Nahumi was looking everywhere for a place to hide. She couldn’t wait any longer. Her feet couldn’t endure it anymore, the hot sand burying itself into the soles of her feet.

  She walked toward the shade, her breathing uneven, hoping not to be seen.

  In the distance, there was a small building near the village.

  Nahumi took the risk and started walking toward it. Her leg still hurt from the previous fall, leaving a faint trail of blood in the sand.

  With every step, she got closer.

  When she arrived, she realized it was a small place where they sold food. There were no people. It was empty, silent, and safe.

  Desperately, Nahumi slipped her hand into her pocket, searching for some coins to buy something and hide there. She pulled out three Mai coins.

  A woman, who seemed to be the owner, approached her.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Here is what we sell,” the woman said, placing a small paper in front of Nahumi with the list of food. The woman looked at Nahumi more closely than usual, narrowing her eyes slightly.

  Immediately, Nahumi’s breathing changed. In an unconscious gesture, she tried to adjust her veil desperately. Her hands trembled despite herself.

  The woman noticed.

  “Relax,” the woman said. “We don’t kill people here just because they don’t believe in ‘Him.’”

  At the end of the sentence, a calm, soothing smile formed on her face.

  “Thank you for telling me,” Nahumi said, not daring to look her in the eyes.

  “You’re not from here, are you, miss?”

  The question caught Nahumi off guard. She frowned and seemed to disconnect for a moment, her mouth slightly open.

  The woman asked again.

  “You’re not from here.”

  Nahumi felt her chest grow heavy. Her face was turning redder by the second. Finally, she spoke.

  “Why do you say that?”

  The woman let out a small laugh.

  “Oh please, miss, just look at yourself. Your pale skin isn’t common here. Your yellow eyes, even less. And your hair… you know the natives don’t have hair like fire.”

  Nahumi grew noticeably nervous. Not only was her face shining with sweat, but a faint tremor ran through her body.

  “Uh…” she barely managed to speak. “You could say that I… I’m a foreigner.”

  “Then,” the woman said, studying her, “could you tell me where you’re from? And relax. Just because you’re different doesn’t mean I’m going to stone you.”

  “Sometimes I don’t trust anymore.” Nahumi said it in a low voice. She looked outside the place, toward a small window where the three suns could be seen. “I’m from Seruey. From the springs, near the capital.”

  “Well, you come from the nest of the Ushias Guts,” the woman said, clearly surprised to hear Nahumi’s place of origin.

  “Yes, you could say that.” Nahumi nodded slowly. She looked toward the window again, as if talking about it made her uncomfortable. “Well… could you bring my food now?”

  The woman laughed softly and walked toward the kitchen.