{Honesty. Let me be honest with myself then: I have failed my people—the very people who look up to me for protection.}
….
The breeze blew over again, making Ja'an pause in his tracks, his back tingling. The cold was unbearable for him and even though he wore thick fur clothing, he still felt it all over his body, biting and chilling.
It was supposed to be afternoon, a time when the sun was high up and scorching, yet it was chilly as usual. Years on the island should've gotten him accustomed to the pattern but he felt he wasn't like the other islanders. He probably had less thicker of a skin.
Shuddering, he soldiered on, dragging his heavy sack on his shoulder. He shook his head when he recalled that the tea he'd brewed earlier had turned lukewarm before he even brought it to his mouth. Such was the fate of the islanders.
