The market had quieted for the midday break.
Auri sat near the stall's edge with a plate of food in front of him, mostly untouched. His gaze drifted, unfocused, tracking nothing in particular—except for the thought that kept circling in his head after speaking with the old woman.
'Hawad's missing.'
Auri told the Hawad's mother that maybe her son had gone somewhere, chasing a whim or a friend's call. Maybe he'd fallen asleep at a cousin's house or got sidetracked helping another vendor. He had promised her that he would keep an eye out. That he would let her know the moment he heard anything.
But the truth settled like a weight in his chest. Something felt wrong.
A shadow passed over his food.
Wrye dropped down beside Timofey, a fresh wrap in hand, already halfway gone. "You know, most people use their mouths to eat, not their eyes."
Auri blinked, pulled from his thoughts but still unfocused.
