“Over here,” a hushed voice called. Keelan came towards them a moment later, dragging two horses, one set of reins in each hand. “Berin told me you were bringing the slave. I took our fastest horses, my lord.” He handed the reins to Ren and glanced at Anik.

“Thank you, Keelan,” Ren said, passing the reins of one horse to Anik before securing his bag to the saddle of the other. He tried not to think about how the contents of that bag was all he had left in the world. He mounted his horse, the grey mare. She was built for speed an endurance, a fine breed.

“Hold on,” Keelan said. He handed Ren a saddle bag. “I packed food and water. It should be plenty.” His voice trembled.

“You're the best.” Ren reached down to give Keelan's shoulder a comforting squeeze, but it only seemed to make the youth tremble worse.

“Can I come with you? Please?” Keelan begged, looking up at Ren with wide, shining eyes. “I'm scared. They killed Danali and Avery and most of the castle slaves.”

Tightness constricted Ren's chest. Looking over his shoulder, he gestured for Anik to ride out. The Lowlander didn't seem to need telling twice, and rode his horse right out of the stables and towards the front gates.

Ren's heart ached as he looked back down at Keelan. “Berin will keep you safe. Tell him that's an order. I need you to stay here and watch over Thais. Can you do that for me?” Ren asked.

Keelan's fingers were tight around his wrist. The slave nodded, visibly holding himself together, jaw tight. “You can count on me.”

Bending down, Ren pressed a soft kiss to the corner of the Keelan's mouth and nudged his horse forward, wrapping the strap of the extra saddle bag around his wrist.

The gelding's hooves clattered against the cobblestones of the courtyard as he galloped towards the single rider at the gates. As Ren passed between the gateposts, his stomach flipped and he yanked his horse to a stop and turned, looking back at the beautiful sandstone castle with its golden spires, towers, and arches, the white and gold flags billowing in the breeze. It felt like a dream. A grotesque, awful dream of the kind where the mind made up its own worst version of his biggest fears.

“What are you waiting for?” Anik's voice dragged Ren's gaze away from his former home and he turned his horse back around and urged it forward.

* * *

Around them, the first hints of daylight coloured the sky a dull, washed-out grey. Lights from distant buildings dotted the horizon as the citizens of Frayne slowly roused from sleep, unaware of the night's gruesome events.

They made it a mile out of the city before Anik pulled his horse in front of Ren's and forced him to a stop. Ren's gelding skipped backwards, tossing its head.

“It's time you tell me where we're going,” Anik said.