Hello, guys! How are you all? I just want to let you know that i will be writing A.I. on another site. I hope to see you there. https://www.goodnovel.com/book_info/21000001248

"I got caught by the guards, Uwyn. Luckily, I ran fast and had to hide for some time before I could get back here. I'm sorry I let you and mom worry." Maru lied.

What he wanted to do at this moment the most was to cry. He almost died out there. Alone. But he held his tears. He had to be strong for his family. He will not let them see his weakness.

"I'm glad you're okay, brother. We're done eating. Come inside and eat. Mom's sleeping already." Uwyn said to her brother.

The siblings went inside to see their mother. They moved slowly so as not to disturb her sleep. Maru got a plate and started eating barehanded. He got cold vegetable soup paired with rice.

He was not hungry because of the unknown magic earlier but his stomach felt empty. Maru finished his dinner in no time.

There was really not that much to eat since they have been rationing their food to last them awhile. Especially now that he hadn't gotten a penny for today.

He stood up and checked how much food they had left. He saw that it was only good for another 2 days at most.

Maru will have to think of this problem tomorrow. He was emotionally and mentally exhausted because of the ordeal that he went through earlier.

"Let's sleep, Uwyn." Maru whispered towards his sister.

"Goodnight, brother." Uwyn answered Maru. She went to the right side of her mother's bed and arranged her sleeping area.

It was just a pile of wood with some thin cloth on top of it. they could not afford to have those thick comfortable soft beds and blankets.

Mostly, what they have are a variety of thin clothes they had owned when they were still living in the slums. They had been using it all their lives.

"Pray before you sleep, Uwyn. Ask whatever you want to the gods and they will give it all unconditionally." Maru reminded his sister. It was what their mother taught them.

"I know. I love you, brother." Uwyn said to her brother in response.

"I love you too, Uwyn." Maru replied to his sister. He closed the door of the hut and went to lie down on the left side of his mother's bed.

He too, slept on a similar makeshift bed as his sister. The room was just enough for the three of them to sleep.

No more extra space was afforded the family. He was only thankful for the fact that his mother's bed was made of soft cotton.

At least, she would find solace in that small comfort even if she was suffering with severe bedsores lately.

They could only cope with it by changing her position on the bed the moment she feels the pain. Her mother lived in a world full of hurt, Maru thought. Just like they all were.

"Where am I going to find food tomorrow? I can't go back to the city. Those boys in the slums would have been alerted of my presence by now.

Or maybe they would still think that I'd be injured and…" Maru's thoughts and plans ended there as the sweet embrace of sleep finally received him to grant him temporary refuge from all his worries.