SO, my theory is, since there is no magic in Adarlan, Celaena doesn’t know who her mate is, because I believe the fae part of her is what determines that. So, there is only one character–of the men still living and already introduced–that she has met without the use of magic. And that’s Chaol. She met Dorian when she was very young before magic was wiped out, she knew Aedion from when she was born and also before magic was snuffed out and she met Rowan in Wendlynn where magic is free. So Chaol is the only one. Except for one scene, in Crown of Midnight, when Celaena enters the portal. Before she enters, before she is her fae self again, she says “if she had thought she’d known fear and pain before, it was nothing compared to what went through her when Chaol ran through the portal after fleetfoot.” That’s before. But when she’s in the portal, in the realm where magic has been restored to her momentarily, all she can think about is getting Chaol to safety. All she can think of is making sure her untamed, untapped powers do not harm Chaol.
So yeah. That’s my theory.
maenons