The Past Lies Ahead (A Throne Of Glass Fanfic)

Chapter 11

Drum roll! Aaaand here comes a new chapter! Hope you'll like it :D

«Agh! It's been hours, and I've found nothing.» Celaena hissed behind a pile of books.

They were seated at the same desk, but Sam was unable to see the hissing woman due to the wall of books between them. He laughed softly.

«I don't have much either, except for the one book that spoke of drawing up the power before using it, and that the mind guides the magic. I guess we'll just have to learn through trial and error.» he suggested, she was silent on the other side. He fished out a box from the backpack he had brought, and grabbed his chair and walked over to her side. «Close your eyes.»

«Why?» but she did anyway.

«Now open your mouth.» she frowned at that, but she didn't hesitate. He placed one of the small items from the box, and counted down from three as she closed her mouth around it.

«Chocolate!» she shrieked, someone hushed at them from somewhere in the library. Celaenas eyes sparkled with barely contained happiness. He loved making her happy, to make that brightness shine in her eyes that conveyed the words she never spoke. He remembered her confession at Donevals party, that she didn't know how to be a friend. Then they went from being friends to lovers in a matter of days, so he understood that she would need some time. In the meantime he sought to bring out that bright look of happiness as often as he could.

«I bought them after work today, figured you might need it after a long day of studying.» he said as he placed the box on the table. She took another piece of confectionary, but didn't devour it right away he thought she would. Instead she leaned over and braced a hand on his knee, and popped the chocolate into his mouth instead.

«You know my weaknesses all too well.» she said and kissed his cheek, and he smiled conspiratorially at her.

«I just got an idea,» she gave him quizzical look. «when you have that dream, do you focus on one part or try to get it all at once?»

She blinked. «So many things happen at the same time in the dream that I've been kind swept away by it.»

«You said that a part of the dream helped you yesterday, what if you choose a part of the dream next time and really focus on that. Maybe we'll learn something more than we have from these books.» It was a longshot, but better than nothing. He could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she thought about it.

«I guess it's worth a shot.»

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Dorian was now a week behind Lysandra and the two men she travels with, but at least he was on the way to the Southern Continent now. He had convinced his father that travelling and befriending the Khaganate would make a later invasion easier. But luckily that day was far off due to his fathers fixation on Wendlyn.

Chaol wasn't too happy about being dragged to a different continent, especially since they had recently returned from their vacation to Suria.

He wondered why his friends hadn't included him in whatever plans they had, on the other hand he didn't want to think too much about it. Knowing Aelin though, she probably had five or six master plans at the ready.

«Why the sudden need get into the Khaganate?» Chaol asked from beside him, leaning on the railing.

«Honestly, I heard some friends travelled there a short while ago, and wanted to surprise them.» If he mentioned his theory of time travel again Chaol would probably wallop him during training. No matter how much Dorian pushed and prodded Chaol with events and memories, the captain remained the old Chaol.

«And who would those friends be? I don't know of anyone we know ever even going there.» Chaol huffed.

«You'll see when we get there.» Dorian sighed.

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Once again the dream flashed before her inner eye as fast as it always. Faces, voices and places flying by at a rapid pace. She tried to focus her mind on the voice that had helped her the other night, and the images slowed down a little.

A tattooed face with green eyes and silver hair came into focus, then she was suddenly watching herself sitting in a ruin. She was lighting candles, or at least tried to, and whenever she melted it and burned the entire area the just put forth another candle. This process repeated multiple times until she could finally do it.

The image flopped and she was once again watching herself, but this time she was dodging daggers made of ice that the male threw at her. One shot straight at her face, and she raised her arm and commanded the fire to shield her. Again. Again. Until the scene snuffed out like smoke, and she opened her eyes.

Celaena rubbed her eyes and rolled over, burying her face in the pillow. It felt like she hadn't slept one wink the entire night.

«Good morning, my sleeping beauty.» said an all too cheery voice from across the room. A grunt is the only response she deemed worthy this morning.

She could Sam walking over to her, then felt him sitting down next to her.

«How did it go? Did you find anything?» he said as he began to massage her back. She released a small moan, Sam was very good with his hands.

«It was absolutely miserable. I've melting candles, incinerating ruins and dodging ice daggers all night.» the complaints just rolled of her tongue without thinking, she was tired as hell. Sams hands moved to massage her shoulders, and shifted slightly to give him better access. He gave a soft laugh.

«Then we've got something to work with.»

She was quiet for a while, trying to find the right words. She was still face down in the pillow.

«There's one thing I haven't told you yet.» she swallowed, took a deep breath the blurted out, «I'm part fae, and all the visions shows me using my magic while in fae form.» his hands stilled and she sat up to face him. As she looked into his face she found no trace of disgust or repulsion, just genuine interest in what she was sharing. «And the problem is that I don't know how to shift at will.»

«We'll go to a secluded beach this afternoon, and then we'll figure this out.» he pinched her nose, and she waved him off. «I guess step one will be to find out what has made you shift in the past, and then take it from there.» she just stared at him in surprise.

«I just told you that I'm not entirely human, and you're just fine with that?» there was nothing she could do to hide the shock from her words. Sam cupped her face in his hands and leaned his forehead against hers, staring her straight in the eyes.

«Being part fae and part human doesn't change who you are as a person, Celaena, and neither does it change my feelings for you. You could have grown a pair of rabbit ears and I would still love you.»

With silver lining her eyes she leaned in and kissed him, trying her best to convey the words stuck in her throat.

«I'll see you the beach on the east side in the afternoon then.»

She had no idea how he was able to make her feel so at ease with everything. Sure, the dream helps, but if she had been alone she doubted that she would have the courage to pursue this path.

He smiled at her and made to stand up, but she grabbed him and pulled him back down. For a moment she just looked at him, trying to calm her beating heart. She swallowed.

«I love you, too, Sam.»