Reidar took a careful step forward, raising both hands, palms out, to show he meant no harm. The floorboards creaked under his weight, and the boy's head snapped up from Lena. His eyes widened in fear as they locked onto Reidar.
The boy's eyes darted to Lena, then back to Reidar. He didn't speak, but his body language was clear: he was ready to bolt at any moment if Reidar gave him a reason to do that.
The man froze mid-step as the boy scrambled backward, pressing himself against the peeling wallpaper. Lena remained kneeling, her voice softening in a way Reidar hadn't thought possible.
"He's with me," she said in a gentle voice. "We're not going to hurt you."
The boy's wide eyes flickered between them, his breathing shallow. Reidar watched Lena's rigid posture soften as she reached into her inventory and withdrew a strip of cooked ant meat skewer from the previous day.
She offered him the skewer, holding it out carefully.
