A new kind of darkness fell over Anik's features and he wrapped his arms more tightly around himself. “He's a lot more dangerous than I think you realise.”

Ren thought about their first meeting, Anik brought into Aleria in chains by the king and his advisor, Nathair as part of a plot to kill the Fraynean royal family. Ren didn't know what was so special about Anik for them to choose him for such a scheme, one Ren could still barely make sense of, as if important pieces were missing. Maybe it had just been chance. Whatever they had done to Anik, it had been bad enough for him to want revenge above everything else, so much so that he would follow Ren halfway across Frayne and injure his own countrymen for the chance that a queen's brother might give Halvard what he deserved.

A chilling howl broke the silence, deep and drawn out. The single wolf was soon joined by another.

From out of the darkness, Niklas returned with an armful of sticks. “Did you hear that?” he asked, eyes wide as he dropped the sticks next to the fire.

“Wolves don't attack people unless they're desperate, and we're a group. We'll be fine,” Anik said, grabbing sticks from the pile and adding them to the fire. After a few seconds, more flames burst to life.

Despite the spreading warmth of the flames, Ren tugged his coat tighter around himself. Anik was right, the night really was quite cold, and it'd only be getting colder. It was strange to think that further south, summer was only just ending.

“The wolves aren't the only thing we should worry about,” Niklas insisted, sitting down next to Ren and holding his hands out to warm them. “I've heard stories about these woods. Supposedly, groups of former slaves sought refuge here during the ice winter five years ago and went mad and started eating each other and the travellers they came across once they ran out of food. Lord Elgrin told me at the Harvest Fest last fall that he and his men found human skulls in the undergrowth when they went hunting here last summer.”

“Lord Elgrin does like to make up stories,” Ren said. “Remember when he tried to make everyone believe that the wine he served at his court was actually sweetened human blood?”

“It sounds like bullshit,” Anik said. He was heating water over the fire in a small metal tin, carefully balancing it on a flat stone to let the flames lick at its sides.

Niklas shot Anik a glare but didn't seem in the mood to argue.

“Either way,” Ren said. “We should keep watch throughout the night. We don't know how far behind us Halvard's men are or whether Sifa's refugees are still searching for us.”

“Anik and I will keep watch. You need your rest,” Niklas said.