Arobynn's second best

Sam Cortland

He booked the passage. He'd already picked the continent. We already knew.

We knew how it ends. We fell for him anyway.

Sam Cortland is an assassin of Arobynn Hamel's guild in Rifthold and Celaena Sardothien's first love, from The Assassin's Blade. Second-best in the Keep, permanently, and the only person in it who stayed kind. That's the trick of him — the whole book is a countdown, and he's out here booking passage south like people get to have that.

At a glance

Trade: Assassin — Arobynn Hamel's guild, Rifthold
Rank: Second-best in the Keep, behind Celaena Sardothien
Raised: The Assassins' Keep. Left there by his mother, a courtesan, before she died
Appears in: The Assassin's Blade (Throne of Glass #0.1–0.5)
Loves: Celaena Sardothien — later Aelin Galathynius
Mantra: "My name is Sam Cortland and I will not be afraid."
Killed by: Rourke Farran, arranged by Arobynn Hamel
Avenged by: Wesley, who killed Farran for it. Then by Celaena, in Queen of Shadows

His people

Who he chose.

Swipe to meet them all

Celaena Sardothien Adarlan's AssassinCelaena Sardothienthe first oneEnter Celaena Sardothien →

Rolfe Pirate Lord of Skull's BayRolfehis enemyEnter Rolfe →

Also in the story

Connected

The ones this story crossed.

The long versionRead his whole storyEverything, in one place.Enter the full story

We're Caffeine and Curses. The Library started as my design research — I can't put Manon on a shirt without knowing which way the iron teeth snap — so we keep the notes here where everyone can use them. The pages are fan-made, not official; the licensed designs are in the shop.

Officially licensed

Become a member

Join the Library.

Admit one obsessive reader.

For library updates and new releases.

Made by fans who never left.

These pages are fan-made. For officially licensed merch, see our shop.