Crown of Midnight

And the world … it was moving on without her.

But when Chaol walked out, leaving that damning will behind him, he didn’t even make it to his own room. He barely made it into an empty broom closet before the sobs hit.

So Chaol walked away, her lament still echoing through the night around him, carried on the wind like the pealing of distant bells.

“Honestly, I’m surprised you’re not strutting about, boasting to everyone. I certainly would be if I’d tumbled me.”

Because from the moment he’d pulled her out of that mine in Endovier and she had set those eyes upon him, still fierce despite a year in hell, he’d been walking toward this, walking to her.

So Chaol brushed away her tears, lifted her chin, and kissed her.

upid riddles and mysteries!” Fine—fine. Nehemia was right that the amulet was a dead end. And she was a wretched, horrible friend for being so distrustful and impatient.

The rest of the world quieted into nothing. In that moment, after ten long years, Celaena looked at Chaol and realized she was home.

“Do you think it could be this Eye?”

“No,” Nehemia said. “It wouldn’t be that easy.”

“But—” Celaena pushed off the desk.

“Trust me,” Nehemia said. “It’s a coincidence—just like that eye in the wall. ‘The eye’ could refer to anything—anything at all.

“Do you think it could be this Eye?”

“No,” Nehemia said. “It wouldn’t be that easy.”

“But—” Celaena pushed off the desk.

“Trust me,” Nehemia said. “It’s a coincidence—just like that eye in the wall.

So Dorian closed his eyes, and took another long breath. And when he opened his eyes, he let her go.