The Assassin's Blade

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    When we first meet Sam in The Assassin and the Pirate Lord, he see that he is loyal to Arobynn and the assassin's, but is combative with Celaena, due to his jealousy over Celaena being chosen as Arobynn's heir.  As Celaena gets to know him more, though, we learn that he isn't as loyal to Arobynn as he first appeared to be.  He, like Celaena, is disgusted by Arobynn wanting to get into the slave trade, and offers his help in freeing the slaves.  He tells Celaena that he thinks Arobynn sent them to Skull's Bay to get them out of Rifthold, because he was hiding something from them, and that he knew more about Ben's death than he was letting on, but Celaena didn't want to believe that.  He suggests they run away after freeing the slaves, but Celaena doesn't want to spend her life hiding from Arobynn.

    Sam tries to share the blame of what happens in Skull's Bay, but Arobynn blames the planning on Celaena, and says Sam only involved himself because she was the one who planned it, and it was either help her or let her die. Arobynn had his other favored assassins hold Sam back while he beat Celaena.  Celaena doesn't remember what Sam was screaming at Arobynn until later during the beating, but when she does, she remembers that he was telling Arobynn he would kill him for this.

    While Celaena is sent to the Red Desert after her beating as punishment, Sam was kept at the guild.  Arobynn knew that Sam loved Celaena, so his punishment was to watch as Arobynn beat Celaena.  Afterwards, he was beaten, and was unconscience for a day, and in and out of sleep for three days after.  During the time Celaena was in the desert, Arobynn had Sam on lockdown, guarding Lysandra and Clarisse while they planned Lysandra's bidding.  During this time, Arobynn and Sam discuss how Arobynn wants to expand this Assassin's Guild to the south, and discuss the possibility of Sam relocating to Benjali (Eyllwe) to lead the guild there.

    When Sam and Celaena reunite after she returns from the desert, it takes some time for Celaena to bring her guard down around him.  Not only because she is jealous of the time he is spending with Lysandra, but because after Ansel's betrayal, she is weary or being hurt again.  She ultimately decides to let Sam in, when she remembers that Sam stood by her, supported her, and didn't betray her.

    As Sam helps Celaena with her mission from Arobynn, they grow closer.  Sam admits to her that he is leaving for Benjali in two weeks time, to head an Assassin's Guild there, because he can't stay there with Arobynn without killing him.  When Celaena asks Sam why he can't get over it, Sam tells her that he has loved her for years, and that Arobynn knew, which was why his punishment was to watch her be beaten.  Now that he knows she is back in Rifthold, and is okay, he plans to leave.  That he won't even ask for Celaena to come with him, because he knows she will choose Arobynn.  Celaena calls him a damned idiot, a moron and an ass before kissing him, making her choice.  From this point on Sam and Celaena are for all intents and purposes, together.
    After Celaena learns of Arobynn's betrayal, that led to her killing the very people she wanted to protect, she uses most of the money she had left after paying off her debt with Arobynn, and buying her apartment, and pays off Sam's debt with Arobynn, freeing him from the Assassin's Guild.(check on this)  She moves Sam into the apartment with her.

    Struggling to make money, he takes to fighting in The Vaults, much to Celaena's displeasure.  Despite that, they continue to get closer, and Sam admits that he loves her.  While it takes some convincing, Sam begs Celaena to leave Rifthold and move to the South Continent, where they can be free from their pasts and Arobynn.  Celaena finally decides to leave with him.  Celaena insists that they need Arobynn's blessing, and to buy Sam's freedom from the guild.  Arobynn, who must know how much Celaena has in her account, asks for all of it.  Knowing Arobynn wouldn't budge, she agrees to pay it, which angers Sam.  In an effort to get enough money for them to leave, Sam takes a freelance assassination contract, and refuses Celaena's help in it.  

    This would be his downfall.  

    The job Sam took, was a trap, laid by Arobynn.  The very man Sam was sent to kill, Rourke Farran, drugs Sam to paralize him, and tortures him for hours until his death.

     When Celaena views his body, she describes it was mutilated, and his face being in ruin, his eyes missing.  She lays with his body for hours.