Naysha remained crouched beside Ning for a few moments, studying him more carefully now that the soldiers were gone and there was no immediate danger around them.
Up close, the exhaustion he had deliberately built into his appearance was even more convincing, and between the worn clothes, the dirt on his face, and the way he leaned against the wall, there was little reason for her to suspect that he could have flattened every soldier in the district without standing up.
"What are you even doing here?" she asked. "You know people from the lower district aren't allowed to sit around in this part of the city, especially this close to a military route."
Ning lowered his eyes and gave a tired shrug. "I was trying to get enough money to buy something to eat."
