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Hamar looked from Miram to Toryn sitting opposite. He took a breath. ‘I did… but only briefly, mind.’ He scratched his chin. ‘It was me who took you both in, you and’ — he glanced at Andryn — ‘your actual father, that is.’

Toryn slumped back in his chair. ‘But I thought… what about the barn?’ He stared at the table. ‘And my mother? Was she with him?’

Miram whispered. ‘No, just you and your father.’

Andryn stood by Miram. He turned to Hamar. ‘Perhaps you should tell him what really happened.’

Toryn gaped at them. ‘I wasn’t left in our barn?’

Andryn wrung his hands. ‘No. I’m sorry, son, but we had our reasons for not telling you the truth.’ He bowed his head and whispered. ‘Hamar? Please?’

Hamar grunted as he pulled in his chair. ‘You were barely three, maybe four months old, tiny little thing, with a tuft of dark hair sticking out of the top of your head. It was your screams that woke me. I found you out at the edge of the forest.’

Hamar nodded. ‘You lay by your father’s side. He was so badly injured, I thought at first, he was dead. Had you not been crying, I don’t think either of you would have survived to see morning. It was the dead of winter and bitterly cold.’ Hamar’s brow creased as if seeing the events of the night in question. ‘I struggled, but I carried you both inside. Nearly dropped the man when he suddenly spoke. I honestly thought he was done for.’

Toryn gripped his sword resting on the table. ‘So why isn’t he here? Why did he abandon me?’

Hamar held up a hand. ‘Oh no, he didn’t abandon you, not willingly at any rate. I don’t think he had any choice in the matter. He was in a terrible hurry, as if the very shadow demons of the underworld were on his tail.’

Toryn frowned. ‘What was he running from?’

‘I… we didn’t find out for a few days. He could barely talk he was in such a bad way. He grabbed my arm and kept saying ‘take my son, please save the boy’. Then he started speaking another language before passing out. I put him in my bed and could see you were half-starved, so’ — he glanced up to Miram — ‘I brought you here.’

A tear rolled down Miram’s cheek. Andryn rested his hand on her shoulder. ‘Hamar was the only one who knew your mother had recently miscarried. That’s why we could bring you up as our own and no one would be any the wiser.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Toryn stood and turned his back on the table. ‘Why the story about being left in a barn?’ He walked to the window and looked out at the clouds streaking across the darkening sky. He spoke to his reflection in the glass. ‘And why does it mean I can’t go with Elrik and the others?’

Andryn ran his hand down his face. ‘This is where it gets a little complicated.’

Toryn spun around. ‘Complicated? You mean it’s not already? You’re telling me I have to abandon my friend, my duty to the Archon, and all because I wasn’t found in a barn?’ He saw Hamar and Andryn exchange a glance. ‘Well? Is anyone going to tell me?’

Andryn leaned on the table. ‘It’s to do with your father.’

Toryn scoffed. ‘I’d guessed that much.’ He turned back to the window. ‘Who was he? Do you even know?’

Hamar rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Sorry, lad. I never found out. He’d gone before I’d risen the next morning.’

‘But you said he was badly injured.’

‘Oh, he was. Take my word. It amazed me he could get out of bed, let alone walk away. While he still slept, I checked his injuries. I know a fair bit about wounds inflicted by a blade, and he’d suffered many judging by all the scars. But he had others, and not your ordinary wounds. No, these were from dark, poisoned weapons by the look of them. I’ve treated many in my time but nothing—’

‘So why can’t I go?’ Toryn strode back to the table and snatched up his sword in its scabbard. He swiveled and glared at Hamar. ‘You said I can’t go. Why?’

Hamar held up a hand. ‘Oh, you’ll have to go alright, but not with Elrik and the knights.’

Toryn drew the sword. ‘You said I can’t go because they’ll find out.’ He tilted the blade to catch the reflection of the fire. ‘Who? And what will they find out?’

Andryn placed his hand on Toryn’s, holding the sword. ‘Sit down, son. Let me try to explain. But please, put this away.’ Toryn’s shoulders dropped. He slid the blade into the scabbard and laid it back on the table. Andryn sat beside Miram. ‘If you go south, we believe the Archon may see you as a threat.’

Toryn gawped. ‘Me? A threat to the Archon? How can the likes of me be a threat to the likes of him?’ He slumped into a chair and folded his arms. ‘This gets more absurd.’

‘Let me try to explain.’ Hamar rose. ‘When I dressed the man’s wounds, I found marks. Back in the day, they trained me to keep my eye open for such signs. I’m afraid your father’ — he whispered — ‘I believe your father…’ Hamar gripped the back of the chair. He glanced at Toryn and sighed. ‘You see, I believe your father…’ He turned over his hands and spoke to them. ‘He had these markings on his palms, they were… the symbols of a wyke.’

Toryn’s jaw dropped. ‘A wyke! I thought they’d all been… but does that make me—?’

Miram stroked his shoulder. ‘Not all sorcerers were bad.’

Toryn stared into the fire, shaking his head. ‘My father was a wyke?’

Andryn sat beside him. ‘My grandmother told me about wykes. She said some did good deeds. One passed through in her day. In exchange for lodgings, he helped them protect their crop from blight. But others played nasty tricks on unsuspecting folk. Many came to fear wykes and took to hunting them down.’

Toryn turned to his father. ‘But you wouldn’t know what sort he was. And why was he being hunted?’ He took his mother’s hand. ‘Am I a’ — his mouth twisted — ‘wyke?’

Miram kept her eyes on Toryn’s hand in hers. ‘We don’t know if it’s passed on, or a talent you have to learn. No one knows much about them these days. We didn’t think any still lived until your father showed up. But if you go south, we fear the Archon may get wise to you.’ She placed her hand over his and squeezed. ‘The old law still stands. At the very least, you’d be thrown into his dungeons.’

Hamar patted his back. ‘But if it helps, I think your father was one of the good ‘uns.’

Toryn kept his eyes on the flames. ‘How could you know? You never spoke to him.’

‘When I first found you, I thought wolves had attacked you. But’ — Hamar glanced again to Andryn — ‘it turned out not to be wolves, or any creature we’d normally see in these parts.’

Toryn gawped at Hamar. ‘What are you trying to say?’

Andryn held up a hand. ‘Hold on, Hamar. Let’s start with what we know for certain. The day after Hamar rescued you, a company of Archonian Guards turned up asking questions. They were obviously tracking your father and wanted to know if he’d been here. We said nothing, being worried they’d take you away.’

Toryn stared at all three faces. ‘And they believed you?’

Hamar nodded. ‘Had no reason not to. Word of your father must have reached the ear of the Archon who would have placed a handsome reward on his head. The guards were keen to catch him and left, not wanting the trail to go cold.’ He shuddered. ‘But they weren’t the only ones following you. The dogs and horses sensed it first. You couldn’t see it, or hear it, but the air didn’t feel right. And at night, it sent a shiver down the spine to be outside. Something watched us from the wood, no doubt about it.’

Toryn thought for a moment. ‘But if they pursued my father here, why didn’t they go after him?’

Hamar shrugged. ‘Maybe some did, I guess that was your father’s intention when he left so soon. But whoever or whatever sneaked about in those trees, was also interested in you.’

‘Me?’ His scalp prickled. ‘But I was only a baby.’

‘We didn’t know for sure, but we weren’t going to just sit on our hands. The milk from our cows dried up and then the hens stopped laying. Marshall Stokes rallied the few reserves we had in the village, and we went into the forest to confront them. But if we’d had a dozen men, we‘d have struggled. We drove them out, somehow, but at a cost.’

Toryn's fist clenched. ‘Why haven’t you mentioned this before? Surely, it’s a story we should all be told. It’s not like anything happens here to celebrate.’

‘Celebrate?’ Hamar bit his lip. ‘Wasn’t much to celebrate. Besides, we didn’t want to spread panic. When I say, reserves, we’re talking farmers with scythes, clubs and the odd sword. We told the village we’d chased a stray boar away.’

‘Oh, the boar story. Then Stokes wasn’t gored to death. And the others also?’

Hamar nodded. ‘Four in all. But not by a boar’ — he whispered — ‘a droog. Whoever watched us, had command of a droog and that’s no pet dog I can tell you. I can count on the fingers of one hand the men I’ve known take down one of those vile creatures. And that was five Archonians against the same slippery worm.’ His nose wrinkled. ‘The poor soul who survived, swore the stench of the foul beast never left him.’ He shook his head. ‘Such a damn shame. Stokes and the other men didn’t stand a chance. And, your dad didn’t injure his leg on the farm.’

Toryn gaped at his father. ‘You as well? Who were they?’

Andryn’s face paled. ‘Can’t be sure. I can still see them though. A few brawny ruffians showed up. We could have handled them were it not for this other fellow and his droog.’ He shuddered. ‘A shadowy figure, tall and gangly. Moved all fast and jerky, not natural like. Seen nothing like it in all my days, or since. But it had power, immense power — you need that to handle a droog. But for some reason they didn’t seem keen to stay around to fight long. Just as we thought we were all done for, they withdrew and the dread beast went with them. If they hadn’t, I doubt any of us would have made it home. But they went all the same, must have gone after your father, we suspect north. And after a few months we assumed—’

They jumped as the door burst open. Elrik and two others collapsed in a tangle on the mat, laughing. Elrik clambered to his feet. ‘Sorry, didn’t get a chance to knock before these fools fell over.’ He brushed down his shirt. ‘We’re off to the tavern to celebrate our last night.’ He glanced at the pieces of the shattered mug on the floor, then to Toryn. ‘You coming?’

Andryn answered for him. ‘You carry on, lads. He’s finishing his packing. He’ll join you later.’

‘We’ll head north.’ Hamar stuffed the last of his supplies in a rucksack. He buttoned his coat and threw the strap over his shoulder. ‘We’ll stay off the roads, stick to the woods for cover where we can. I reckon we’ll be a good five leagues away before the Archon’s men find out you’re missing.’

Toryn snatched his rucksack from the table. ‘I should be going south! Where all the able men are going. It’s my duty.’

Andryn helped Toryn lift his bag on to his back. ‘I know it’s hard, son. But trust us, it will be for the best.’

Toryn turned. ‘Trust you? After you’ve kept all this from me until now.’

Andryn placed his hands on Toryn’s shoulders. ‘Please, for your mother’s sake.’

Toryn took a breath. ‘Why north?’

‘The knights won’t want to venture too far out of their way. They’ll have other settlements to visit. Once done, they’ll be escorting the recruits south.’

Toryn checked his straps. ‘I can go by myself. Hamar shouldn’t be on the road at his age.’

Andryn patted Hamar’s shoulder. ‘Nonsense. It’s best he goes with you. He knows the way and can show you how to survive in the wilds.’ He picked up the sword, wrapped it in cloth and held it out to Toryn. ‘Keep this concealed for now.’ He stood back. ‘I only wish I could go with you, but I’d only slow you down with this leg. Even Hamar can outpace me these days.’

Miram came in from the kitchen. ‘I’ve packed some food for the start. Are you sure you won’t need pots and pans?’

Hamar tugged at his beard. ‘No, we’ll travel as light as we can.’

Miram patted the package. ‘Oh, and there’s a flask of your father’s liquor, but be sure to keep Hamar away from it. It’s in case of an emergency…’ she turned away.

Toryn stood by the door and looked to his parents. They had taken him in, despite knowing the truth about his father, and brought him up as their own. His jaw softened. ‘I’m sure we’ll be back before long.’ But he caught a look between Andryn and Hamar. He frowned. ‘We will, won’t we?’

Andryn bit his lip. ‘It might be a while yet, son. The Archon’s men don’t take kindly to deserters.’

‘Deserter? But I’d go if I could.’

‘I know, Toryn, I know. But they will see you as a deserter all the same. They’d throw you in Archonholm’s dungeon for a few years and then put you through the training. But I fear they’d discover your father’s… secret before long, and then who knows what they’d do if the Archon thinks you pose a threat.’

Toryn tucked the sword under his arm. ‘Still can’t think how I could be thought of as dangerous.’

Andryn sighed. ‘We can’t take that risk. It’s not just about you. If the Archon finds out we’ve been harboring you, we could all suffer. But if you disappear, they’ll suspect you wanted to avoid service and took flight. It won’t look anything out of the ordinary.’

Hamar turned to the door. ‘It’ll blow over. We’ll be gone a few months and by then they’ll be another crisis to keep the guards busy.’

Miram straightened Toryn’s coat and brushed down his shoulders. ‘Keep him out of harm’s way, Hamar. Be sure to bring him back fit and well.’

‘As soon as I can, next spring maybe. But don’t you worry. I know a settlement about a three-week hike from here. It’s well off the beaten track and it’ll have been years since any soldiers would have visited. I know a few people there and they’d welcome two men with our skills.’ He laughed. ‘And don’t you worry, Miram. They’re fond of their food and ale. He won’t go hungry’ — he nudged Toryn — ‘or thirsty.’

Andryn opened the door. ‘You best be making tracks before Elrik comes back.’

Toryn peered outside. ‘He won’t be able to stand by this time of the evening, let alone find his way here.’ His shoulders sagged. ‘I’m going to miss him.’

Hamar pulled on the other strap of his rucksack. ‘You’ll see him again some day. Come on, we’ll walk by night and find a spot in woodlands to sleep during the day.’ He checked the sky. ‘The moon won’t be up for a few hours yet, even if it could break through the clouds. It will slow us down, but it’ll also mean we can’t be seen.’

Andryn grasped Toryn’s arms and looked him in the eye. ‘I wish it hadn’t come to this, son. We wanted to tell you, but—’

‘I think I understand.’ He embraced Andryn. ‘Thanks… for everything. I know I haven’t always appreciated your help. But I’ll be back, and I’ll finally see parts of the land beyond this place.’

He let go as Miram took his hand. ‘I won’t come outside. I’ll only alert the entire village if I start to…’

Toryn hugged her. ‘I’ll be fine.’ He released her, stood back and smiled. ‘I’ll be back before you know it.’ He turned to Hamar. ‘Are we ready?’