Celaena leaned her forehead against his, and some of the tightness in his body—and hers—melted away. “What if moving to the southern continent is a mistake?”
“Then we’ll move somewhere else. We’ll keep moving until we find the place where we’re meant to be.”
She shut her eyes and took a steadying breath. “Will you laugh if I say that I’m scared?”
“No,” he said softly, “never.”
“Maybe I should try your little trick.” She took another breath. “My name is Celaena Sardothien, and I will not be afraid.”
He did laugh then, a tickle of breath on her mouth. “I think you have to say it with a bit more conviction than that.”
She opened her eyes and found him watching her, his face a mixture of pride and wonder and such open affection that she could see that far-off land where they’d find a home, see that future that awaited them, and that glimmer of hope that promised happiness she’d never considered or dared yearn for. And even though the southern continent was a drastic change in their plans … Sam was right. A new continent for a new beginning.
“I love you,” Sam said.
Celaena wrapped her arms around him and held him close, breathing in his scent. Her only reply was, “I hate packing.”
Chapter Six
The next night, the clock on the mantel seemed to be stuck at nine o’clock. It had to be, because there was no way in hell that a minute could take this long.
She been trying to read for the past two hours—trying and failing. Even an utterly sinful romance novel hadn’t held her interest. And neither had playing cards, or digging out her atlas and reading about the southern continent, or eating all the candy she’d hidden from Sam in the kitchen. Of course, she was supposed to be organizing the belongings she wanted to pack. When she’d complained to Sam about what a chore it’d be, he’d even gone so far as to take all their empty trunks out of the closet. And then pointed out that he would not be traveling with her dozens of shoes, and she could have them shipped to her once they found their home. After saying that, he’d wisely left the apartment to kill Farran.
She didn’t know why she hesitated to pack—she’d contacted the solicitor that morning. He had told her the apartment might be hard to sell, but she was glad to do the dealings over a long distance, and she told him she’d contact him as soon as she found her new home.
A new home.
Celaena sighed as the clock arms shifted. A whole minute had passed.
Of course, with Farran’s schedule being somewhat erratic, Sam might have to wait a few hours for him to leave the house. Or maybe he’d already done the job and needed to lie low for a while, just in case someone traced him back here.
Celaena checked the dagger beside her on the couch, then glanced around the room for the hundredth time that evening, making sure all the concealed weapons were in their proper places.
She wouldn’t check on Sam. He’d wanted to do this on his own. And he could be anywhere now.
The trunks lay by the window.
Maybe she should start packing. Once they dispatched Jayne tomorrow night, they’d need to be ready to leave the city as soon as that ship was available to board. Because while she certainly wanted the world to know that Celaena Sardothien had made the kill, getting far from Rifthold would be in their best interest.
Not that she was running away.
The clock arms shifted again. Another minute.
Groaning, Celaena stood and walked to the bookshelf along the wall, where she began pulling out books and stacking them into the nearest empty trunk. She’d have to leave her furniture and most of her shoes behind for now, but there was no way in hell she was going to move to the southern continent without all of her books.
The clock struck eleven, and Celaena headed into the streets, wearing the suit the Master Tinkerer had made for her, plus several other weapons strapped to her body.
Sam should have been back by now. And even though there was still another hour until the time when they’d agreed she’d look for him if he hadn’t returned, if he was truly in trouble, then she certainly wasn’t going to sit around for another minute—
The thought sent her sprinting down alleys, heading toward Jayne’s house.
The slums were silent, but no more so than usual. Whores and barefoot orphans and people struggling to make a few honest coppers glanced at her as she ran past, no more than a shadow. She kept an ear out for any snippets of conversation that might suggest Farran was dead, but overheard nothing useful.
She slowed to a stalking gait, her steps near-silent on the cobblestones as she neared the wealthy neighborhood in which Jayne’s house stood. Several affluent couples were walking around, heading back from the theater, but there were no signs of a disturbance … Though if Farran had been killed, then surely Jayne would try to keep the assassination hidden for as long as possible.
She made a long circuit through the neighborhood, checking on all the points where Sam had planned to be. Not a spot of blood or sign of a struggle. She even dared to walk across the street from Jayne’s house. The house was brightly lit and almost merry, and the guards were at their posts, all looking bored.
Perhaps Sam had found out that Farran wasn’t leaving the house tonight. She might very well have missed him on his way home. He wouldn’t be pleased when he learned she’d gone out to find him, but he would have done the same for her.
Sighing, Celaena hurried back home.
Chapter Seven
Sam wasn’t at the apartment.
But the clock atop the mantel read one in the morning.
Celaena stood before the embers of the fireplace and stared at the clock, wondering if she was somehow reading it wrong.
But it continued ticking, and when she checked her pocket watch, it also read one. Then two minutes past the hour. Then five minutes …
She threw more logs on the fire and took off her swords and daggers, but remained in the suit. Just in case.
She had no idea when she began pacing in front of the fire—and only realized it when the clock chimed two and she found herself still standing before the clock.
He would come home any minute.
Any minute.
Celaena jolted awake at the faint chime of the clock. She’d somehow wound up on the couch—and somehow fallen asleep.
Four o’clock.
She would go out again in a minute. Maybe he’d hidden in the Assassin’s Keep for the night. Unlikely, but … it was probably the safest place to hide after you’d killed Rourke Farran.
Celaena closed her eyes.