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"As quiet as the grave," she said sweetly

A sht "Yes"

To work for the King of Adarlan as his loyal servant She raised her chin To kill for hi in the mouth of the beast that had already consumed half of Erilea"And if I accept?"

"Then, after six years, he’ll grant you your freedoh her onceher next question, "you’ll remain in Endovier" His sapphire eyes became hard, and she sed And die here hat he didn’t need to add

Six years as the king’s crooked daggeror a lifetime in Endovier

"However," the prince said, "there’s a catch" She kept her face neutral as he toyed with a ring on his finger "The position isn’t being offered to you Yet My father thought to have a bit of fun He’s hosting a competition He invited twenty-three members of his council to each sponsor a would-be Chalass castle and ultimately compete in a duel Were you to win," he said with a half smile, "you’d officially be Adarlan’s Assassin"

She didn’t return his s her expression, the prince’s grin faded "Thieves and assassins and warriors from across Erilea" She opened her mouth, but he cut her off "If you win, and prove yourself both skilled and trustworthy, rant you your freedom And, while you’re his Champion, you’ll receive a considerable salary"

She barely heard his last feords A coods-knehere! And assassins! "What other assassins?" she demanded

"None that I’ve heard of None as fa as Celaena Sardothien"

"What?"

"You’ll compete under an alias I don’t suppose you heard about what happened after your trial"

"News is rather hard to co in ahis head "No one knows that Celaena Sardothien is just a young woht you were far older"

"What?" she asked again, her face flushing "How is that possible?" She should be proud that she’d kept it hidden from most of the world, but

"You kept your identity a secret all the years you were running around killing everyone After your trial, ht it would bewise not to inform Erilea who you are He wants to keep it that way What would our eneirl?"

"So I’ in thisto me? Who does everyone think Adarlan’s Assassin really is?"

"I don’t know, nor do I entirely care But I do know that you were the best, and that people still whisper when they mention your naht for o on, I’ll see to it that h he tried to conceal it, she could see the tension in his body He wanted her to say yes Needed her to say yes so badly he illing to bargain with her Her eyes began glittering "What do you mean, ‘were the best’?"

"You’ve been in Endovier for a year Who knohat you’re still capable of?"

"I’ at her jagged nails She tried not to cringe at all the dirt beneath them When was the last time her hands had been clean?

"That remains to be seen," Dorian said "You’ll be told the details of the competition e arrive in Rifthold"

"Despite the a on us, this competition seems unnecessary Why not just hire me already?"

"As I just said, you must prove yourself worthy"

She put a hand on her hip, and her chains rattled loudly through the roo Adarlan’s Assassin exceeds any sort of proof you"It proves that you’re a criminal, and that we shouldn’t iivewould take the word of Adarlan’s Assassin as bond"

"Yes, but I don’t see why I have to go through the training and the competition I mean, I’m bound to be a bitout of shape, butwhat else do you expect when I have to ave Chaol a spiteful glance