32

Suddenly, you feel someone approaching and hear a voice from behind you: "Kavitha! Working at a time like this?" It's Estre. He points over to Cinza. "Arraia and I wanted to make sure she was being treated well." His arm is covered in tiny cuts, and the beautifully drawn looping knots on his skin are smudged. Arraia has matching cuts along her shoulders, and her hair is half undone. You do your best not to stare at their wounds. They'll heal by tomorrow, but even you know how much they'll hurt until then.

Arraia feigns a smile. "She was a good friend before…all this. I guess I should have known you'd be here, too." She rubs her damaged arms and winces. "Sorry, this just hurts so bad. You're pretty lucky, you know, that you don't have to deal with all the fighting."