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She cleared her throat and began to read the words on the page

She didn’t know the language Her throat burned and contracted, as if fighting the sounds, but she panted through it, the wordsher teeth ache like she’d just co hot

And then the final words were out, her eyes watering

No wonder this kind of power fell out of favor

The syreen, one after another, until the whole archas a line of light The stones within its borders darkened, darkened, darkened, then disappeared

The blackness within the green archway seeods, it had worked

Was that aited for her when she died? Neheone here?

"Nehemia?" she whispered, her throat raw fro there--just a void

Celaena looked at the book, then to the wall and the symbols she’d drawn She’d written it correctly The spell was right "Nehemia?" she whispered toward that endless dark

There was no response

Perhaps it needed ti it would take; h whatever this realer she stared into that endless void, the more it seemed to stare back It was just like that dreae of that ravine

You are nothing more than a coward

"Please," Celaena whispered into the dark

There was a sudden yelp from far, far above, and Celaena whirled toward the stairs at the end of the hall Moments later, faster than should be possible, Fleetfoot bounded down the steps, racing for her

Not for her, Celaena realized as she beheld the wagging tail, the panting, the yip of what could only be joy Not for her, because--

Celaena looked toward the portal at the same moment Fleetfoot skidded to a halt

And then everything stopped as she beheld the shi just on the other side of the portal

Fleetfoot lay on the ground, tail still wagging, whining softly The edges of Nehe with soht But her face was clear--her face was … it was her face Celaena sank to her knees

She felt the war "I’m sorry," was all she could say "I’m so sorry"

But Nehemia reain "I"And neither may you" Her tone shifted, and Celaena knew Neheht you were sht radiating off the princess didn’t reach through the glowing portal, as if there truly were some sort of line--some final boundary

"I’ain "I just wanted--"

"There is no ti to say I came here because you need to be warned Do not open this portal again The next time you do, I will not be the one who answers your call And you will not survive the encounter No one has the right to open the door to this realrief"

She hadn’t known, hadn’t meant …

Fleetfoot pawed at the floor "Good-bye,into the blackness

Celaena just stood there, unable to move or think Her throat burned with those pent-up words, the words that now choked the life out of her

"Elentiya" Nehe, sing her up bit by bit "You will not understand yet, but … I knehat my fate was to be, and I embraced it I ran toward it Because it was the only way for things to begin changing, for events to be set in motion But no matter what I did, Elentiya, I want you to know that in the darkness of the past ten years, you were one of the bright lights for o out"

And before Celaena could reply, the princess was gone

There was nothing in the dark As though Neheh she’d made it all up

"Come back," she whispered "Please--come back" But the darkness reone

There was a scrape of footsteps--but not from the portal Rather, it caaping "I don’t believe it," he whispered

Chapter 48

Celaena had Darowled at him, but kept back, a step behind Celaena

"What are you doing here?" It was inconceivable that he’d be here How had he gotten in?