High School Diaries (A Throne of Glass Fanfiction)

Chapter 4

 

“But she could be in danger!” A loud voice bellowed.

Celaena had opened the door to her rented house, just above her landlord's, breath a little heavy from walking till here and climbing the stairs.

This was a sight she was not expecting.

Aedion was struggling against the ropes, his face contorted in a mixture of desperation, fury, worry and laughter as he was tied to the recliner. Lysandra standing in front of him shaking her head. Elide was holding a pan behind him, ready to strike, what looked unlike first time. But it was Evangeline who looked most delighted in tormenting Aedion by occasionally tickling him. No doubt none of them heard me approaching.

“She used to be a trained assassin! and she has gone to high school, not Hunger Games!” Lysandra raised her hands in exasperation.

“It's Adarlan High.” Aedion said with gritted teeth, trying to control his laugh as Evangeline started her job again.

“It's not that bad.”

All heads flipped towards her.

“Aelin!” Aedion breathed a sigh of relief looking her from head to toe, finding her alright.

“Thank Goodness you're here. Your hunky waste of space brother did not let any of us go to our school as well.” Lysandra walked to her, while Evangeline ran to the kitchen to get her some water.

“Seriously, what is with this territorial bastard?” Lysandra looked irritated but even she did a subtle checkup of Aelin, looking visibly calmer. They both sat on the couch.

“He's just a little protective.” She met the turquoise eyes, twin to hers and smirked. Aedion returned it. They could easily pass as twins but they were cousins, but closer than siblings.

“A little? If not for Elide's idea of knocking down and tying him up, he would have gone to your school.” Evangeline returned with a glass of water for her, which she happily drank and thanked the little girl, who trotted back to her and Lysandra's room.

“So it was your idea?” Aedion flipped his head back to Elide, his long blond hair spinning with him.

“Yeah?” Elide just shrugged, holding up the pan again when he started growling.

“Girls are mean.” Aedion leaned back on the recliner. “I miss some male company.”

She felt herself stiffening, all 3 pair of eyes on her and saw Aedion's eyes widening like his open mouth in realization.

“I'm so sorry-” Aedion began but was cut off when they heard footsteps climbing up the stairs. Heavy but sure and purposeful.

The door opened to reveal an auburn head, followed by the man's muscular build. His pale skin glimmered in the lighting of the room, well kept, despite being in mid thirties. He stood tall, like he owned this room, which he literally did. The landlord's silver eyes scanned the room as they landed on her. He smiled. If you could call that evil thing a smile.

“Aelin.”

“Arobynn.” She stood up from the couch, so did Lysandra. Elide straightened, clasping a hand on Aedion's shouder, who looked like he'd tear the man apart with his bare hands.

“Or should I call you Celaena?”

That bastard. He knew she had changed name. He knew she had to, with her name all over the news as the suspect for the murder which she hadn't committed. He knew she had to change her name, because she was stupid enough to give out her real name as her assassin name in the underground world.

So Aelin Ashryver Galathynius became Celaena Sardothein.

Her real self turned behind a persona.

“My name doesn't change the task you came here for. What do you need?”

If he was disappointed that she didn't take the bait, he didn't show.

“I have some clients coming who want to invest in the fighting pits. I need to show them my best fighter.” He crossed his arms.

Aelin gulped.

“It ended. My fighting and assassin life ended. You promised I would not have to go to the underground world again. None of us. Not after… him.” His name seemed to burn her throat. But she had to say it. If she wanted to emphasize her point. “Not after Sam.”

She felt Lysandra flinch beside her at that name. But the man in front of her didn't even blink at his dead son's name.

“I'm sorry. But I really need you. With keeping you alive and bailing out of prison took a lot of money from me.” Elide scoffed but Arobynn continued anyway, guilt tripping and blackmailing her at the same time. “I need to fill back my coffers if I have to let some people live here without rent.”

“We will pay the rent. Just not in the way you want.” Aelin pressed on.

“Where's the fun in that? Continue your job. I'll continue paying you.”

“I'll fight instead of her.” Aedion said, his voice scary calm.

Arobynn turned to the still tied up Aedion and cocked up an eyebrow.

“I don't need fierce, I need grace. When I need the former, I'll come to you. And not even going to ask about this.” He motioned to the ropes.

His eyes find her again and he took a step closer. Too close, invading her personal space.

“Be on your best game, hm? I'll see you tomorrow.” He whispered in her ear, tucking a loose strand of hair behind it. Both his voice and touch sent a shiver down her spine.

He stepped back almost leaving when he winked at Lysandra.

“Clarisse said hi.”

“You son of a-” Aedion's curse remain incomplete as the sound of door being shut now echoed in the now silent house.

“Aelin, listen to me,” Aedion said, seeing her stoic. “You don't have to do this.”

Aelin looked around.

A former pit fighter, a former prostitute, a cripple, a scarred butt almost sold child and a former assassin.

She was proud of the former word before this. Now she didn't think it was ever possible. Arobynn's kindness came with a price, which the four 8-11 year old orphans were too young to understand. Aelin and Aedion's aggressive tendencies honed into a fighter and assassin; Aedion's bulk after puberty posing a difficulty in stealth, reducing him just to a pit fighter. Elide and Lysandra's beauty perfectly primped as a courtesan. Their mercy extended not even to the 13 year old Elide, whose leg was broken to never properly heal when she tried to run away, while she was locked in a room for months. Neither to 8 year old Evangeline, who would have been put on the same path, if not for Lysandra scarring her cheeks, she paying the price for that too. She couldn't let Lysandra, Elide or even Evangeline get their body, mind and soul manipulated like that again. Ever. Even Aedion.

“No, I have to do this.” She tried to smile. “I'll be fine. It's nothing new.”

Lysandra gave her a sad smile and hugged her, joined by Elide and untied Aedion.

1 year. With her prison journey and Sam's death, their temporary freedom lasted 1 year.

“Group hug! Without me?” Evangeline chirped, jumping up to join in. The 9 year old had no idea that she was the bright light in their dark lives.

It will be fine.

All of them would be fine.

She will make sure of it.

Even if it meant breaking her down, she would not be afraid.

She'll be free.

***
The apartment looks like the one above. It's on the first floor, the ground floor being Arobynn's.

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