"A gemstone," he explained, "is something you get after hunting a beast. You remember the hyena you killed that night?"
Kaya's eyes narrowed further.
Vayu continued, unfazed. "If you cut open its head, you'll find a stone inside. It glows. The shinier and more colorful it is, the more valuable it is. White stones can get you maybe two kilos of meat. Green? Three to four animal hides. Red? That's big. You can get quite a lot for that."
Silence.
Kaya stared at him. Her face didn't move. She was so quiet now, it was almost unsettling.
Then—she turned her head slowly toward Cutie, a smile creeping onto her face.
It wasn't a happy smile. No. It was the kind of smile people gave before committing war crimes.
"So," she asked sweetly, "you're telling me… when I killed that hyena… I could've gotten money for it?"
Cutie gave a sheepish nod.
Still smiling, Kaya turned her eyes back to Vayu. Her voice soft, dangerous.
