Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [39]
The cuffs of his shackles bit into Liam's wrists, and he twisted them to see if he could make himself more comfortable. If the Council wanted to talk about betrayal, he'd talk about betrayal-namely the way they were treating him after he'd lost his brother in the raid.
Montauk left Liam's side, stepping over the low stone wall and into the circle. He passed by the other members and took the empty place among the line of Council members.
Liam's heart sank. "You've given Montauk Ryder's seat on the Council?" He glared at them.
All of the Council members except Montauk averted their eyes.
"How long did you wait in respect for his passing?" said Liam, sadness slowly filling his chest. "A day? Perhaps a full tenday?"
"It's not like that, Liam," said a portly man standing beside Montauk.
"Then what is it like, Meirdan?"
The portly man grabbed his long, graying beard, seeming to use it to steady himself and collect his thoughts. "We mean… Well, it's…" Meirdan took a deep breath. "Your brother would have wanted it this way."
"How do you know what Ryder would have-" started Liam.
"Enough," interrupted Montauk. "It is not the Council that has to justify its actions. It is you."
"Yes, yes," said Meirdan, obviously glad to have the spotlight moved onto Liam. "You have some explaining to do."
"And what would you like me to explain?" spat Liam. "How we got ambushed? How Ryder was killed when the elite guard-?"
"Why don't you start with your visit to Zerith Hold and your little chat with Lord Purdun?" interrupted Montauk.
The collected members of the Crimson Awl stirred angrily.
"He took me prisoner," defended Liam. "I had no choice."
"You didn't resist?" probed Meirdan.
Liam nodded. "I did," he replied. "But they threatened to burn down my home. Samira and my mother were inside. Surely any of you would have given yourselves up to save your family."
"Then why didn't you do the same for Ryder?" jabbed Montauk.
Suddenly, Liam hated this man. "Why don't you unlock my hands and ask me that question again?"
"Now, now, Liam. I am only trying to get to the bottom of what happened and what was said."
"We were ambushed, Montauk," shouted Liam. "Somehow they knew we were coming, and they were ready. They had us outnumbered. When things got tough, Ryder pushed me out of the way of a guardsman's blade." Liam bit his lip. He could see Ryder in his mind. He watched again as the soldier's blade pierced his gut. "He saved my life, then begged me to run." Liam looked out into the crowd of Awl. He spotted Kharl. He shoved his chin toward the young man. "Ask Kharl, he'll tell you. He was there."
The Awl mumbled to themselves. Behind them, the newcomers stood stock still, unmoved by Liam's words.
Montauk took a step forward and put his arms up. Instantly the circle fell silent. "You are avoiding the issue. Get to the point. What did you tell Lord Purdun? What does he know about the Awl?"
Liam held his chin up defiantly in the face of this thinly veiled accusation. "I told him nothing."
"Surely the baron wanted something from you," goaded Montauk.
Liam took a breath, looking out at the other Awl. He didn't know how this next part was going to sound. He looked to the ground. "Yes, he did."
"And? Out with it, man. What did he want?" demanded Montauk.
"He offered me a job."
"A job?" Montauk's voice rose to an incredulous pitch.
Liam nodded. "He wanted me to join his elite guard."
This brought another burst of mumbles from the rank and file.
Montauk laughed. "You expect us to believe that you were taken by force to see the Baron of Ahlarkham after you ambushed one of his carriages so that he could offer you work?"
Liam nodded again. "That's what happened."
"And what was your answer?"
Liam stood up straight, puffing out his chest. "I told him I'd rather die than do his dirty work."