The boy subconsciously trembled, then dropped his guard the moment he looked up and saw her face, and confessed in a faint blush, "I'm lost..."
"Lost?" Sylvia's smile deepened. She gently put her arm around the boy's shoulders, her lips almost touching his ear as she whispered, "Why are you lost?"
The boy's cheeks turned even redder. He twisted uncomfortably, managed to shift his gaze away from Sylvia's face, and stammered out his reply, "I got separated from my family. My father said we're supposed to head south in the afternoon to Ka... Ka...um…"
"Kasha City?" Sylvia playfully nibbled his earlobe. Her slender arm gently tightened, pulling him closer to her. "Did you come with a merchant caravan?"
The boy nodded vigorously. "Yes, my father sells hides... our family's hides..."
"Put the hides aside for now, dear. Relax~"