Theo didn't laugh this time. He looked at the harsh light hitting the dirt floor, his blue eyes taking on a dull, weary sheen that Alias hadn't noticed before. He looked at Maya, who was already curled up on a thin, tattered mat, her thumb hovering near her mouth.
"Don't be fooled by the light, Moon-boy," Theo said, his voice dropping into a low, practical tone. "In the South, the higher the sun, the closer it is to night. Time moves differently when you're waiting for the heat to break."
"Then why not wait until the shadows grow long?" Alias asked, his curiosity piqued. "Why lose the hours of the day?"
Theo turned back to him, and for a moment, the mask of the cocky thief slipped, revealing the jagged edge of the boy beneath.
"We only lose the hour of the day if we have something to do, and we don't, apparently. And we do not have a full kitchen either. If we sleep early, we won't have to worry about getting hungry again," Theo said simply.
