobynn.
The thing was quiet. Then it tilted its head. The smile it gave him was horrifying in its beauty. “I shall enjoy watching you die, General.
A groan rumbled through the mountain beneath them. Morath shuddered. Maeve’s eyes widened further. A crack louder than thunder echoed through the stones. The tower swayed. Dorian’s mouth curved upward. You didn’t think I spent all those hours merely searching, did you?
The knocker chuckled. “Alive? I’m made of bronze. I do not breathe, nor do I eat or drink. So, no, I am not alive. Nor am I dead, for that matter. I simply exist.
I thought of that merry face, the flippant laughter, the female that did not care who approved. Perhaps because she had seen the ugliest her kind had to offer. And had survived.
You’re lonely?” He said it before he could stop himself. “Lonely?” She shook her head and finally, after all that coaxing, sat down. He fought against the urge to reach across the space between them to see if her hair was as silky as it looked. “No. I can survive well enough on my own – if given proper reading material.
They had slept in the shelter of the ruins, though neither of them really got true rest.
There’s nothing wrong with being a party girl. I don’t get why the world thinks there is.” But she considered his words. “It’s easier for me – when people assume the worst about what I am. It lets me see who they really are.
They might be vicious, but they’re not invincible.
After that, she’d sworn never to trust girls again, especially girls with agendas and power of their own.
So,” Celaena said, spitting blood onto the stones, “do you want to explain yourself first, or should I?