who had brought him into the world. But sitting for more than a tenday in a stone-walled dungeon had given him plenty of time to fear much larger things. He had very little left to lose, and this man no longer scared him.
'Then why did you come?' he asked, not lowering his eyes.
'One of Purdun's guardsmen came and asked us to,' replied the old man, staring back at Liam, a look of disgust on his face.
'We came because we were worried about you,' interjected his mother. 'You just disappeared. We didn't know where you were. We thought maybe you'd been killed on one of those stupid raids, like Ryder.'
The sound of his brother's name made Liam break his staring contest with his father. He took a step back from his mother.
'Ryder died fighting for what he believed in,' he said, not raising his voice. It hurt him to hear her belittle Ryder's sacrifice. 'You both are just too stupid or thoughtless to recognize that.'
'Oh, Liam.' Angeline began to cry.
Douglas put his arm around her. 'See what you did?' he shouted.
Liam looked at them both. He was tired of feeling sorry for them. 'What do you want from me? Why did you come here?'
'We just came,' said Angeline, trying to hold back a sob, 'to try to talk some sense into you.'
'Well,' said Liam, holding his arms out to make the chains shake, 'I'm a captive audience. Talk all you like.' He leaned back, falling backward until the chains caught him, holding him off the ground by his wrists.
Liam hung there, his head resting back, his eyes closed, smiling to himself. He'd never been able to tell his folks off like that. There was no guilt, no fear of reprisal, none of the feelings he'd had when getting in a fight with his parents as a child. His captivity had changed him. The chains of the dungeon had set him free. Despite the aches in his bones, and the weakness from lack of sleep, Liam was stronger now, and it felt great.
He leaned farther back, stretching the tired muscles in his neck. Then he lifted his head. He wanted to see the look on Douglas's face. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Samira. Both Douglas and Angeline were gone.
'Hi,' said Samira, a reserved smile on her face.
Liam stood up, suddenly feeling ashamed of his appearance. 'What are you doing here?' He blushed, his sense of triumph transformed into flustered insecurity.
'I mean, hi.'
'Oh, look at you,' she said, stepping up and taking hold of his face.
Where she touched him, it stung, and he pulled back. Putting his own hand to his face, he felt a long fresh scratch, complete with dried blood, running across his right cheek.
'Where did that come from?' he asked.
'I was hoping you'd know that.'
Liam shrugged. 'Must have been the rats.'
The smile on Samira's face dissolved into a look of disgust. 'Rats?'
Liam nodded. 'In my cell.'
Samira scanned the floor.
Liam shook his head. 'Not here. They had me in another cell before you came.' He looked around. 'One about a third of this size. No windows. Kind of damp.'
Samira put her hands on his cheeks and turned his face to hers. 'What are you doing this for?'
'Doing what?'
'Putting yourself through this,' she said.
'What choice do I have?' replied Liam. 'I didn't ask for this.'
'If I ask you a question,' she said, letting go of his face, 'will you answer me honestly?'
'Of course.'
'Did you try to attack Lord Purdun in his own chambers?'
Liam smiled. 'You heard that, did you?'
Samira nodded. 'Is it true?'
'Yes,' he said. 'Twice.'
'Twice?' Samira's voice rose as she said the word. She put her hand over her mouth, as if embarrassed of her outburst. In a more hushed tone, she said, 'Really?'
He nodded, still smiling. The thought of how bold and truly stupid that was made him warm inside. Oddly, he was proud of himself for being so foolish.
Samira covered the smile on her mouth, but Liam could see in her eyes that she too was amused by his brash behavior.
'Ryder would have been proud of you,' she said.
Liam nodded his agreement. 'Yes, I think he probably would have been.'
'But he also wouldn't want to see you like this.' She grabbed hold of his filthy, tattered shirt and gave it a tug.
' I don't want to see me like this.'
'Then be done with it,' came a voice from behind Samira.
Liam looked around his brother's wife. Lord Purdun stood in the doorway.
'Well, if it isn't my old friend,' said Liam. He grabbed Samira by the arm and turned her around. 'Samira,' he said, his voice thick with sarcasm, 'may I present to you the Baron of Ahlarkham, Lord Purdun.'
Purdun obviously didn't get the slight, because he smiled and bowed as he entered the room. 'Thank you, Liam. And you must be Samira.' Purdun crossed the stone floor and took Samira's hand.
Samira dropped into a curtsy. 'Yes, my lord,' she said.
'So, Liam, are you ready to accept my offer?' asked Purdun.
There were no guardsmen here, and Purdun's personal bodyguard likely wouldn't fit inside the tiny room. Liam noticed that though he was chained up, Purdun kept a good distance from him.
'What offer?' asked Samira.
'Liam hasn't told you? I've asked him to join my elite guard.'
'And my answer is still no,' spat Liam.
'Has none of this-' Purdun spread his arms to indicate the stone walls and hanging chains of the dungeon- 'had any impact on you?'
Liam's eyes narrowed. 'Yes it has,' he said, his voice rising. 'It's strengthened my-'
'Liam,' interrupted Samira, squeezing his arm. 'Don't be foolish. Do what the baron asks, and get yourself out of this place.'
'Stay out of this,' said Liam. He gave her a stern look, which she returned.
'Liam, be reasonable,' said Purdun. 'Listen to Samira. If you stay here in the dungeon, you will live a short, miserable life.'
'Then let me go,' said Liam, holding his arms out so the locks could be removed.
Purdun didn't budge. 'If I did, then what? Where would you go? Home? The Crimson Awl thinks you're a traitor. Your life wouldn't be worth a single shaft of wheat. Would you leave Duhlnarim? Leave Ahlarkham all together? I'd be willing to bet a man like you has never been farther north than Llorbauth, maybe Shalane at best. Do you think you'd be safe only a hundred miles away? You know the Awl better than I, but in my estimation, even they could track you down if you stay in Erlkazar. Are you willing to abandon everything? Give up your family and everything you know and start over again with nothing?'
Liam glared at the baron.
Purdun continued, 'Or you could join the elite guard. You'll be out of your chains.' Purdun put his hand in his coat pocket and produced a key. 'You'll be able to stay here and keep your family.' He nodded toward Samira. 'You will be safe. You will be well trained, well equipped, and well paid.'
'He's right, Liam,' coaxed Samira. She squeezed more tightly. Despite the soreness in his muscles, her touch somehow soothed him. 'You really don't have another choice.'
'No, you don't.' Purdun shook his head, a smug smile on his lips.
Just the look on his face was enough to make Liam's innards burn. That self-righteous bastard! It was easy for him. He held all of the cards, and he knew it. It infuriated Liam. Purdun had the money and the army, and in his eyes, that made him right. It gave him whatever he wanted. Liam wondered if the spoiled little brat had ever had to go without anything in his entire life. He'd probably never had to work a single day in the fields, or go to bed with
