The Past Lies Ahead (A Throne Of Glass Fanfic)

Chapter 10

Sam took the steps two at the time, racing for the burning bedroom. They hadn't talked about her magic since the ship, so much had happened since then that he had actually forgotten about it. But now he remembered, and now he knew why she had been so terrified of it.

He reached the right level and began weaving through the hallways. There, he could see the door. Before it stood several healers, though he did not know how they could be of any help with this sort of thing. A dark haired older looking healer turned to him and raised a han to stop him. Panting heavily he stopped before the woman.

«Stand back, Mr. Cortland. Our water wielders are working to quench the flames.» the older woman said calmly, just as one of the healers closest to the door collapsed.

«She's too strong.» the collapsed healer gasped. «I can't do it.»

A couple of other healers went forward to help her away from the door. Then the door groaned and a tendril of fire came leaking out. Several now frantic healers with water magic tried to keep the flames at bay, but it just instantly evaporated.

More flames came leaking out, and the door handle began melting. He tried shouting her name, shouted as loud as he could over the roaring inferno.

«Everyone get away from the door. Now!» the older woman ordered. She was probably the head healer.

Everyone scrambled down the hall way, while the water wielders kept up a thin wall of water behind them. They tried to push him along, but he needed to get to her, he had to help Celaena.

The rest of the door splintered apart and flames cames shooting out towards them. All he could do was to shield one of the healers with his own body.

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She was in a sea of fire, every breath burned her throat, her lungs. She tried to scream, but no sound came out of her only more flames.

Hot, searing flames covered the entirety of her body, burning away the dress she had worn.

She grappled for control, scrambling to get the fire away from, to stop burning her, begged the flames to back down. But nothing worked.

Someone screamed her name in the distance. Sam. He was here. She couldn't let the flames hurt him, she wouldn't let that happen. She renewed her efforts to gain control, then something happened, a flash of memory, of the dream she'd dreamt so many times now.

...See what you want...

...don't wish for it, don't ask for it...

...you are in control...

...own it, Aelin...

So she did, wrestled control of the magic then exhaled, imagining that she blew out the flames like a candle.

Then it was gone, and she was left lying in a bed of ash staring at the scorched stone ceiling. A sharp pain flashed through her, then flash of light. At one point in the she had apparently shifted, when that had occured she did not know.

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Sam covered a healer with his body and waited for the burning to begin. It didn't. He turned to look behind him and found that the scorched markings ended a mere inch away from the hem of his cloak.

He sprang up from his crouch and shot straight for the room. The air was still warm, but not unbearable.

There she was, sprawled in a pile of that used to be the bed. Her clothes had been burned away as well, but she was gloriously unhurt, he noted with relief. He tore of his cloak and flung it over her just as she met his gaze, surprise and shock was evident in her eyes.

«Are you alright?» he asked, his words thick with worry.

«I heard you.» she said, her voice raspy from the burning. Celaena raised herself into a sitting position, holding his cloak to her chest. As he knelt down beside her, he heard footsteps entering the room behind him.

They both turned to see who it was, and saw the older woman enter with a gaggle of healers trailing after her.

The older woman must have noticed Celaenas discomfort, because she turned and looked at the healers behind her. «Thank you for your effort girls, now get back to your studies and duties.» The slowly filed out of the room again, some of them though tried to get a look at Celaena before they left.

«Sorry about that. I am Hafiza, the healer on high, and you must be Yrenes friend if I'm not mistaken.» the woman said she walked closer to the two of them. Sam stood up and grabbed Celaenas hand to help her up as well.

Celaena cleared her throat before answering.

«Yes, that would be me. My name is Celaena.» she said with as much dignity she could muster, as if she wasn't standing there with only a cloak to cover her.

«I see.» was all she said. Her face betrayed nothing, but he got a feeling that Hafiza knew more than she let on.

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They had been shown to a new room after their short conversation with Hafiza. Celaena knew it in her bones that the healer knew who she was, she didn't know how she knew, but there was no doubt about.

She sat down beside Sam at the edge of their new bed.

«Did you get hurt» she would never forgive herself if she gad burned him.

«No, the flames never touched me.»

She sighed. «Good, I was worried that... I couldn't control it.»

«But you did in the end, that's what matters.» He smiled at her, and she gave a half smile back.

«But what if it happens again? What if you're sleeping next to me when it happens?» she couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheek, and fixed her gaze on the floor.

He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. «Don't look down, Celaena,» she lifted her gaze to meet his, «now you know how to stop. And I think the best way to keep it from getting out of control again is to learn how control it.» he wiped away her tears with his free hand, and kissed her on the nose.

«I don't know where to start. When I was little I had tutors, but I could never master.»

«Well, first things first. You are not little anymore. You're the most badass woman I know, and there's no doubt in my mind that you can do this. And secondly, this tower has the biggest library I've ever seen. If there's any place to start it would be there. So what do you say to a magic-study-date in the library tomorrow after work?»

She released a small laugh and flung her arms around his neck. «What did I ever do to deserve you, Sam Cortland?» then she kissed him deeply, her tears making the kiss taste a little salty.