The Assassin Read online

  TOR’S QUEST

  The Assassin

  Trudie Collins

  Copyright © 2012 Trudie Collins

  All rights reserved.

  Also by Trudie Collins

  Tor's Quest

  The Guide

  The Maze

  The Bard

  The Pendant

  The Assassin

  Vampire Hunters

  Vampire Hunters

  Greater Vampires

  Standalone

  Kwin

  Diary of a journey through Hell

  Soul Eaters

  The Tor's Quest Saga

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Also By Trudie Collins

  The Assassin (Tor's Quest, #5)

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Epilogue

  Sign up for Trudie Collins's Mailing List

  Also By Trudie Collins

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to everyone who read my first four books and gave me encouragement to continue. You know who you are and I thank you for your feedback and support.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to Julie, Terry and Wendy, for taking the time to proof read for me.

  And a special thank you to my husband Pete, for playing the role of map maker and doing all of the hard work to get all five books in the series published.

  Chapter 1

  Sam opened her eyes and stared up at the painted ceiling above her. Frowning, she sat up and looked around. The room she found herself in was small and clinically white. The head of the metal bed frame, whose mattress she was lying on, was surrounded by monitors. She looked down and saw wires from one of the machines going under the nightdress she was wearing. She raised her left arm and saw a needle in it, attached to a drip. She was in a hospital, but how?

  She barely had time to ponder the question when the door opened and a woman with red bouncy hair walked in, plastic cup of coffee in hand.

  “Janet?” Sam asked in surprise.

  “My god, you’re awake,” Janet said, almost dropping her coffee. “I have to get a doctor. Don’t go anywhere.”

  “And where exactly am I likely to go?” Sam asked herself, looking at the tubes and wires attached to her as her friend ran out of the room. Moments later she returned, closely followed by a short, rotund woman dressed in a nurse’s uniform. Sam was reminded of a cube, with arms, legs and a head attached, but guiltily banished the image from her mind.

  “You are awake earlier than expected my dear. How are you feeling?” the nurse asked in a sickeningly motherly fashion.

  “Confused,” Sam confessed. “Where am I and what am I doing here?”

  The nurse smiled. “I think your friend will be able to answer any questions you have. She has been by your side since you came in. Right now I need to check you out.” Without another word, she stuck a thermometer in Sam’s mouth, took Sam’s wrist in one hand and lifted her watch with the other. There was silence for a minute while Sam’s pulse was taken, then the thermometer was taken out of her mouth and inspected. “Heart rate and temperature are fine. How does your head feel?”

  “My head?” Sam asked in panic. “What is wrong with my head?” Instinctively her hands moved upwards, stopping when they came into contact with bandages. “What is going on?”

  Again the nurse smiled, turning her attention to Janet. “I will leave you two alone for a while. I will be back soon with the doctor.”

  “Well?” Sam asked as soon the door closed.

  Janet took a seat from the corner of the room and moved it beside the bed. “What do you remember?” she asked, making herself comfortable.

  “I’m not sure. We were all in the inn, about to end the quest, when Albian arrived. I don’t really remember a lot after that. How did I get back to earth?”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Janet asked, her voice full of concern. “Do you remember playing with the Ouija board at Sally’s house?”

  “Well, yes,” Sam replied, confused. “But that was ages ago.”

  “No,” Janet responded, equally confused. “That was only two days ago.”

  “Two days?” Sam stammered. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Calm down,” Janet said, beginning to panic. “You have been through a traumatic experience. You cannot stress yourself. I will explain everything.” She waited until Sam had relaxed back into the pillows before continuing. “Okay. Let’s start again. Do you remember going to Sally’s house?” Sam nodded, wincing when the movement caused her pain. “Do you remember playing with the Ouija board?”

  Again Sam nodded. “It started spelling out my name and saying things that only you or I could possibly know.”

  Janet stared at her. “I’m sorry Sam,” she said gently, taking hold of her friend’s hand. “That never happened.”

  “So what did happen?” Sam asked in an emotionless voice. She knew Janet would not continue unless she appeared calm and shutting down her emotions was the only way she could accomplish that. She needed to know what was going on and contradicting what Janet was saying would get her nowhere, even if what she was saying made no sense.

  “We had not been playing with the board long when you collapsed. One second you were laughing and joking with us, the next you were on the floor, unconscious. We called an ambulance and scans showed that you had a blood clot in your brain. Your emergency surgery went well and you were kept in an induced coma until they thought it was safe for you to wake up.”

  Sam surprised her by smiling. “I know what is going on. This is all a dream. I will wake up any moment and be back in Dean’s arms.”

  “I think I should go and find the doctor,” Janet said and left the room before Sam could ask why.

  Closing the door behind her, she almost walked into a man wearing a white coat. “Miss Daintree,” he said, smiling at her. “I was just coming to see how Sam is.”

  Janet did not return the smile. “Please may I have a word with you first Doctor Weston?”

  “Of course. Come with me to my office.”

  Janet was led down the corridor and into a small neat room containing only a desk, two chairs and a bookcase, crammed full of books. “Please, sit down Miss Daintree,” the doctor said, indicating the chair in front of the desk as he sat down on the one behind it.

  “Call me Janet,” she said, attempting to smile, but failing.

  “And you should call me Paul. Now what did you want to discuss?” Janet regarded the doctor sitting in front of her before she spoke. He was not an unattractive man, mid-thirties she estimated, with short, neat, light brown hair. His green eyes sparkled as he smiled at her. She found her eyes drawn towards his left hand, looking for a wedding ring, and felt pleased when she saw no evidence of one.

  “I am worried about Sam. She thinks she is dreaming. She expects to wake up in Dean’s arms. Dean was her fiancé who died over a year ago.”

  “I understand your concern Ja
net, but it is nothing to worry about. This is common with people who have had brain surgery. Why don’t you wait here and I will go and see her.”

  Without waiting for a reply, he left the room and returned to the door he had been about to go through before being accosted by Janet. Without knocking, he entered and was pleased to see Sam sitting up and alert.

  “Good morning Sam. I may call you Sam I presume. Your friend said you would prefer that.” Sam nodded her head, so he introduced himself. “I am Doctor Weston. I performed your surgery. How are you feeling?”

  “My head hurts when I move. Other than that I am fine.”

  “Good. I just need to check you over, then I can leave you in peace.”

  When the examination had finished, he returned to his office to find Janet studying the books on his case. “Find anything interesting?” he asked, making her jump. She had not heard him approach.

  “They are all medical books. Don’t you ever read for pleasure?”

  “Sometimes,” he confirmed. “When I am at home.”

  “How is Sam?”

  “Remarkably upbeat.” Janet opened her mouth to speak, but Doctor Weston held up his hand, signalling that she should not interrupt him. “Before you ask, no that is not anything to worry about.” He sat down and looked up at Janet. “You have been here since she was brought in haven’t you?” Janet nodded. “May I suggest you go home, shower and get some sleep? Come back tomorrow. I promise I will call you should anything happen.”

  Reluctantly Janet nodded. She was still dressed in the clothes she had been wearing at Sally’s house when Sam had collapsed and felt a mess, even if she did not look it.

  “Is there anyone you want me to call to pick you up?” the doctor continued.

  “No,” Janet said, shaking her head. “I will get a taxi.”

  “I will call one for you.” He picked up the phone and was about to dial a number when he paused and looked at her. “I hope you don’t think this unethical, but how would you feel about joining me for dinner tonight.”

  “I would be delighted,” was Janet’s happy reply.

  Sam’s day was uneventful. She dozed in-between checks by various doctors and nurses, never once complaining or asking any questions. She knew this was a dream, so what would be the point?

  Paul Weston was with Sam when Janet returned the next morning. “Good morning Doctor Weston,” she said politely as she walked into the room.

  “Hi Janet,” he said, unable to keep the smirk from his face. “I was just assessing Sam. Unless she has a relapse, one more night under my care and she will be able to go home tomorrow morning.”

  “That’s good news. We have a holiday booked. Will she be allowed to leave the country?”

  “I will have to get back to you on that I am afraid. Right now she needs peace and quiet and above all, rest.” He returned his attention to his patient. “I will be back this afternoon. Take it easy and do not let your friend over excite you.”

  “Anything you say doc,” Sam replied.

  “May I have a quick word?” he said to Janet, taking her gently by the arm and leading her out of the room. “She still believes she is dreaming,” he confided when the door was closed so Sam could not overhear. “Talk to her about what she thinks happened. It may help.”

  “Of course.”

  “I had a good time last night. May I see you again?”

  “Are you free tomorrow night?” Paul confirmed that he was and arranged to pick Janet up at eight. Squeezing her hand, he said he would see her later, once he had finished his rounds.

  “So?” Sam asked the minute Janet walked back into the room.

  “So what?” Janet asked, faking innocence.

  “So what is going on between you and the doc?”

  Janet sat on the bed. “I never could hide anything from you could I? We had a date last night, that is all.”

  “Really.” Sam was not convinced.

  “Yes, that is all. I am not as easy as you think.”

  “But you are seeing him again?”

  “I might be.”

  “I will take that as a yes. Well done. He seems nice.”

  “He is. But I am not here to talk about me. Let’s talk about you. When you woke up yesterday you said something about Dean.” She said the name tentatively, worried she might upset Sam, but Sam did not react badly.

  “Yes,” she confirmed. “He didn’t really die and when I wake up he will be by my side.”

  “Tell me all about it.”

  Sam was more than happy to fulfil her friend’s request and started at the beginning. She explained how the Ouija board had begun spelling out messages to her, things that nobody in the room, except for herself and Janet, could possibly know. This time Janet remained quiet. She wanted to hear Sam’s entire version of events before she started to contradict her. Janet’s hands were not on the planchette so she could not have been moving it. The next thing she knew she had woken up in a field, surround by a strange group of people.

  She went on to explain about Prince Tor and his quest and how a witch had transported her to another world in order to meet the criteria for one of the clues. Tor needed a ‘guide from another world’ and Sam was to be that guide. She told Janet everything, describing everyone she met in great detail. Ellen, the hearth witch, and her love for Patrick, who kept dying and coming back to life; Bellak the wizard and his son Nosmas, who started off as a wolf; Prince Tor and his brothers; River the water sprite, Grimmel the Dwarf and Oak the tree sprite; Ria, Seth, Dal, the list went on. When she began talking about Modo, Janet was forced to call time out and get herself some coffee.

  As the hours passed, her entire adventures on the quest were revealed. She could not keep the smile from her face as she described meeting Brin and she became wistful when she got to the part where he had shot her with an arrow and she had almost died.

  “Wait a minute,” Janet interrupted. “You say this elf loved you, yet he shot you.”

  “I had to scream in agony,” Sam explained, as though this was a perfectly reasonable thing to say. “He didn’t trust anyone else to do it. May I continue?”

  Janet nodded her head, so Sam told her all about her recovery and getting closer to Brin. She talked about the puzzles they had to solve in the maze and how they had saved Tor’s brother from certain death. They found out the will, which had started the quest in the first place, was actually a tontine designed to kill them all so the Princes decided to work together. She talked about riding dragons and unicorns and meeting many strange creatures.

  Sam laughed as she recalled Seth and Dal kissing, when Dal was pretending to be her twin brother. Eventually the truth came out and the two were married. A tear rolled down her cheek as she talked about Ellen being fatally injured and then turned into a vampire, only to die a short while later when caught out in the sun.

  The tear was joined by many others as she described the murder of Brin’s family and their forced separation. She instinctively rubbed her stomach when she mentioned her pregnancy and was shocked to find it flat, until she remembered she was still dreaming.

  It was late afternoon by the time she got around to talking about her nightmares. The doctor had visited once more, as promised, and was pleased with her progress. He allowed Janet to remain as long as she promised to not stay too late. Janet agreed, but refused to go until Sam had finished her tale.

  Sam continued, explaining how she had met up with Dean. Instead of dying in a car crash, as everyone believed, he too had been transported to the other world by a witch working for one of the other Princes. She told her of the group having to split into two and how she and Dean had kept in contact using animals as messengers and of Oak’s murder, which she was thankfully not there to witness. Then she spoke about her nightmares and how they were designed to plant the idea in her head that she could trust the bad guy.

  “I handed the chain over to Albian and then everything went black,” she concluded. “He must have put some sort of spel
l on me, which is why I am now having this dream.”

  Janet had listened patiently to her friend all day, not once dismissing as rubbish anything that she heard, but now that time had come.

  “You certainly have a good imagination,” she said, impressed by the detail Sam had gone into. “But you need to face reality. Everything you talked about was just a result of the blood clot. Everything you believe happened is all in your head.”

  “If you say so,” Sam said, not wishing to argue.

  “Look at yourself,” Janet instructed. “You are obviously not pregnant. Brin never existed and Dean is not still alive.” Her words were harsher than she intended and she tensed, expecting an outburst, but Sam did not rise to the bait.

  “You believe I was dreaming, I believe I still am. How can you be sure you are right and I am wrong?”

  “I should get going,” Janet said, avoiding the question. “It is getting late and you need to get some rest. I will be back in the morning. Work has given me the week off so I can spend as much time with you as you want.”

  Instead of leaving the hospital, however, Janet went in search of Doctor Weston. He was not in his office, but before she could find someone to ask where she might find him, she saw him striding down the corridor towards her.

  “Are you here to see me?” he asked after kissing her on the cheek. She nodded her head. “Business or pleasure?”

  “Business I am afraid.”

  “Sam?” Again she nodded. “Then you have arrived at the perfect time. I was just about to leave, but can stay for a while. Come into my office.”

  Instead of sitting himself behind the desk, this time he moved his chair so they could sit looking at each other without being separated by the furniture. With their knees almost touching, he took her hands in his. “Did you get her to talk about what she believes is her reality?”

  “Yes, she was happy to discuss it.” Janet told him everything she could remember, her hands never leaving his. “She is so convinced that everything she told me is real and she went into so much detail it has me worried,” she told him when she had finished.