Water was everything.
Without it, cattle died.
Without cattle, ranchers lost their land.
And when ranchers lost their land, Crowe bought it.
Elias's well was one of the few dependable sources in the region.
That made him an obstacle.
For months, Crowe had offered to purchase the ranch.
Elias had refused.
Then the pressure had begun.
Fence posts disappeared.
Cattle wandered away.
A barn caught fire.
Twice, men had ridden past his property at night.
Elias had assumed Crowe was simply trying to frighten him into selling.
Tala shook her head.
"He doesn't want your land."
"What does he want?"
"Your water."
Elias looked at the well.
"It is only one well."
"No."
Tala pointed toward the valley.
"It is the last well that does not belong to him."
Elias stared at her.
Suddenly, every strange event of the past year made sense.
Crowe wasn't buying ranches.
He was buying the future.
And Elias's refusal had left one door open.
Tala stepped closer.
"There are men coming tonight."
"How many?"
"Enough."
"Why tell me?"
She looked at him.
"Because yesterday you gave water to someone you thought was worthless."
Elias frowned.
"I never thought that."
"You didn't know who I was."
"I didn't need to."
For the first time, Tala's expression softened.
"You should have."
"Why?"
"Because tomorrow you may need to know."
She walked away before he could ask another question.
That night, Elias did not sleep.
He sat beside the window with his rifle across his knees.
The moon was hidden behind clouds.
Around midnight, a horse screamed.
Elias stood.
A gunshot cracked across the valley.
Then another.
He ran outside.
Three riders were approaching the ranch.
A fourth was already inside the barn.
Elias fired into the air.
"Leave!"
The riders scattered.
But they did not flee.
They circled.
That was when Elias saw movement on the northern ridge.
A shadow.
Then another.
Then another.
He realized there were people there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Tala appeared beside him.
"You said enough men were coming."
"I was wrong."
"How many?"
She looked across the valley.
"Forty."
Elias tightened his grip on the rifle.
"Can we survive forty?"
"Not if we fight them here."
She pointed toward a narrow canyon east of the ranch.
"That canyon has only one entrance."
Elias understood.
"You want to draw them in."
"I want them to believe they are winning."
Elias looked at her.
"What happens when they realize?"
Tala's eyes hardened.
"They won't."
The next hour became a game of shadows.
Elias allowed his lantern to remain visible in the house.
He made it appear as though he was frightened and alone.
The attackers grew bolder.
One rider approached the porch.
"Varden!"
Elias said nothing.
"You've been given a fair price for your ranch."
Silas Crowe's voice.
Elias recognized it.
"You've been given a week to think."
Crowe laughed.
"That week is over."
Elias stepped into the doorway.
"Then come collect your ranch."
Crowe smiled.
"Gladly."
He raised his hand.
The men moved.
But they were not moving toward Elias.
They were moving toward the canyon.