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"I told you to wait until it’s past--" she started, but paused as four figures stepped from the mist

Men Thefor the open doorway in a heartbeat, but they were fast--faster

One blocked the door while another caainst his massive body "Scream and I’ll slit your throat," he whispered in her ear, his breath hot and reeking of ale "Saw you irl Where are they?"

Yrene didn’t knohat she would have done next: fought or cried or begged or actually tried to scream But she didn’t have to decide

The led cry

TheThere was a ruffle of clothing, then a thu the door called

Nothing

The thirdbetween Yrene and the mist--drew his short sword Yrene didn’t have tiure slipped frorabbed him Not in front, but from the side, as if they’d just appeared out of thin air

The round and drew the sword fro blade But his companion didn’t even shout More silence

"Corowled "Face us like a proper h

Yrene’s blood went cold Silba, protect her

She knew that laugh--knew the cool, cultured voice that ith it

"Just like how you proper irl in an alley?"

With that, the stranger stepped froers in her hands And both blades were dark with dripping blood

CHAPTER 3

Gods Oh, gods

Yrene’s breath ca attackers The first h, but the one by the door ide-eyed Yrene carefully, so carefully, backed away

"You killed my men?" thewoers into a new position The kind of position that Yrene thought would easily allow the blade to go straight up through the ribs and into the heart "Let’s just say yourto theirl aiting Yrene knew she should run--run and run and not look back--but the girl was only arers, and the mercenary was enormous, and--

It was over before it really started Thedaggers And then she knocked him out cold with a swift blow to the head So fast--unspeakably fast and graceful A wraithand out of sight, and Yrene didn’t listen too hard as the girl follohere he’d fallen

Yrene whipped her head to theto her savior But thedown the alley as fast as his feet could carry him

Yrene had half a ed from the mist, blades clean but still out Still ready

"Please don’t kill , to offer everything in exchange for her useless, wasted life

But the young wohed under her breath and said, "What would have been the point in saving you, then?"

Celaena hadn’t meant to save the barmaid

It had been sheer luck that she’d spotted the fourabout the streets, sheer luck that they seeer for trouble as she was She had hunted theirl in unforgivable ways

The fight was over too quickly to really be enjoyable, or be a balht

The fourth one had gotten away, but she didn’t feel like chasing hi froer after the sprintingOr faint Which would … coirl didn’t screaer at Celaena’s ar"

Celaena frowned down at the little shining spot on her bicep "I suppose I am"

A carelessa troublesome wound, but she’d have to clean it It would be healed in a week or less She made to turn back to the street, to see what else she could find to aain

"I--I could bind it up for you"

She wanted to shake the girl Shake her for about ten different reasons The first, and biggest, was because she was tre and scared and had been utterly useless The second was for being stupid enough to stand in that alley in theabout all the other reasons--not when she was already angry enough