Krondor: The Assassins. Raymond E. Feist

      

      

       Copyright

      HarperVoyager

      An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

      1 London Bridge Street

      London SE1 9GF

       www.harpercollins.co.uk

      First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 1999

      Copyright © Raymond E. Feist

      Cover design by Dominic Forbes © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

      Raymond E. Feist asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

      A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

      This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

      All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

      Source ISBN: 9780008311261

      Ebook Edition © January 2018 ISBN: 9780007352456

      Version: 2018-11-13

       Dedication

      This book is dedicated to all the editors who have put up with, inspired, corrected, and aided me, to the ends of improving the work and making me look good: Adrian Zackheim, Nick Austin, Pat LoBrutto, Janna Silverstein, Malcolm Edwards, and my current guides: Jennifer Brehl and Jane Johnson.

      Also, to Peter Schneider, who has done far more on my behalf than he realizes.

      My deepest thanks to them all.

      Raymond E. Feist

      Rancho Santa Fe, CA

      May, 1999

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

      Copyright

      Dedication

      Map

Prologue: Departures

Chapter One: Escape

Chapter Two: Krondor

Chapter Three: Reception

Chapter Four: Surprises

       Chapter Five: Secrets

       Chapter Six: Confusion

       Chapter Seven: Ambush

       Chapter Eight: Attack

       Chapter Nine: Decisions

       Chapter Ten: Revelation

       Chapter Eleven: Stealth

       Chapter Twelve: Improvisation

       Chapter Thirteen: Concealment

       Chapter Fourteen: Murders

       Chapter Fifteen: Desperation

       Chapter Sixteen: Discovery

       Chapter Seventeen: Misdirection

       Chapter Eighteen: Unmasking

       Epilogue: Encounters

       Acknowledgements

       About the Author

       By the same author

       About the Publisher

       Map

       • PROLOGUE •

       Departures

      LINES OF SOLDIERS MARCHED ALONG THE RIDGE.

      The baggage train had been broken into two segments, the first of which was now departing with the wounded and the dead who would be cremated with honours back in Krondor. Clouds of dust rose from the trail as wheels rolled and boots tramped towards home, the fine powder mixing with the acrid smoke from campfires as they were extinguished. The rising sun streamed through the haze, orange and pale gold, lances of colour in an otherwise grey morning. In the distance birds sang, ignoring the aftermath of battle.

      Arutha, Prince of Krondor and ruler of the Western Realm of the Kingdom of the Isles, sat on his horse, taking a moment to enjoy the majesty of the sunrise and the serenade of the birds as he watched his men heading home. The fighting had been blessedly short but bloody, and while casualties were lighter than anticipated, he still hated to lose even one solider under his command. He let the beauty of the vista before him soothe his frustration and regret