The northwestern road went on longer than Leon expected.
Leon didn't return to the main road until the sun began to tilt westward. The road was narrow, but wide enough for horses, and fields and pastures appeared here and there, so it wasn't a road that led straight into the mountains, either.
Matthias no longer asked why they were going this way.
Instead, he ran a hand over his horse's neck and said,
"He's a little hot."
Leon put a hand on the horse.
He wasn't wrong.
"We'll rest when we see a village up ahead." "Aren't we camping outside tonight?" "The horses need to rest first." "Works for me."
Leon hadn't asked.
A little farther on, they saw a low stone wall and several houses. There was a small inn by the roadside, with a stable attached behind it.
It wasn't a busy place.
Two passing wagons and a man polishing horses in the yard.
Leon looked around once and brought his horse to a stop.
"Here."
Matthias dismounted first.
His legs didn't buckle like they had before.
Leon dismounted too and was about to hand over the reins when Matthias took both horses first.
"I'll take them." "Both?" "Yes."
The boy led the two horses toward the stable.
Leon watched his back for a moment.
Without being told to do it.
It wasn't a bad thing.
They rented a single room.
There was only one bed.
Matthias looked around the room and asked,
"Where am I sleeping?" "The bed." "What about you, Mr. Leon?" "The floor."
Matthias immediately shook his head.
"I'll sleep on the floor." "Why." "Because I'm younger."
Was that supposed to be a reason?
Leon rolled one shoulder.
The side he'd been hit on during the day was still stiff.
Matthias noticed.
"Is that because of your shoulder?" "No." "You've been moving it constantly." "It's just sore." "Then use the bed."
Leon thought for a moment.
"You use it too."
Matthias looked at the bed.
It was too narrow for both of them to lie down.
"I like that even less." "Then you use it." "...All right."
That ended easily.
Leon set his pack against the wall and propped his sword within reach.
Then he stopped while looking for the water bottles.
They were gone.
"Matthias."
There was no answer.
Leon opened the door and went outside. The boy was squatting in front of the stable.
He had taken off the horses' saddles and was untying the straps to dry them.
Two water bottles beside him were already full.
"When did you do that?" "The water?" "Yeah." "While I was feeding the horses."
Matthias was checking the front leg of his horse.
"There was a stone stuck in its left hoof." "You got it out?" "Yes."
Leon went over and checked the hoof himself.
The stone was properly removed.
"Who taught you that?" "You kept watching them yesterday." "That was enough?" "I figured it was something I should watch for."
Leon picked up one of the water bottles.
Matthias added,
"I bought hay too."
Leon stopped.
"With what money?" "I paid with my own." "You had money?" "A little." "How much."
Matthias pressed his lips together for a moment.
"Not much." "How much, anyway." "Six silver coins and some smaller change."
More than I expected.
"Don't spend it all." "I wasn't planning to." "I'll pay for the hay." "But I already paid for it." "Then I'll pay for the next batch."
Matthias nodded.
After that, he went back to handling the saddle.
Leon was about to return to the room when he asked,
"Did you ask anyone anything?"
Matthias's hands paused briefly.
"Why?" "Just asking." "I asked about the condition of the road south."
Leon turned back.
"Who?" "The man at the stable." "What did you say?" "I asked where the road south was passable for wagons." "Anything else?" "I also asked whether many riders had passed through today."
Leon looked at Matthias for a moment.
"Why did you ask it that way?" "It would sound strange if I said we were looking for the people searching for us."
He had a point.
"What did he say?" "He said he hadn't seen any groups of three or four. Two merchants in the morning and one courier in the afternoon—that was all."
At least they hadn't come this way.
Only then did Leon go back inside.
They ate dinner downstairs at the inn.
Barley porridge, boiled beans, and a little tough meat.
Still, it was warm.
Matthias ate faster than before.
"Slow down." "I thought you'd tell me to eat faster." "Why." "Because we've been moving in such a hurry." "No one's chasing us right now."
Matthias stopped with his spoon halfway to his mouth.
"Are you sure?"
Leon thought for a moment.
"At least I don't think they're right behind us." "Then I'll eat slowly." "You don't need permission for that."
Matthias really did slow down.
Leon didn't rush him.
In the past two days, the only times he'd eaten while properly seated were lunch today and now.
If they kept running, the men and the horses would break down first.
They needed to use an opening like this.
When they returned to the room after eating, Matthias had already unpacked.
He put his bag beside him and laid the rest of their food out on the floor.
Three loaves of bread.
A little dried meat.
Half a wheel of cheese.
Leon asked,
"What are you doing?" "Counting." "Why." "We need to know how much is left, don't we?"
Leon looked at the floor.
There was definitely less than when they'd first received it.
"If we eat like this, it'll last about two days." "We can buy more when we pass through a village." "We might keep avoiding villages."
That was possible.
Matthias wrapped the cheese back up in the cloth.
"Should we buy a little more bread tomorrow?" "It'll be heavy." "How much?" "If you buy a lot." "Then just enough for one day."
Leon thought for a moment, then nodded.
"All right."
Matthias put everything away.
"One of the water bottles is leaking a little." "Where?"
The boy picked up the smaller bottle and showed Leon the bottom.
The stitched part of the leather was wet.
"When did you notice?" "After I filled it. There was water on the floor."
Leon pressed it with a finger.
It wasn't too bad, but it looked like it would split open if they kept using it.
"We'll replace it tomorrow." "Can't it be repaired?" "Maybe, but buying a new one will be faster."
Matthias set the bottle aside.
Leon watched him in silence.
A few days ago, whenever Leon told him to throw something away, the boy had looked at his bag first.
Now he had things to look after besides his own baggage.
"Matthias." "Yes." "From now on, keep an eye on your horse first."
The boy looked up.
"Hooves, saddle straps, water." "Yes." "You count the food, too." "Can I do that?" "You're already doing it."
Matthias looked at the floor for a moment.
"I am." "Tell me if anything looks strange." "All right."
Leon opened his own pack and checked the crossbow string and bolts.
They could each keep track of one thing.
There was no need for both of them to keep checking the same things.
When Leon opened his eyes the next morning, Matthias was already awake.
He was sitting by the window, eating bread.
"What time is it?" "The sun only came up a little while ago."
Leon sat up.
His shoulder felt better than it had yesterday.
"The horses?" "I checked them." "Water?" "Filled." "Feed?" "I'm feeding them now."
Leon paused.
"I bought bread too." "How much." "Just enough for one day." "The water bottle?" "I saw a new one at the leather shop downstairs. I haven't paid for it yet."
Leon looked at Matthias.
The boy was simply chewing his bread.
"What?" "Nothing."
Leon put on his boots from the floor.
Fewer things to do now.
He went downstairs, bought a new water bottle, and finished preparing to leave.
When they led the horses out of the stable, Matthias checked the roads around them first.
"They said the southern main road appears after one turn east." "Who said that?" "The stableman yesterday." "You asked again?" "Just about the road."
Leon looked toward the eastern road.
"We're not going that way."
Matthias turned his head.
"Why?" "We'll go a little farther west today." "Because of the pursuit team?" "Yeah. We'd hit the main road around noon."
Matthias thought for a moment, then mounted his horse.
"All right."
Leon mounted as well.
Just before they set out, Matthias checked his water bottle, pressed down on the horse's saddle straps, and inspected the food tied behind him.
Then he took up the reins.
"Ready."
Leon moved first when he heard that.
He didn't need to check behind him.
He heard Matthias following right away.