Throne of Glass

Theodus Brullo, the royal Weapons Master and competition judge, arrives to supervise training and asks all the competitors to introduce themselves. Cain announces that he is a soldier in the King’s army from the White Fang Mountains, where the local people are known for their viciousness. The other competitors include some thieves, including Nox Owen, whom Celaena knows; murderers like Bill “Eye Eater” Chastain; and other killers, soldiers, and criminals. Celaena, the only woman, introduces herself as “Lillian” the jewel thief, and some of the men laugh.

Celaena complains about concealing her identity and abilities, but Chaol chides her for her arrogance and insists that she keep a low profile to avoid being seen as a threat and increase her chances for making it to the final duel. Celaena begrudgingly agrees. Brullo sends them all on a long run to determine their physical fitness. Celaena, still recovering from Endovier, struggles to stay in the middle of the pack and is surprised to see Cain at the front of the race. After the race, she vomits from exhaustion. 

Celaena and Chaol bicker: He finds her unladylike and she considers him stuffy. But the next day, Chaol is pleased to find Celaena taking her training seriously by exercising in her rooms. After training, Celaena and Chaol walk the castle grounds, where they encounter Kaltain and the beautiful Princess Nehemia Ytger of Eyllwe. Nehemia has a reputation as a leader of the Eyllwe resistance against the King of Adarlan. Nehemia is visiting Rifthold on the pretense of being an ambassador, but eventually, we will learn that she is actually spying on the King. Celaena, who learned Eyllwe at Endovier, talks to Nehemia in that language to avoid being understood by Chaol and Kaltain. Nehemia despises Kaltain and the glass castle.

Chaol, out of chivalry, offers to take over as Nehemia’s escort. Dismissed, Kaltain storms off, and Nehemia and Celaena chat in Eyllwe, bonding over their sense of humor, love of reading, disdain for court protocols, and hatred of slavery. Nehemia asks “Lady Lillian” to be her companion in Rifthold, and Celaena agrees.

Later, Chaol wonders why the King changed the guards assigned to his journey at the last minute. Celaena teases Chaol for being distracted by Princess Nehemia, but Chaol insists he is not attracted to powerful women. Privately, Chaol notes his growing fondness for Celaena, and reminds himself to be on guard against “something great and deadly concealed within her” (103). 

Celaena continues to train hard for the competition, running and sparring with Chaol each morning before training with Brullo in the afternoons. Celaena, still concealing her true skill, is jealous that Cain is Brullo’s obvious favorite. The day before the first elimination Test, Nox, the thief Celaena recognized earlier, wonders why so many guards have been sent to their training that day. They learn that Bill Chastain, the Eye Eater, was found murdered that morning, his corpse mutilated. When Brullo tells the competitors to practice whatever they please, Celaena and Nox throw knives; Celaena helps Nox adjust his throwing stance to improve his aim. Nox is also from Terrasen, and they become friends. 

Chaol visits Celaena in her rooms, worn out from sitting in council with Dorian. Chaol and Dorian became close when they were the only boys of the same age in Rifthold. Chaol’s father is the Lord of Anielle, another city in Adarlan, so when Chaol abdicated his title to be the Captain of the Guard in Rifthold, Chaol’s relationship with his father grew fraught. Celaena’s parents died when she was eight years old; when she was 12 years old, Arobynn Hamel, the King of Assassins, forced her to break her right hand so that she would have to practice her swordplay with her left. When Chaol asks Celaena if she feels ready for the first Test, Celaena pretends to be confident. 

Dorian is in the audience for the mysterious first Test, though Celaena hasn’t seen him after he sent her books. The Test is an archery competition, in which each prospective Champion will get five shots at targets at varying distances; Chaol reminds Celaena not to show off.

The competition begins. When one competitor does poorly, insisting that he is “more skilled in poisons” (117), Cain laughs derisively. Cain hits all five bullseyes, though none in the absolute dead center. When Celaena’s turn arrives, she calms her nerves with her mantra, “I will not be afraid” (118), and hits four bullseyes in a row, careful to place her shots near the outer edge of the bullseye zone to conceal her full ability. Still, unable to resist showing off, Celaena sends her last arrow to the absolute dead center of the furthest target. Chaol scowls, Dorian smiles, and Celaena has a “feeling that she [hasn’t] really won anything at all” (119).