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She kept her hands fro every last shred of common sense

"No one knohat, exactly, went on that day in the glass castle," Arobynn began

After all that she had endured, after what she had overcome in Wendlyn, to return to this … She wished Roere beside her, wished she could smell his pine-and-snow scent and know that no matter what news Arobynn bore, no matter how it shattered her, the Fae warrior would be there to help put the pieces back together

But Roas across an ocean--and she prayed he’d never get within a hundred et to the point," she said "I want to have a few hours of sleep tonight" Not a lie With every breath, exhaustion wrapped tighter around her bones

"I would have thought," Arobynn said, "given how close you tere, and your abilities, that you’d so what he was accused of"

The prick was enjoying every second of this If Dorian was dead or hurt--

"Your cousin Aedion has been i with the rebels here in Rifthold to depose the king and put you back on the throne"

The world stopped

Stopped, and started, then stopped again

"But," Arobynn went on, "it seems you had no idea about that little plot of his, whichfor an excuse to lure a certain fire-breathing bitch-queen back to these shores Aedion is to be executed in three days at the prince’s birthday party as the main entertainment Practically screams trap, doesn’t it? I’d be a littlefor sending a loud hts that clouded her mind--batted it aside and focused on the assassin in front of her He wouldn’t tell her about Aedion without a daood reason

"Why warn ; Aedion was destined for the gallows--as a trap for her Every plan she had was ruined

No--she could still see those plans through to the end, still do what she had to But Aedion … Aedion had to come first Even if he later hated her, even if he spat in her face and called her a traitor and a whore and a lying murderer Even if he resented what she had done and become, she would save hi froood faith"

She’d bet there was ered in the wooden bench beneath her

She stood as well, sliding out of the booth She knew that more spies than Arobynn’s lackeys monitored them--had seen her arrive, wait at the bar, and then head to this banquette She wondered if her old master knew, too

Arobynn only smiled at her, taller by a head And when he reached out, she allowed him to brush his knuckles down her cheek The calluses on his fingers said enough about how often he still practiced "I do not expect you to trustthose days of hell and heartbreak, had Arobynn ever said that he loved her in any capacity She’d been about to leave with Sa her to stay, clai and that everything he’d done, every twisted sche out of the Keep She’d never known in ay he’d meant those three words--I love you--but she’d been inclined to consider them another lie in the days that followed, after Rourke Farran had drugged her and put his filthy hands all over her After she’d rotted away in that dungeon

Arobynn’s eyes softened "I missed you"

She stepped out of his reach "Funny--I was in Rifthold this fall and winter, and you never tried to see ht But then I got word this evening that you had returned at last--and I hoped you iveyou here were … roundabout"

Another move and countermove, to admit to the how but not the real why She said, "I have better things to do than care about whether you live or die"

"Indeed But you would care a great deal if your beloved Aedion died" Her heartbeat thundered through her, and she braced herself Arobynn continued, "My resources are yours Aedion is in the royal dungeon, guarded day and night Any help you need, any support--you knohere to find me"

"At what cost?"

Arobynn looked her over once aze that was anything but that of a brother or father "A favor--just one favor" Warning bells pealed in her head She’d be better offprinces "There are creatures lurking in my city," he said "Creatures ear the bodies ofI want to knohat they are"

Too le

She said carefully, "What do youits co syic--or those who once possessed it Executions every day, at sunrise and sunset These things seem to thrive on the about the docks"

"They’re all monsters to me" But Chaol hadn’t looked or felt like them A small mercy

He waited

So did she