Throne of Glass

A tapestry in Celaena’s bedroom features a beautiful woman. When the tapestry moves as if in a breeze, Celaena discovers a passageway behind it, where she finds three archways leading to different portals. The middle path leads her to a secret escape route out of the castle to the sea. Knowing everyone else will be drunk at the feast, Celaena considers running away, but doesn’t want to disgrace Chaol or abandon Nehemia. Celaena decides to “earn her freedom the honorable way” (176) but is glad to know she has the option to leave at any time. Back at the three arches, Celaena sees the feast in the Great Hall through the rightmost passageway; watching Chaol laugh makes her blush. She spots Dorian dancing and her physical attraction to him grows.

Dorian, tipsy, goes to Celaena’s rooms and finds her asleep. Dorian wonders if there is anything more to their flirting, as he feels unusually close to the assassin. Chaol also comes to Celaena’s rooms and discovers Dorian there. Chaol kicks Dorian out, insisting it is for his own safety and confused by his rage. Chaol gives Celaena a silver and amethyst ring, a party favor. He leaves, still confused.

Celaena dreams that she is in the secret passage again. Going through the rightmost portal, she descends a narrow staircase, following the scent of roses until she arrives at the beautiful marble tomb of “Gavin, the first King of Adarlan […] and Elena, the first princess of Terrasen, Brannon’s daughter, and Gavin’s wife and queen” (184). A Wyrdmark on Elena’s sarcophagus that matches one at the clock tower. Gavin’s legendary sword Damaris is also in the tomb.

The spirit of Elena appears to Celaena, her distance descendant. Elena has risked much by crossing into Celaena’s world—she faces danger from the gargoyles on the clock tower. Elena tells Celaena that “Nothing is a coincidence” (186) and that Celaena must become Champion and destroy a great evil lurking within Rifthold. She gives Celaena an amulet, and then tells her to run as something howls.

Celaena wakes in her room with the amulet in her hand and the door behind the tapestry open; the woman on the tapestry is Elena. Confused and overwhelmed, Celaena falls back asleep. 

The next morning, Chaol storms into Celaena’s bedroom and tells her the Test for that day has been canceled, as another competitor, Xavier, has been murdered and the body found half-eaten. Celaena wonders if the murders are related to the great evil Elena mentioned, but she says nothing about it to Chaol. When he leaves, Celaena returns to the tomb to look for clues, but is unable to find anything useful. On her way to the library, Celaena encounters Xavier’s mutilated body, and notices Wyrdmarks written in blood around it.

As Dorian spars with Chaol, they reassure each other that neither has romantic feelings toward Celaena. Chaol asks Dorian if he has heard from the King, but Dorian knows nothing. Dorian asks Chaol if someone is deliberately targeting the competitors, worried that Celaena is in danger. Chaol assigns extra guards to Celaena, but Dorian wonders if they are “To protect her, or keep her in” (198). Chaol, under great pressure to solve the murders, leaves to inspect the crime scene again.

Nehemia finds Celaena investigating the clock tower and warns Celaena again not to research the Wyrdmarks. Celaena describes Xavier’s murder scene to Nehemia, who seems disturbed. Cain arrives at the clock tower and taunt Nehemia and Celaena. He whispers that he knows who Celaena really is. Nehemia and Celaena leave, and Celaena feels grateful for Nehemia’s friendship.

Chaol and Dorian watch Celaena train. Celaena is getting stronger, and Chaol hopes that she can keep her temper in check when facing Cain. Chaol notes Dorian’s jealousy when Nox trains with Celaena.

Celaena researches Wyrdmarks in the library. She learns that the Wyrd is “a force that holds together and governs Erilea—and […] Countless other worlds, too” (207). Wyrdmarks can be used to create Wyrdgates to travel and communicate with other worlds. Chaol is dismissive, warning Celaena that Wyrd sounds dangerously like magic, which is still illegal. Celaena wonders why the King would have allowed Wyrdmarks to remain when he destroyed all other magical artifacts. After finding a book called The Walking Dead filled with illustrations of horrible monsters, Celaena hears a scraping noise and is frightened, but it is only Chaol trying to scare her. 

Bored, Celaena practices billiards in her gaming room with little success. Dorian flirtatiously offers to teach her to play, wrapping his arms around Celaena to show her how to hold the cue. Dorian and Celaena play billiards late into the night. Dorian knows little of Celaena’s history but feels a desire to learn more. When he tucks an exhausted Celaena into bed, he notices Elena’s amulet, though he doesn’t recognize it as such. He hopes that he and Celaena will grow closer even if she becomes his father’s Champion.