Liam knew his time with the Gollacks was coming to a close. He’d said he’d stay through the winter, but he’d been there too long already—every time he tried to go, Elizabeth would say it felt like having her Phillip home again and he wouldn’t have the heart to leave. In the months that he’d stayed, he’d replaced the roof, fixed their fences, and helped Aram repair the dining table. As the weather grew colder and the crops less reliable, he’d seen several soldiers come over from Salatia. Most were harmless, taking livestock and some dried grains, but it was only a matter of time before they came during the day and turned violent.
In the last month, the raids had become weekly, if not more than that. It wouldn’t be long before soldiers were called in to protect the border. He couldn’t risk bringing the king’s wrath on their heads. It wouldn’t be fair. They’d only done what was in their nature: care. It was something he’d desperately needed when he arrived, but their kindness had filled him with enough spirit to move on in his search to clear his name. He would come back one day; he always made his way back to Anatalia one way or another.
“Liam!” Elizabeth called from behind the house. “Liam, Aram needs your help.”
He made his way to the back to see Aram hunched over the chopping stump. “What’s wrong?”
“He’s hurt his back again.” Elizabeth worried at her bottom lip.
Aram shot her a look, using the handle of his ax to stand up straight. “I have not.”
“Why don’t you take a break?” Liam asked, holding his hand out. “I’ll chop for a while. I could use the work.”
“Listen to him.” Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at her husband in a challenge for him to disagree.
Huffing, Aram handed over the ax. He pursed his lips into a frown in Elizabeth’s direction before storming into the house. She shrugged at Liam before following him.
Liam inhaled deeply before he swung, and a satisfying crack and thud followed. He would try to get at least three month’s worth of wood chopped for the Gollacks before he left; it shouldn’t take too long. He and Aram had already portioned out the trees to foot-and-a-half sections the week before. Chopping became monotonous, and Liam let his thoughts wander. Where would he go next?
He’d never been to Mekhor. It was the only country he hadn’t been in on the continent. There were ways to get into the country, but cities along the border that accepted anyone other than natives were few and far between. They were a people who believed in isolation and did not take too kindly to strangers, even if they were there to trade. The last time Liam had tried, he’d been turned away at the border and told his people were not wanted. Maybe if he made his way in with a Radovian trading party, he could manage to slip in. Perhaps even if he went by way of Salatia—
Liam yelled out when he was knocked over. He rolled on his forearms and sprang to his feet, looking around wildly. A man in a gray uniform was running toward the house, knife in hand.
“Stop!” Liam yelled, running toward him.
The Salatian soldier barely had time to turn before Liam tackled him to the ground. He raised his arms to defend against the onslaught of Liam’s fists and managed to push Liam away with his legs.
“Liam—”
“Stay inside, Elizabeth!” Liam yelled, putting himself between the house and the soldier. He briefly scanned the area and saw there were two more soldiers headed their way. Dread creeped down his shoulders. He didn’t know if he could defend the house against all three soldiers at once, not after splitting a cord of wood and wearing himself out.
After hearing Elizabeth close the door, Liam advanced on the soldier in front of him. He stayed slightly crouched, his arms spread wide to block any attempt to run around him to reach the house. “Get out of here before things get ugly for you.”
The soldier laughed. “You think you can win?”
“Try me,” Liam challenged, his low voice growling. If he were an animal, his teeth would be bared and hackles raised.
The soldier matched Liam’s pose, knife held erect in one hand. He advanced cautiously, scanning Liam for any sign of movement. He lunged when he saw none.
Liam grunted when the soldier’s body connected with his own, and grabbed for the knife. He would not last long if he couldn’t disarm his opponent. His ax was too far away to reach, and Aram had no weapons in the house. He didn’t believe in them, he’d said. Grabbing the knife as he went down, Liam allowed the soldier to best him.
The soldier kicked Liam, hitting him square in the ribs. He curled in on himself, waiting for the second kick. Predictably, it came. Liam grabbed his calf, trapping the leg in the crook of his arm while he slashed at the back of his knee with the stolen knife. The soldier screamed, falling to the ground.
That would certainly keep him down and make the fight more fair for Liam.
He rose and waited for the other soldiers to come to their comrade’s aid, but to Liam’s surprise, they fled the property. Liam turned his attention back to the felled soldier.
He squatted on his heels, toying with the weight of the knife for a moment before he spoke. “Are there any more of you?”
The soldier spat at Liam, glaring at him with a red face as he struggled not to scream.
Liam grimaced, flicking the sputum from his cheek. “Are there any more of you?” he asked again, adding, “Spit at me again, and I’ll cut your other hamstring and dump you in the river.”
Letting his head drop to the ground, the soldier answered, “It was just the three of us.”
“Was this an organized attack or a raid?”
The soldier glared at Liam, reaching toward him.
Liam grabbed his wounded leg, lifting it upward, letting it go when the soldier fell back with a scream. “Answer my question.”
“It was a raid.”
“Does anyone else know you’re here?”
The soldier remained quiet until Liam reached for his leg again. “Just the other two.”
“Will they come back to find you?”
Some of the fight left the soldier when Liam asked the question. “No. It’s every man for himself.”
“Good.” Liam stood. “Don’t crawl away. It’ll be worse for you if you do.”
He went into the house, bloody knife at his side. He found Aram and Elizabeth in the common room, a fire poker in Aram’s hand and Elizabeth behind him.
Aram dropped the poker when he saw that it was Liam. “What happened?”
“I incapacitated one of the soldiers, and the other two ran away. He says it was a raid, and no one will come looking for him. What do you want me to do with him?”
“What?”
“These are your lands; you make the rules for what happens on them.” He was not about to kill a man without the consent of Aram; he wouldn’t want to ruin their relationship.
“I don’t want to know, Liam.” Aram shook his head. “I don’t want any details, but he cannot remain here.”
Liam’s mouth formed a hard line. “I’ll take care of it.”
He went back outside to find the soldier had crawled almost to the stump where the ax was.
Liam sprinted toward him, stepping on his hand before it could reach the handle. “I thought I told you not to crawl away.” He grabbed the soldier by the arm and hauled him up. “We’re taking a little trip.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
“Does it matter at this point?”
“Just…just make it quick. I don’t want to suffer.”
“I promise,” Liam said, and meant it.
When Liam returned, his breeches were wet from the knee down, and his hair was slicked back. He removed his boots and left them outside before entering the house, not wanting to track mud onto the rugs Elizabeth had laid out.
“Is it done?” Aram asked, barely letting Liam enter the house.
“He won’t bother you again,” Liam answered, not looking at him. “I think it’s time for me to leave. I heard a few other villagers talking about seeing more Salatians. It won’t be long now before King Sorren sends soldiers here on patrol to keep the border area secured.”
Elizabeth sighed. “Do you really need to leave? You could change your name, say you’re our son.”
“I wish I could, but none of that will change the look of my face.” Liam’s shoulders slumped. “No matter how much I wish it would.”
“When will you leave, then?” Aram asked.
“I’ll chop a few more cords to get you through the new year, but I can’t stay much longer than that.”
Aram sighed heavily. “Where will you go?”
“I don’t know yet, perhaps Glessic to start and make my way east.”
“Will we ever see you again?” Elizabeth’s voice started to shake.
“I always find myself back in Anatalia eventually,” Liam told her. “We’ll see each other again, I promise.”