Nazeem put his hand on Ryder's shoulder. "I think you can relax."
Ryder straightened, still gripping the chain. "Can I?"
The young man who had freed Ryder from his bonds stood on the back of a horse, shaking his fist in the air. He put his fingers to his lips and let out a shrill, rolling whistle. All of the bandits immediately stopped their celebrating.
"This has been a fine victory for the Broken Spear," he said in his high, adolescent voice.
The bandits let out a joyous cheer.
"And we have liberated many from their oppressive bonds!"
This got a cheer out of many of the freed prisoners.
Ryder, however, kept his mouth shut.
"Gather all you can carry; we make for Fairhaven."
The bandits went to work immediately, packing up the riches from the looted carriage and picking through the belongings of the fallen guardsmen.
"I have a bad feeling about this," said Ryder.
"You feel bad about being freed?"
Ryder shook his head. "No, it is good to be free." He looked at the tattooed man. "I just don't know if we should trust these men. Perhaps we should just slip away and head back to Duhlnarim."
Nazeem shrugged. "They did not want us in Duhlnarim."
Ryder shrugged. "I have family there. We would be safe among people we could trust. We'd have time to take some rest." He leaned in close to Nazeem's ear. "Come back with me. You could become one of the Crimson Awl. Help us overthrow Purdun."
"The revolutionary spirit lives strong in you." Nazeem smiled. "But we are thirty days' march from your home. We have no food or water. And you are covered from head to toe in bruises." He looked out at the bandits as they prepared to leave. "As much as I would like to get my revenge on the dog Purdun for placing me in chains, I think we need time to recover our strength."
Ryder looked around. None of the bandits were paying any attention to him. He could easily just turn and walk toward home.
"There will be plenty of time to achieve your revolution after you have healed. Purdun will still be there when you return. And if he is not, then so much the better."
The bandits were nearly ready to leave. They had packed their horses and were gathering up the freed prisoners. The young man who apparently led the bandits looked right at Nazeem and Ryder.
He raised his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Come, it is time to leave. We have food and shelter for you in our camp, just east of here. You will be safe with us in the Giant's Run Mountains."
Ryder looked again at the road that led back to Duhlnarim. He felt Nazeem's hand on his shoulder.
"My friend, you will never make it," said the tattooed man. "A wise revolutionary is one who lives to fight another day. Better to delay your return than to never return at all. I do not think it would be wise for you to go back to Duhlnarim just yet. But if you are going to go, you must do so now."
Samira was down that road, waiting for him. It pained Ryder to think about what she must be going through. Every moment he delayed his return would only extend that agony.
"Only a few more days," he said softly. Then he turned around and headed with Nazeem toward the waiting bandits.
Chapter 10
"I know you might think me cruel, but I do the things I do for the safety of the barony," explained Lord Purdun. "Sometimes they might seem harsh, but there are things at stake here greater than personal freedom."
Liam was seated on one of the many couches in the baron's sitting room. He laughed. "Spoken like a true dictator."
"I apologize for having you followed like that," said the baron, standing up from one of the plush upholstered chairs. "But I'm sure you would agree, all is fair in these sorts of situations."
Liam spat in Purdun's face.
Purdun slowly wiped the gob off his cheek.
Liam smirked. "All's fair, right?"
Baron Purdun lifted a handkerchief out of his breast pocket and wiped the mucus off his hand. "You don't have any idea what sort of forces you are dealing with."
"I know enough of how you've treated my family and the villagers of Duhlnarim," said Liam. "I know enough to want you out of power. And, yes, I have a real good idea of what you and your men are capable of. I've witnessed it firsthand."
Purdun shook his head. "I'm not talking about my elite guard, and I'm not talking about the Crimson Awl."
Liam wrinkled his forehead. "What are you babbling about, Purdun? I'm getting tired of your games."
The baron clenched his teeth, visibly trying to maintain his patience. "Listen, Liam. The members of the Crimson Awl aren't what they seem."
"Why should I believe you? Why should I believe anything you say to me? You used me. You picked me up and brought me here to try to discredit me. You used me as bait to get at the Awl. You put my family in jeopardy, and you destroyed my life."
"I understand you're angry," said Purdun, "But you should be thankful I didn't throw you in the dungeon for ambushing my carriage."
This didn't make Liam feel any better about the situation.
The baron continued. "Think about the meeting at Dowmore Glen. Were there any new people there? Anyone who wasn't already part of the Awl?"
Liam thought back on the group of hooded strangers he'd seen watching the proceedings. "No," he lied.
Purdun shook his head. "Come now. Think hard. Did no one seem out of place?"
Liam narrowed his eyes. "What are you getting at?"
"The Awl is being manipulated by an outside power." Purdun said, slightly exasperated. "Someone who has reason to see me removed from power."
Liam shrugged. "Then perhaps I should meet them. Sounds like my kind of person."
Purdun turned around, pacing between the chairs, holding his chin in contemplation. "If you met this one, you'd think differently."
"Anyone who wants to see you out of power is a friend of mine."
Purdun stopped his pacing and turned to face Liam. "This person is a very powerful, ancient undead spell-caster. A vampire by the name of Shyressa."
A chill ran down Liam's spine, just hearing her name.
"And I can assure you, she doesn't have your best interest at heart," explained the baron.
A vampire? Liam thought back on the clearing, on the strange group of robed figures followed by a group of wolves. He'd heard legends of vampires and their spawn having the ability to turn into wolves. Maybe what Purdun was saying was true. How could he have known about the strangers at the meeting? None of this made any sense.
Liam shook his head. "You're making this up."
"I wish I were." Purdun rubbed the back of his neck, looking as if he were quite stressed. "But I'm not. Shyressa has it out for me, and she's using the Awl as a way to destabilize Ahlarkham."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Purdun walked across the room to stand in front of Liam. "Because I want you to understand why I did what I did. I want you to see that I had to have you followed so that I could try to get to Shyressa before she gets to me. It was nothing personal. I ordered my men to do everything in their power to ensure your safety."
Liam was confused. "You ordered them to protect me?"
Purdun nodded.
"Why would you do that? I'm not on your side."
Purdun took a deep breath. "Because, despite what you think of me, I am not an evil man. I don't want to see you or any of the citizens of Duhlnarim harmed." The baron sat back down in the chair he had started in.
"And I know you're not on my side, but I want you to be. I want you to join my elite guard."