“Why are you still travelling with him?” Niklas asked. He watched Anik too, but when he bit into the dry loaf of bread, he grimaced at it like it had personally offended him. Ren resisted a smile. He was glad to see he wasn't the only one finding the countryside cuisine subpar.

“He knows the way,” Ren said with a shrug. “And he fights well. It's kind of like having a hired guard you don't have to pay.”

“A guard who might murder you in your sleep. How convenient.” Niklas didn't sound impressed.

“He wants Halvard dead. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and all that,” Ren said, then winced. 'Friend' was far-fetched.

“Uh-huh,” Niklas said, swallowing hard against the dry bread. “Is that what he told you?”

“You don't like him, do you?”

“Don't tell me you do.” Niklas' mouth twisted.

Ren huffed. “Not at all. Believe me, you'll like him even less in a few days.” Reaching for the water skin, he took a drink of the cool water they had gathered from the river before passing it to Niklas. “He finds flaws in every part of me. My skills, my fighting style, my personality, my opinions. Even my flaws have flaws, apparently.”

“What a total dickhead.”

Ren hummed in agreement.

“You took out your earrings,” Niklas noted. “It's weird to see you without them.”

Ren raised his hand and felt along his bare earlobe. “It's safer this way.”

“You're right,” Niklas said, reaching up to touch his own single gold stud, then slipped it out and pocketed it. “I'd value not losing my head over being mistaken for a commoner,” he said with a small laugh.

Ren smiled. It was as if Niklas presence alone was lifted his and increased his energy. Watching his friend brush crumbs from his hands, Ren stood up.

“Let's move out, farmer boy,” Ren barked at Anik, which earned him a grin of approval from Niklas.

* * *

After so many days in near silence, having Niklas with them was almost overwhelming. Sitting behind Ren on his horse, hands clasped lightly around his waist, Niklas hardly stopped talking for more than a few seconds at a time. At first, he was clearly cautious, avoided talking about their home or the castle or Ren's family, but when Ren didn't object, Niklas began to relax. They talked about everything from dancing to horses to embarrassing childhood stories, like the time King Callun had tripped over his night pot in the darkness, or when Thais got his head stuck between the metal bars of the garden gates as a toddler. It was as if they'd been apart for months and not days.