Reaching out, he gripped the reins of Anik's horse, making it twist its neck to the side and come to an awkward halt.

“Let go of my horse,” Anik snapped.

Ren squared his shoulders. “Don't you want revenge for what Halvard has done to you? For making you a slave?”

Anik went quiet, his jaw tensing. Finally, something seemed to have gotten through to him. That intense fury Ren had seen in his eyes back in the dungeons had returned, although it didn't seem to be directed at him this time.

Around them, those of Teu's citizens awake and working in the fields in the early morning shot them concerned glances. A woman grabbed a young girl by the arm and tugged her farther from the road.

Anik drew a deep breath and Ren dared to let go of his reins.

“Fine. I'll babysit you as far as Stag's Run, castle boy. But these are the conditions.” Anik's voice dripped with contempt. He pressed his horse all the way up against Ren's.

Ren nearly fell from the saddle when Anik gripped the front of his jacket and yanked him in close.

“I'm not your slave and you don't get to order me around. I'll follow you to the gates of the fortress and then you'll never see me again.”

“Fine,” Ren said, yanking his jacket from Anik's grip.

Anik turned his horse around once more, the agitated command making it huff nervously. “Fine.”

Ren didn't care if Anik was furious with him. He had gotten what he wanted.

CHAPTER FOUR

They rode out of Teu as the sun made its slow journey across the sky. Ren had to purchase a shirt and jacket for Anik to wear, along with a pair of boots. It wasn't too cold for him to ride shirtless, but the Lowlander tattoo on his arm drew more attention than Ren liked. If Skarlan guards came riding this way asking for them, at least two dozen villagers would be able to tell them where Ren and Anik had gone, even if they might not help a Skarlan soldier until a sword was held to their throats. Ren didn't want these people to risk their lives because he had been careless.

It was strange travelling like this. In Aleria, everyone knew Ren by sight and greeted him with smiles and friendly gestures. Here, with the hood casting his face into shadow and with only a single foreign man as a companion, hardly anyone spared him a glance. Once, Ren almost rode down several people, expecting the group of travellers to scatter around him. Except they didn't, which earned Ren quite a few colourful curses spat at his back as he hurried past. He was more careful, after that.