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there byherself. “It must drive you mad, not being able to get it just the way you remember it.” He kept pace beside her. His midnight-blue tunic brought out the golden hues in his skin.
    â€œI was just fooling around,” she said. “I can’t be the best at
everything
, you know. It wouldn’t be fair to the rest of you, would it?” Down the hall, someone had started a merry tune on the instruments in the gaming room.
    Sam chewed on his lip. “Why didn’t you trail Doneval after the theater? Don’t you have only four days left?” She wasn’t surprised he knew; her missions weren’t usually
that
secret.
    She paused, still itching to hear the music once more. “Some things are more important than death.”
    Sam’s eyes flickered. “I know.”
    She tried not to squirm as he refused to drop her stare. She knew his words implied something, though she didn’t know what. “Why are you helping Lysandra?” She didn’t know why she asked it.
    Sam frowned. “She’s not all that bad, you know. When she’s away from other people, she’s … better. Don’t bite off my head for saying it, but even though you taunt her about it, she didn’t choose this path for herself—just like us.” He shook his head. “She just wants your attention—and acknowledgment of her existence.”
    She clenched her jaw. Of course he’d spent plenty of time alone with Lysandra. And of course he’d find her sympathetic. “I don’t particularly care
what
she wants. You still haven’t answered my question.
Why
are you helping her?”
    He shrugged. “Because Arobynn told me to. And since I have no desire to have my face beaten to a pulp again, I’m not going to question him.”
    â€œHe—he hurt you that badly, too?”
    Sam let out a low laugh, but didn’t reply until after a servant bustled past, carrying a tray full of wine bottles. They were probably better off talking in a room where they’d be less likely to be overheard, but the idea of being utterly alone with him made her pulse pound.
    â€œI was unconscious for a day, and dozed on and off for three more after that,” Sam said.
    Celaena hissed a violent curse.
    â€œHe sent you to the Red Desert,” Sam went on, his words soft and low. “But
my
punishment was having to watch him beat you that night.”
    â€œWhy?” Another question she didn’t mean to ask.
    He closed the distance between them, standing near enough now that she could see the fine gold thread detailing on his tunic. “After what we went through in Skull’s Bay, you should know the answer.”
    She didn’t
want
to know the answer, now that she thought about it. “Are you going to make a Bid for Lysandra?”
    Sam burst out laughing. “Bid? Celaena, I don’t have any money. And the money that I
do
have is going toward paying back Arobynn. Even if I
wanted
to—”
    â€œ
Do
you want to?”
    He gave her a lazy grin. “Why do you want to know?”
    â€œBecause I’m curious whether Arobynn’s beating damaged your brain, that’s why.”
    â€œAfraid she and I had a summer romance?” That insufferable grin was still there.
    She could have raked her nails down his face. Instead, she picked another weapon. “I hope you did.
I
certainly enjoyed myself this summer.”
    The smile faded at that. “What do you mean?”
    She brushed an invisible fleck of dust off her red gown. “Let’s just say that the son of the Mute Master was
far
more welcoming than the other Silent Assassins.” It wasn’t quite a lie. Ilias
had
tried to kiss her, and she
had
basked in his attention, but she hadn’t wanted to start anything between them.
    Sam’s face paled. Her words had struck home, but it wasn’t as satisfying as she thought it would be. Instead, the mere fact