"I am a—what?" I ask, finally looking into his eyes. There's gravity in the way he said it that I freeze up.

"I am amazed they did not ship you off to the Mainland, especially with how careless you are, I–" He pauses, realizing my question, "You don't know what you are?"

I just look at him, not knowing what and how to reply.

He looks perturbed by my reaction so he continues, "Why are you here anyway? You are a Nayan, meant to be a Mainland slave."

A Nayan. Then, I remember the fictional book I was reading a week ago, The Heart of Naya. Suddenly, I feel dizzy. I lost my strength, and he catches me before I fall to the ground. Memories of war come into my mind again. Is my brain playing tricks on me?

I try to focus, but instead, I get more confused. "What? How were you able to tell?" I swallow.

He points at my navel. "Proof that you are Birthed." I might have looked confused, so he continues, "There are very few of you now."

"Isn't everyone like that?" He shakes his head and another wave of panic wracks me. "You are not born? How are you here then?"

The first thought on my mind is robots. Are they all robots? But Sinagtala is certainly not. I saw his body. I touched it. I explored it. I never checked if he has a navel, but he's warm and soft. Is that because of his position? He's the Rajah so is he required to feel like a human?

"You really don't know?" His voice is barely a whisper. He pulls me up and makes me stand. Still, he's holding my arm as support. "Hell, everyone should know. Even at the Islands."

I pale. Did I give too much information? Am I doomed now that he knows I'm not from this world? From this time? I want to hit myself for not watching my words.

At my silence, he reveals, "We are called Cyclers." When I still did not speak, he continues, "It means we are recycled. Recycled from the DNA we store from when we are created and the ones we left behind when we died. Using our DNA, we take our previous form, our previous personality."

He looks at me, gauging how much I know. But everything sounds strange so I continue to stare at him in confusion.

"To avoid giving life to those with war at their Core. That way peace can be retained."

"Is that common knowledge?" I ask.

He nods.

I feel heavy that when he lets go of my arm; I allow myself to sit on the ground. Then he kneels before me.

"How much did you NOT know?" he asks.

"Everything I guess," I admit, not meeting his eyes. My heart is racing and sweat trickles down my forehead.

"I didn't know that Rajah Sinagtala keeps his people in the dark."

Probably, only the five of us.

"You undergo the Ablution, right?" the man asks again.

"I'm only here for a few months," I answer and then pale again. I turn to look at him and he understands what I meant. I can't believe my mouth is running off with this man. But despite all his perverseness, somehow, I feel like I can trust him.

He pauses again as if thinking of my situation. Now, I understand why Sinagtala seemed appalled when he saw my body. Why, after all the nights we shared, he referred to me as a Nameless Wench. I snort. He is being kind. I'm lower than a Nameless Wench. I am supposed to be shipped off as a slave from the time we stepped on the island. He must have thought that I am an opportunistic, parasitic woman clinging unto him. Of course, how could a Rajah take a slave as a lover? The gravity of taking me as his lover, I can't even imagine it.

Then gratitude fills me up, tears fall. Just one day and I am crying again. The thought is too much. I could have trusted him more. Is he trying to protect me from being shipped off as a slave? I should have told him more about me. I should have been more open. Maybe, in that way, he will be more open to me too.

Thoughtfully, the man pulls me into an embrace and allows me to cry. "I'm sorry. If only I could do something for you, I will. Like how you saved my life." Then he pats my head.

I am taken aback by the gesture and am about to push him when suddenly, "Older brother?" It is a soft, sweet voice. "Oh!"

The man buries my face into his chest and covers my face with his arms. I can't even see who owns the voice.

"Farlah, what are you doing here?" His voice is low but admonishing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you're with a woman. I thought you--"

"Shut up and leave!" he scolds.

There is a rustling of feet and then silence. I don't even know how she's able to find us here. We are covered in hedges, and we are both sitting on the ground.

The noise of her departure is long gone, but the man is still holding me in his arms. When he realizes that, he lets me go.

"Sorry, that's my younger sister. I'm afraid she would gossip about you and it would be dangerous if she sees your face."

I nod.

"I hope we're even now? You saved me, I saved you."

I nod again, refusing to tell him that what he told me is more than enough compensation for saving his life. He notices my confusion and my disconnect on reality so he warns, "You had no idea what people like you suffer in the Mainland. Nayans are initially public property, but now, only the powerful and the influential own people like you."

I nod again.

"Prevent becoming the tribute. That's a surefire way for you to become a Nayan slave."

Tribute? I don't know what he's talking about.

"At the end of our visit, Hiraya will give tribute to the Mainland. Avoid that," he supplies.

"Your visit? Aren't you staying here?" I ask, thinking about the warning from Migo.

"I'm from the Mainland, Fuhua Kingdom. But during the times we visit the island and leave our designated areas, they require us to wear the same clothes as the place we are visiting."

I purse my lips and nod again.

Then the man adds, "Being a Nayan, keep it a secret. Do you understand?"

I understand and realize that Migo, Aian, Cielo, and Renz are also in trouble.