After Everything

Chapter 6

"Sam?"

Sam twisted his body around to see who was calling him. He didn't need to, though. He would have recognised her voice from anywhere.

He turned and saw Celaena at the other end of the corridor, slowly shuffling up to him.

"Sam," she called again, cautious. "Sam, is that you?"

Sam smiled and fought back tears that were threatening to rise. "It's me, Celaena," he whispered.

Celaena choked on her words and instead launched herself at him, running down the hallway and jumping on him, legs wrapping around his waist.

Sam's laugh was muffled against Celaena's golden hair as he lost his balance and fell over. They were rolling around on the floor, laughing and crying and smiling.

Celaena took Sam's face in her hands, eyes scanning his face and wiping away the tears. "Sam! It's you! You're alive! Who . . . How?"

Sam smiled. "Later, Celaena . . . I just can't believe that you . . . That you are alive!"

Celaena's grin faded and she pushed herself off of Sam, getting to her feet as he did soon after. 

"Me? You can't believe I'm alive? What about you, Sam? Where have you been this past bloody year?"

Sam bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Celaena . . . I . . . I'll explain later, but let me just talk to you now."

Celaena frowned. "Do you promise you'll tell me later?"

Sam nodded. "I promise."

She inclined her head slightly, but Sam could tell she was fighting a smile.

The corners of his mouth were being pulled upwards. "Something you want to say to me, Celaena?"

He loved the feel of her name on his lips, the way it rolled off his tongue.

Celaena smirked. "No, its just . . . God, Sam, you're here. You're really, truly here."

Sam's answering smile was bittersweet. "I am Celaena. I really, truly am."

She began to say something but her voice gave out halfway through, a sob escaping from her lips. She pressed her face against Sam's chest, tears dripping on his tunic. Sam was crying, too, silver tracks winding their way down his cheekbones.

They stayed there for a long time, just holding each other, content to be in the moment.

****

Chaol Westfall was just coming back from the hall. He was rubbing his eyes, tired from having to meet all the contestants and assign the guards their stations.

"Captain, sorry to interrupt."

Chaol sighed, running his hands through his hair as a guard stepped froward.

"What is it, Ress?" he asked, a little more harshly than he intended to.

 "You haven't assigned me a room yet, Captain."

Chaol frowned. No, he hadn't.

"Take Sardothien's room. She needs as many guards as allowed."

Ress nodded and bowed to Chaol before running off in the opposite direction to go collect his things.

Chaol was exhausted. He began walking to his friends room, craving Dorian's easy personality.

He was instead faced with two figures in the hallway, embracing like old lovers.

When he recognised them, a growl rippled from his throat.

"What the hell are you two doing?"

Celaena and Nox jumped apart, facing him.

"Well," Chaol said. "Why aren't you in your room, Gordaina? Wasn't Dorian Havilliard meant to have escorted you there? And what about you, Nox Owen? Why are you here, lurking in the hallways?"

They stayed silent, glancing at each other then back at him.

"What?" Chaol asked, a sneer forming on his lips. "Do you two know each other? Already lovers, are you?"

Celaena snarled but Nox merely stood there, eyes flashing daggers at Chaol. He felt a small surge of satisfaction in the fact that he knew that she was really Celaena Sardothien, and he only thought she was some jewel thief by the name of Lillian Gordaina.

"What is it, Captain?" Celaena asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes. "Jealous, are you?"

Chaol rolled his eyes. "To your rooms," he demanded. "Now!"

Celaena pouted. "Well you're no fun."

"I don't exist to entertain you, Lillian. Now go!"

Celaena frowned but knew better than to test chaol.

She turned to Nox.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Owen, when I beat you to a bloody pulp in the training room."

Nox's answering laugh was slightly sad, as if he didn't want Celaena to leave. "You wish, Gordaina!"

Celaena grinned and turned around, stalking back to her room, hair swaying behind her and chin up high.

Chaol turned to face Nox. "Well," he said. "Get to it."

But Nox stood his ground, and Chaol had to applaud the nerve he had to do that.

"Don't talk to Lillian like that."

"I'll talk to Lillian however I like, thank you very much."

Nox laughed bitterly and stalked up to him, his face only mere centimetres away from Chaol's.

"You have no idea who you are talking to, Westfall. She could beat you any day."

Chaol snarled at Nox's ignorance. He really thought he knew her, didn't he?

"I know her better than you think, Owen. Now go, or I'll call the King."

Nox laughed, tipping his head back. "Poor Captain Westfall can't handle his own against a contestant and has to call his master to help him. How sweet."

Chaol's breathing turned shallow as he struggled to contain the fury that was bottling up inside of him. "Go now, Nox Owen, if you know whats good for you."

Nox shook his head, as struck by disbelief at the young Captain. 

"Whatever, Captain. I'm going."

So he did, and he did not look back.