Celaena has betrayed her boss and she pays dearly for it. Arobyn Hamil beats her and then sends her off on a trek to the desert as punishment. Separated from those she knows, she stops at an Inn during her journey and meets Yrene, a barmaid who gets in the middle of a brawl.
I like that in this novella we get to see Celaena from Yrene’s perspective. Yrene is scared of her, sees her as feisty and arrogant. Yet Celaena quickly softens and teaches Yrene to defend herself. Celaena feels a pull towards this woman whose home in Ardalan was ripped away from her. Once again we see her softer side.
This was more of a short story than a novella. A way for us to get a better glimpse of exactly who Celaena is.