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"I’!"

"Sa her tone "No"

He began screa for help then Celaena pressed her face to one of the holes in the grate Help wasn’t going to coht to how she’d die, but drowning so It was a river in her native country of Terrasen that had alo--and now it seeht was finally over The water would have her, one way or another, no ed as he beat and yanked on the grate, then tried to wedge another dagger under the lid "Please don’t"

She kneasn’t speaking to her

The water hit her neck

"Please," Sa hers She’d have one last breath Her last words

"Take asping breath, she went under

Chapter Eight

"Breathe!" So as they pounded on her chest "Breathe!"

And just like that, her body seized, and water rushed out of her She vo so hard her whole body convulsed

"Oh, gods," Sa beside her, his head hung between his shoulders as he braced his pal relieved, yet confused, expressions One of therate cover, and around theain

She took three baths in a row and ate food only with the intention of vo it up to clear out any trace of the vile liquid inside of her She plunged her torn, aching hands into a vat of hard liquor, biting down her screah whatever had been in that water Once that proved cal to her repulsion, she ordered her bathtub filled with the saed herself in it, too

She’d never feel clean again Even after her fourth bath--which had been irime coated every part of her Arobynn had cooed and fussed, but she’d ordered him out She ordered everyone out She’d take another two baths in the , she promised herself as she climbed into bed

There was a knock on her door, and she alo away, but Sam’s head popped in The clock read past twelve, but his eyes were still alert "You’re awake," he said, slipping inside without so much as a nod of permission from her Not that he needed it He’d saved her life She was in his eternal debt

On the way ho rehearsal, he’d gone to Doneval’s house to see if she needed any help But when he got there, the house was quiet--except for the guards who kept sniggering about so streets for any sign of her when he heard her screa

She looked at him froracious words to someone who had saved her life But, hell, she was supposed to be better than him--and yet he had saved her! How could she say she was the best when she’d needed Saht htly "I wanted to see if you were finally done with all the washing There’s no hot water left"

She frowned "Don’t expect ize for that"

"Do I ever expect you to apologize for anything?"

In the candlelight, the lovely panes of his face see "You could have let lee over the grate"

He let out a low laugh that traveled along her li her "No one deserves that sort of horrible death, Celaena Not even you And besides, I thought ere beyond that"

She sed hard, but was unable to break his gaze "Thank you for saving me"

His brows rose She’d said it once on their way back, but it had been a quick, breathless string of words This tiers ached--especially her broken nails-- she reached for his hand "And … And I’m sorry" She made herself look at him, even as his features crossed into incredulity "I’ you in what happened in Skull’s Bay And for what Arobynn did to you because of it"

"Ah," he said, as if he soreat puzzle He exao

The silence was suddenly too charged, his face too beautiful in the light She lifted her chin and found hie would fade--so "She was my friend" Sam slowly sat on the bed And then the whole story came out

Sam only asked questions when he needed clarification The clock chi him about the final arrow she’d fired at Ansel, and how, even with her heart breaking, she’d given her friend an extrashot When she stopped speaking, Saht with sorrow and wonder

"So, that was rand adventure for Celaena Sardothien, isn’t it?"

But he ers down the scar on her neck, as if he could somehow erase the wound "I’m sorry," he said And she knew he meant it

"So am I," she own concealed As if he’d noticed, too, his hand dropped from her neck and he cleared his throat "Well," she said, "I suppose our ot a little more complicated"