The forest air was heavy with tension, thick and oppressive as Leon stood towering over Grig. The surrounding mercenaries watched in silence, their eyes hard and unyielding. Leon's patience had worn thin. Every second that passed with Grig's silence only fed the fire of Leon's anger.
Grig stumbled back as Leon closed the distance between them, his face paling as he saw the fury in Leon's eyes.
"Who was that man?" Leon's voice was low, dangerous, like the rumble before a storm.
Grig stammered, his words faltering. "L-Leon, it's not what you think—"
"Enough." Leon's voice cut through the air like a knife. He stepped forward and, in one swift motion, grabbed Grig by the neck, lifting him slightly off the ground. Grig gasped, his hands instinctively grabbing at Leon's wrist as his vision blurred, panic setting in. The mercenaries around them didn't move. They didn't need to. Leon's rage was palpable, and none of them were foolish enough to intervene.
"Who was that man?" Leon repeated, his voice icy. "What have you done?"
Grig's breath hitched, his legs kicking weakly as Leon's grip tightened. The world around him began to blur as oxygen was cut off, his vision growing darker with each passing second. He looked into Leon's eyes, seeing nothing but cold determination, and in that moment, Grig realized something that terrified him more than the choking grip around his throat—Leon wouldn't stop. Not this time.
Leon's voice dropped even lower, his grip unrelenting. "You've put us all in danger, Grig. I want answers, and I want them now."
Grig's chest burned as he struggled for breath, panic clawing at his mind. He had always been able to talk his way out of trouble, always found a way to twist words to his advantage. But this time… this time, there was no escape. His vision swam, the edges of his world going black as he felt his strength leaving him.
Just as he was about to pass out, the last bit of self-preservation kicked in.
"I'll talk!" Grig rasped, his voice barely audible through his strangled throat. "I'll tell you everything! Please!"
Leon hesitated for a moment, then loosened his grip slightly, just enough for Grig to breathe. He didn't release him completely, though. Not yet. His hand remained tight around Grig's neck, a constant reminder of what would happen if he didn't give the answers Leon demanded.
"Start talking," Leon growled, his face inches from Grig's. "Who was that man? And why are you meeting with brigands in the middle of the forest?"
Grig gasped, his breaths shallow and desperate as he tried to steady himself. His eyes darted around, searching for any sign of sympathy from the others, but there was none. The mercenaries stood stoic, their eyes cold. They weren't going to stop Leon. No one was.
"It was… it was a brigand," Grig wheezed, his voice shaking. "I've been trading with outlaws, setting up deals to get supplies. It's not the king's men—I swear! But… but I didn't want to tell you because I know what it looks like."
Leon's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening again. "You've put the village in danger, Grig. You're working with outlaws—criminals. Do you understand what that means? They could have followed you back here. They could sell us out at any moment."
Grig shook his head frantically, his hands weakly clawing at Leon's arm. "No! No, I've been careful. I swear, Leon. They don't know about the village. I made sure of it."
Leon's expression didn't change. "And what did you get in return for these trades? What's worth risking the lives of everyone in Vekara?"
Grig's eyes were wide, wild with fear. "Supplies! Food, weapons—things we need to keep the village going. I thought… I thought if I could keep the deals quiet, it would be okay. No one would find out."
Leon's grip loosened slightly, but his voice remained as cold as ever. "But someone has found out, haven't they?"
Grig swallowed hard, his face pale. He could feel the truth slipping through his fingers, the lies unraveling. There was no way out now, no way to twist the story to save himself. He had to tell Leon everything, or he wouldn't leave this forest alive.
"The king," Grig whispered, his voice trembling. "The king knows about Vekara."
Leon's grip tightened again, his knuckles white. "What did you say?"
Grig's vision swam again, but he forced himself to stay conscious, forced the words to spill out before it was too late. "The king knows! He's heard about the village—about the slaves and the mercenaries. I don't know how, but the word's out. His men are looking for us."
Leon's jaw clenched, and he finally released Grig, shoving him to the ground. Grig collapsed in a heap, gasping for breath, his hands shaking violently as he rubbed his neck. He had never seen Leon like this—never felt this close to death.
Leon stood over him, his eyes blazing with anger. "You've jeopardized everything, Grig. Everything we've built, everything we've fought for. If the king knows about us, it's only a matter of time before his men come."
Grig cowered on the ground, his voice weak. "I didn't want this, Leon. I swear. I didn't know the king would find out. I just… I just wanted to help. I thought the trades would keep the village strong."
Leon's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "You didn't care about the village, Grig. You cared about yourself. You thought you could play both sides, make deals that would benefit you. But now we're all at risk because of your greed."
Grig's voice cracked as he spoke. "Please, Leon. I can fix this. I can—"
"You're done," Leon snapped, cutting him off. "There's no fixing this. The only reason you're still alive is because I need to know everything you've done. Every trade, every person you've met. You're going to tell me everything, or I swear I'll finish what I started."
Grig nodded frantically, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I'll tell you everything. Just… please, don't kill me."
Leon stared down at him for a long moment, his rage barely contained. Finally, he turned to Rourke and Gorak, who had watched the entire exchange in silence.
"Take him back to the village," Leon ordered, his voice sharp. "We'll deal with him later."
Rourke nodded, stepping forward and roughly hauling Grig to his feet. Grig stumbled, his legs weak, but he didn't resist. He was too terrified to do anything but comply.
As Rourke and Gorak led Grig back toward the village, Leon remained standing in the clearing, his mind racing. The king knew about Vekara. That changed everything.
The threat that had always been lurking in the shadows was now on their doorstep. They needed to prepare. They needed to fortify. And they needed to be ready to fight, because the king's men would come, and when they did, Vekara would be thrown into the fire.
Leon took a deep breath, his fists clenched at his sides.