From a distance, when Liam spotted the little town Jaina had mentioned, he got a bad feeling. As they drew closer and signs of life gradually appeared, he finally made out the outfits worn by the town's "residents," confirming his suspicions.
"Cutlasses, bandanas, tricorn hats—how could these guys be anything but pirates? And parrots everywhere... That little brat actually brought me to Freehold!"
When he first saw the town spanning the strait and built across two cliffs, Liam had already thought it looked familiar.
The densely packed wooden shanties, haphazardly built at different heights along the sea cliffs; the rotting seaweed beneath the eaves that nobody bothered to clear away; the smell of rum and burning gunpowder that reached them from far off, mingling with the distant sounds of drunken pirates brawling; and the barrels scattered everywhere, along with the disheveled "townsfolk" passed out by the roadside—all of it matched the place in Liam's memories.
Glancing at Jaina, who was curiously looking around, Liam felt like he'd been set up by the girl. She'd have to be out of her mind to have visited a place full of pirates like this. No matter how he looked at it, they were in for big trouble!
If it were anywhere else, they might have managed. But the daughter of Daelin Proudmoore showing up in a pirate den? If anyone saw through Jaina's identity, Liam was sure they'd tear him apart and eat him alive.
Liam hurriedly pulled out a bandana and a hat and thrust them into Jaina's hands as she stared at him in confusion. "Cover your hair."
The girl understood and quickly followed Liam's instructions, putting together a simple disguise. Jaina knew her dazzling golden hair was far too conspicuous. In Kul Tiras, a human kingdom where black and red hair were the norm, it stood out like a beacon. If she didn't hide it, anyone who got a good look at her would recognize her.
"At least the Irontide Raiders, a gang of vicious pirates, haven't shown up yet. The old pirate crews should be easier to deal with."
Liam silently worked up his courage, then strode toward Freehold as if nothing were wrong.
Afraid someone might recognize his unusual accent, Liam didn't dare ask anyone for directions along the way. Fortunately, he knew the town's only little inn was a short distance past the drawbridge connecting the two sides, so they headed straight there to ask around for information.
Freehold was full of taverns, but it had only one inn. The outsiders who came here as "merchants" stayed there. The locals had no need for an inn: after downing a barrel of rum, any sheltered spot would do for a bed, and the humid coastal climate meant they didn't have to worry about catching cold.
They had just reached the inn's entrance, and Liam hadn't even pushed open the double swinging doors when they flew open from the inside. A small figure came tumbling out, stumbling so badly he was about to fall flat on his face.
Startled by the sudden turn of events, Jaina hurried to catch the child before he hurt himself, saving him from a bloody fall.
He was a boy with deep red hair and the typical features of a Kul Tiran. He was obviously a local child. What stood out most were his big eyes, which darted uncertainly between Liam and Jaina as if he were searching for something.
Liam had noticed the boy before he came tumbling out. With his reflexes, he could have moved just as quickly as Jaina. He hadn't, because the child's appearance seemed far too convenient.
As soon as Jaina caught the boy, Liam's eyes lit up. He hurried over to help her get the child to his feet, even brushing the dust off him.
After the boy bowed and thanked them before leaving, Liam gave Jaina a slight smile. "Come on. We don't need to go to the inn."
Without explaining, he led Jaina back the way they had come. Still annoyed that she hadn't gotten to see enough of the place, she followed him across the drawbridge and out of Freehold.
Though they were leaving, Liam didn't walk quickly. Like Jaina had earlier, he looked around at the sights of Freehold, as if he were a tourist out enjoying the scenery.
Jaina, completely baffled, grew anxious. She had no idea what Liam was up to.
Not far outside Freehold, Liam stopped and waited by the roadside. When Jaina finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked what he was doing, he held out a hand to her.
Jaina had no idea what he was up to and was about to slap away the hand he offered. Then Liam turned his palm over, and a small light-blue silk pouch suddenly appeared on it. The embroidered Kul Tiran anchor on it looked very familiar.
"My purse! How did it get there? When did you take it?"
Jaina might not have much "street smarts," but she was clever. The moment the words left her mouth, she understood what had happened, and her cheeks flushed red again.
Jaina seemed to blush an awful lot whenever she was with Liam.
Liam smiled without explaining, tossed the purse to Jaina, then pointed toward Freehold. "Look. The one who stole your purse is coming after us."
Jaina looked back. The boy from earlier was running toward them, panting. When he saw them waiting by the roadside, delight flashed in his eyes. Then he stopped, hesitated, and finally gritted his teeth and ran over.
"You little thief! Give me back my purse!"
The boy didn't waste a moment accusing Liam of stealing his purse.
Liam had already achieved what he wanted, and had no interest in the purse itself. He turned his hand over again and produced four more small purses, casually tossing them to the boy.
With his storage space, no thief in the world could match Liam at lifting things from people's pockets—not even old Jorach, let alone some petty thief from the countryside.
The gesture left Jaina stunned. The boy clutching the purses was just as bewildered. His prepared excuse was useless now that things had gone so far beyond what he'd expected. He didn't know why Liam had so readily handed over the things he'd stolen, but whatever the reason, a situation this far from his expectations could only be bad news for him.
The boy's gaze grew more cautious as he watched Liam, and he edged backward, seemingly determined to turn and run the instant anything went wrong.
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