“You should have planted more potatoes, then,” Wellion said coldly. He snapped his fingers, and one of the bandits handed him a torch. “We have given you a month, which is more than generous, to make up for the deficit. You know what happens to those who refuse topay.”
“You can’t do this!” one of the other men snarled, lunging forward with the pitch fork. But Wellion yanked sharply on the reins, and his horse reared up and struck the man with his hoof. He dropped like a stone in the dirt, and the other bandits laughed. Riann jolted as he realized more of them had pulled small, club-like torches from their packs, and were lightingthem.
“I suggest you get your family out of the house,” Wellion said as he lit his own torch. “Unless you’d like for them to burn aswell.”
The man and his remaining son fled into the house to gather the rest of their family. Rage and horror filled Riann as he realized what was about to happen, and he was about to jump off the horse to go help the family when Wellion grabbed hisarm.
“I suggest you stay where you are if you want to live tonight,” he snarled quietly, his fingers digging into Riann’sbicep.
Riann bared his teeth. “I should kill you here and now,” he snarled back, meeting Wellion’s icy gaze with a fiery glare. “Do you really expect me to stand back and watch you ruin this family’s life?” He yanked his arm out of Wellion’s deathgrip.
“My men would cut you down before you had a chance to draw your sword,” Wellion said, pulling back. “But if you’d rather forfeit your life for an outcome you cannot change, then so beit.”
“Oi.” One of the other bandits thrust a torch into Riann’s face. “Takeit.”
Riann knocked the man’s arm away. “Shove that thing in someone else’sface.”
The man gave him an ugly look, reaching for the leather whip at his belt. “Everyone takes part, no exceptions. Or were you not serious about becoming one ofus?”
Riann stiffened, his hand unconsciously going for the hilt of his sword. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the family rushing out of the house, and knew they were only moments away from watching their house burn to the ground. Was he willing to die forthis?
“Put that away, Zaric,” Wellion ordered. He pulled his arm back and threw his torch. “I’ll discipline him myselflater.”
Riann watched in horror as the torch flew through the air in a graceful arc. It landed on the thatched roof, and the hay instantly lit on fire. Zaric looked like he wanted to protest Wellion’s decision, but cheers went up from the other bandits, and they all launched their torches at the house in a flurry. Riann clenched his jaw as the flaming sticks soared through the air like shooting stars. Most of them landed on the house, but a few hit the ground, lighting patches of grass on fire. The chickens had long scattered, and the family huddled together a safe distance away, watching as their home lit up like a beacon in the dyingsunlight.
Rage swelled in Riann’s chest as the fire spread, the ravenous flames consuming the dry tinder in a flash. The bandits retreated a safe distance, laughing and jeering as smoke billowed in the darkening sky. It took a great effort for Riann to keep his expression blank, and he clenched his hands around the reins to hide theirshaking.
What kind of knight was he, to stand by and do nothing while good people suffered? He had allowed himself to be captured, to be taken from Tariel, whom he had sworn to protect. And now he sat here, useless, while bandits took everything from these poor people. Did he even deserve to live? What was the point in going on if his lot in life was to be indentured to a clan ofcriminals?
“Shall we go and collect the potatoes from the storehouse?” Zaric asked Wellion. “Best do it now, in case the fire spreads theretoo.”
“No,” Wellion said, surprising Riann. “Let them have their potatoes. They’ll need them to re-seed their field for next year so they can pay theirtithe.”
A few of the bandits laughed incredulously. “We just burned their home down,” Zaric said, looking at Wellion as though he’d lost his mind. “There won’t be a next year. We should take what they oweus.”
Wellion shrugged. “That is not for me to decide,” he said, turning his horse about to face the others. His face was a mask of neutrality, but something glimmered behind those frosted green eyes. “We did what we came here to do. Zaric, head back to the keep. I’ll be along in aminute.”
Zaric nodded curtly, then turned his horse and waved for the rest to follow. Riann was tempted to stay, if only to offer his help to the family, but Wellion gave him a long look, and he reluctantly followedZaric.
His mind spun as he tried to digest what had just happened. The more time he spent with Wellion, the harder it was to understand the man. He had burned this family’s house to the ground without an ounce of sympathy in his gaze…and yet, had spared their food stores, had given them a slim chance to survive. Was it compassion? Or simply good business sense? And why had Wellion not cut him down right then and there for his insubordination? Was he truly planning to punish himlater?
“Bastard,” Zaric muttered once they were far out of earshot. “Making us go back while he stays behind and gets to have his way with thewomen.”
Riann felt as if an ice-cold bucket of water had been dumped on him. “Is that what he’s doing?” The thought hadn’t even occurred to him,but…
“That’s what I’d do,” one of the other bandits said with a cackle. “Maybe I’ll turn back, see if he’ll share. There were two of them back there, afterall.”
The men joked about it for a few minutes, then changed the subject when Wellion returned. He was completely stone-faced, not at all like a man who’d had a roll in the hay, and acted like he hadn’t heard any of the men’s jests or insults. Had he really stayed behind so he could rape those women? Or was there anothermotive?
“So,” one of the bandits asked slyly as he sidled his horse up next to Riann’s, “have you gotten up Sallara’s skirts yet? I saw the way she was looking at youyesterday.”
“Looking?” another bandit chortled. “She was practically sitting in his lap, hand-feeding him. Wish we could all get such personalizedservice.”
“Shut it,” Zaric growled, his dark eyes gleaming. He suddenly looked murderous, and Riann’s hand instinctively went to his sword hilt. “No one gets to talk about Sallara like that butme.”
One of the other bandits rolled his eyes. “You act as if she was your one true love,” he said. “You’re not even the tenth man she’s had in her bed, never mind the first. I’m hoping she’ll eventually get around to all of us.” He winked atRiann.
“You might get your chance, Solric,” Wellion said in a mocking voice. “Riann here is still lovesick over a woman he left behind, so he hasn’t bedded my sister yet. He might very well gain the distinction of being the first man to refuse heradvances.”
