For a long time, Shail just sat there in his corner. The longer he did though, the more he became restless. He enjoyed the cave despite himself so inspecting the threads on each blanket felt dull in comparison. He glanced over his shoulder before quickly looking away again. Just how long could they retain this stand off? Eventually, one of them would need to give in. Maybe it would be better if the djinn woman acted like a true monster. Then he could be stubborn without reserve. But maybe this was a false face? Could he make her reveal her true nature like that from the stories? No, he didn't want to attempt that. Rather, he should find a way to learn as much about her as he could without revealing himself.

A growl from his stomach stopped Shail's churning thoughts. He blinked his eyes, surprised because he forgot just what the time was. He bit his finger, still thinking. By now, the other boys had to have informed the village about what happened. Maybe he could be rescued in time for breakfast.