*All characters belong to the fabulous Sarah J. Maas. Unfortunately, I don't own any of them.*

If things had gone a little differently in the Cambrian Mountains…

"You are worthless. You would have been more useful if you had died with your parents."

Celaena kept reliving that moment over and over again in her head. She could still picture the cold glint in Rowan's forest green eyes as he uttered the words that hurt worse than the bite of a thousand lashes of a whip. Celaena decided in that moment that never again would she allow herself to feel such pain. She had felt so much pain in her life that she was surprised she was still functioning, but then again, she was a survivor. Survivors kept getting back up every time they were knocked down, but not this time. Rowan's words hurt more than she would ever admit because in those few weeks of training, Celaena had begun to fall for Rowan. When he allowed himself to let go he became someone completely different. Celaena recalled running through the forest with Rowan in their true Fae forms. They had unintentionally started a game of chase and that was the moment she realized there was no hope for her. After seeing Rowan so carefree with his guard down and his eyes full of promises, Celaena realized that she could love him, and maybe she already did.

Celaena walked back to the tavern where Emrys and Luca were preparing more food for the patrons. It had been a few hours since Rowan had cut her so deeply with his words, but it felt like minutes had past. Celaena had taken time to stew over Rowan's words and decided that she would find no compassion or help on her journey to freeing her people with Rowan. She would find another way to get information on the Wryd keys without the help of her bitch of an aunt, Maeve and her lap dog, Rowan. She was done being pushed around. As Celaena packed her things to leave, she heard Rowan in the hall and could not contain her anger. She would speak with him one last time and if he still thought her worthless then she would leave. There was no need to stay in a place where she was not wanted, even if she had come to care for Rowan. It was obvious that he did not feel the same.

"Did you mean what you said?" Celaena's question came out stronger and braver than she felt as she walked down the hall towards Rowan.

"What are you talking about?" Rowan stared at her with expressionless eyes.

"You know what I am talking about, you bastard. Do you think I would be better off dead? Do you really care so little for another person that you wish them dead?"

Rowan stared at her for a long minute as if trying to decide how to answer.

"Let me be clear, Aelin. You are just another chore for me. Maeve commanded me to train you and that is what I will do," His voice turned cold and Celaena shivered. "I do not care what you have been through or what you will go through. I DO NOT CARE. You are nothing to me."

Celaena watched his face looking for signs of remorse or feeling and when she saw none, her decision was solidified. She would find another way to save her kingdom from the King of Adarlan and all of his minions. As Rowans words took root in her heart, she turned and walked away. Every step away from the man she thought she cared for froze her heart a little more. She grabbed her bag from her room, made her way out of the tavern and into the woods of the mountain. The small light inside of her that burned a little less after Nehemia's death finally went out. Maybe Rowan would get his wish. Maybe Celaena might meet her death after all.

Rowan POV

Rowan watched the fire inside Celaena's eyes die out, and he felt his heart stop. He had been the one to smother it. The fire inside her eyes that he had come to love was gone, and he was to blame.

As he watched her walk away, he began to feel the gravity of his words. He had only meant to make her understand the power that words can have. He knew that Maeve would use every bit of knowledge in her power to tear Celaena down. Rowan thought if he could harden her heart to hurtful words then she could handle anything that Maeve or anyone else threw at her. He had been so wrong. He knew Celaena was vulnerable now, but he had misjudged just how much. As he watched the girl he had come to care for walk away he decided that he would keep an eye on her. He could not make up for what he had done and ask her to come back, but he could make sure no more harm comes to her.

After all, Luca had been right when he told Celaena that it was in a Fae's blood to protect his family, especially their mates. Celaena was not just a job for him anymore. He had watched her since the day she arrived, and when she thought no one was looking she let the wall around her heart down. She relaxed when no one was looking and that is the Celaena he had vowed to protect. A warrior like that should be treasured and protected. Rowan determined that no one would hurt Celaena anymore. He vowed in that hall the moment the door shut behind her that Celaena would never know pain again. He vowed that he would see his Fireheart come back to him.

He shifted into his hawk form and took flight.

Celaena POV

With every step away from Maeve's training ground, Celeana grew a little harder inside. Never again would she allow someone she cared for to hurt her like Rowan had.

Soon darkness crept upon the woods of the Cambrian Mountains and even though Celaena wanted to be as far from Rowan as possible, she knew she had to rest. She had a four day journey back to Varese. She found a spot in the woods that was surrounded by trees, but had enough open space that if someone dared to attack her then she would have time to arm herself. She was wary to start a fire because of what Rowan had said the first time they traveled through these woods a few weeks ago.

"It is not the mortals you have to worry whose attention could be caught by a fire in the woods," Rowan said seriously.

However, Celaena was sure that whoever was brave enough to attack her would meet their death tonight. She was not in control of her emotions at the moment, which could be deadly to anyone around her. Her Fae form was taken when Celaena couldn't keep control and she almost felt bad for whoever sent her over the edge.

Celaena started a fire and settled down against a tree nearby. She was close enough to the fire to feel its warmth but far enough away that she was partially in the shadows. She took time to eat and monitor her surroundings for a little while. After she was sure that no one hunted for her in the shadows, she allowed herself to fall into a light sleep with her dagger clutched in the palm of her scarred hand.

Hours later Celeana woke with a start. She shifted onto the balls of her feet, slowed her breathing, and listened. She could not see what had woken her, but she could hear the signs of someone trying to be quiet. The intruder was to her left, hidden in the dense shrubbery surrounding her. Celaena tightened her hand on her dagger and prepared to attack.

"Fireheart, wait," A soft voice called from the bushes.

She froze. Her heart almost stopped beating completely. The only two people who had called her that were her mother and Rowan. One of them was dead so that left only one person.

Rowan.

He emerged from the shadows and stepped closer to the fire. She looked in to his eyes and saw something she never expected, sorrow. His green eyes seemed to hold pain she didn't understand. Celaena immediately looked away from them. She was too afraid to think about what had caused such pain.

"Celaena, I cannot tell you how sorry I am. You caught me at a vulnerable time and I lashed out. I did not mean a thing I said, Fireheart."

She let out a hollow laugh looking past his shoulder but seeing nothing. "Fireheart. What a funny nickname for someone who has no fire left and who wished her heart just as gone. You tell me you don't mean it, but I saw it in your eyes, Rowan. That cold and calculating gleam in your eyes is not something you can fake. I don't blame you for saying what you did. I agree. I am worthless. I cannot even save the ones I love. Everyone I love dies or turns their back on me, and I cannot stop it. Maybe you were right. Maybe if I had died with my parents everything would be different."

"NO," Celaena jumped at his exclamation. "Do not dare say that. You have saved countless amount of people and-"

"I haven't saved anyone, Rowan. I can barely even save myself," Celaena states as she stared into the fire without really seeing it. "Do you know what it's like to be hopeless, Rowan? To finally find a place you might find a friend or something more and have it come crashing down? I have been hopeless before, but this, what I am feeling right now, is worse. I just feel empty now. You were right when you said I was worthless. I have nothing to offer. I can't be the queen this kingdom deserves, and I can't stop the bastard that calls himself king. I have these powers but I can't control them. I am an assassin who kills for money. I'm worse than worthless."

"No! Fireheart, that's-"

"You were right not to care about me. I wouldn't have had anything to offer you. Of that, I am certain."

"Celaena, I was so wrong. I thought that by being cruel, I could harden your heart to lashing words. I know Maeve will use every piece of knowledge in her power to make you feel like I did today. I cannot tell you how sorry I am for that. I know I was harsh with you, but I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. To see the light go out in your eyes, to see your very fire burn out because of ME...it's tearing me apart Celaena. Please say you will forgive me."

"Rowan-"

Right then a piercing scream shot through the quiet woods. It sounded like someone was screaming for their life.

Celaena turned toward the scream and palmed her daggers, and what she saw froze her heart.

The tavern and town she has just been in hours ago was surrounded in flames and glinting swords clashing against each other.

Without another thought, Celaena ran towards the chaos. Rowan seemed to be frozen in shock until that moment and he transformed into his hawk. Together they made their way to the town and into what sounded like a massacre.

The fire has only taken a few carriages here and there, and Rowan quickly suffocated the flames when he shifted back.

Celaena took on a few soldiers as they rushed at her. Her daggers flew and blood was shed. It took her only a few minutes to dispatch the attackers and move onto the next. She looked over to see Rowan in the same position.

"Rowan, what is going on?! Why are these people attacking?"

"It's the shapechangers! They have made it through the wards and they are coming in through the tunnels with the army they have been building," Rowan spoke calmly even in the midst of dodging a sword, but you could hear the strain in his voice. The barely contained rage.

All of the sudden Luca can running towards Rowan and Celaena as if Hell itself chased him.

"Rowan, they have taken the tunnels we made! Someone told the shapchangers about them and that we were going to use them to ambush the army later! We need help! Countless amounts of innocent people are being slaughters out there," Luc said in a scared tone.

Rowan's face seemed to harden into stone.

"I'm coming. Hold them off for a little longer."

Luc took off back towards the tunnels and grabbed a bloodied sword off of a fallen enemy.

Suddenly, Celaena felt a cold chill run up her spine. She knew that feeling. That was the feeling she got at the ruins when her and Rowan were training. Right before the darkness had taken her and shown her unspeakable things. Celaena slowly turned her head and saw them. Three dark figures were walking right towards them, almost to the warded barriers. Celaena took a breath of relief. They couldn't get past the wards quickly, but they could do it. Unless...

"Rowan, go help secure the tunnels. I am needed here. Narrok is attacking and no demi-fae can defeat him, but I can keep him out. Those wards will not hold unless I reinforce them."

"Celaena, are you insane?! You cannot take him on. You know what he is capable of. He will destroy you," Rowan said with fire in his eyes. "You won't do it. There must be another way."

"I will do it, Rowan. I have to save these people. With my power, I can hold the wards. You know I am the only one that can," she said with conviction.

Before Celaena could even finish her sentence three more figures cloaked in darkness appeared behind Narrok. These dark figures weren't skinwalkers. These figures practically oozed darkness, and that darkness held a power like nothing Celaena had ever felt before. Except for one time, when she was training with Rowan in the ruins. She had been taken into its dark clutches and forced to live every horrid memory the creature of darkness could possibly find. She had barely made it out alive. Now, standing in front of three figures whose powers matched the one she had felt before, she knew that only she would be able to hold these creatures off. At least long enough for others to take her place.

"Celaena you cannot take on three of those creatures! I remember that faint feeling of darkness in the ruins after the darkness left, but around them it is ten times worse. I will not allow you to fight them alone," Rowan said with conviction.

"I will not be fighting them, Rowan. I will be reinforcing the wards and making sure they stay on the other side. Even if they do happen to break through then I am strong enough to shield myself. They can sense my power and they aren't likely to move on until I am out of the way."

Rowan grabbed Celaena's wrist, the hand that clutched her daggers and pulled her close.

"You WILL not leave me again, Aelin. Never."

A scream echoed from the caves causing Rowan and Celaena's head to snap in the direction it came.

"GO! Rowan, they need help. I will reinforce the wards!"

"Don't you dare let them through, Fireheart. Do not take them on by yourself. I won't lose you."

But Celaena couldn't respond. She was already running towards her worst nightmare and possibly her death. It was time she found out who or what these creatures were. The sooner she found out the sooner she could kill them.