although they were glazed and unfocused.
"What...I...where am I?"
"Ezzy," he leaned down so she could see him better, "are you alright? You need to tell me--"
She struck him once in the chest and sent another punch directly towards his face. Nolan barely dodged it, if falling backwards in pain could be considered dodging a blow.
"Ezzy, what--"
"Who are you? Where am I? Have I been kidnapped?"
Wonderful.
"Ezzy, it's me, Nolan. I know it's difficult, but you need to try and focus. Collect your thoughts. Remember what is going on."
"Nolan? Are you here to bond me with one of my dolls again?" Her voice had taken on a higher pitch and her gaze was still empty. This was bad.
"Ezzy, I haven't bonded you to a doll in a long time. You're an adult now. You have a Vilathos of your own, and I need to know where you hid it."
"A Vilathos of my own? Father would never let me do that."
"Esmerelda, your father is dead. He abandoned you."
A harsh statement, and mostly untrue, but he didn't have time to spare her feelings. With bounty hunters on their tail, and his injured shoulder, Ezzy's broken link couldn't have come at a worse time. He would shake the girl silly if it came to it.
Thankfully, his words struck home. Her eyes started to water as her lip began to tremble. That only lasted a moment, and then that cold steel that seemed to have taken root since her father's death returned to her eyes. The cold gaze she directed his way seemed to drink up the tears that had started to form. When she finally spoke, it was with a whisper, but the force of her words put a shiver down his spine.
"Get away from me."
"I'm sorry, Ezzy, I needed you to focus."
"You don't know anything about my father or what he did for my family. You only graced us with your presence when you wanted to make some money."
The words hurt more than he expected, mostly from the initial surprise at hearing them. Was that what she actually thought?
No, she thinks more of me than that, and she knows I respected her father a great deal. She is just lashing out.
At least, that's what he hoped. He extended a hand to help her up and pulled it right back with the look she gave him. Well, maybe she would just need a little more time to get her bearings.
"Ezzy, you know I didn't really mean--"
"Not another word. You're lucky I can barely see straight, otherwise I'd make sure you felt worse than I do now. Knife wound or not. Now what do you want?"
"Uh..." Not sure whether to keep quiet like she said or answer her question, Nolan shuffled about in place.
Ezzy rolled her eyes and then immediately brought a hand up to rub at them. After a few moments, she finally spoke.
"Right. Paz. You want to know where Paz is hiding. I put him by the temple to Ze'an. No one ever goes near there, especially at night."
"Good. I'll start getting our things together, and we can go fix your bond. Do you want me to get your things?"
"I can handle that myself, thank you very much." Ezzy tried to rise but immediately fell forward. She was barely able to keep her face from smacking into the ground. "Alright. You can get my things ready as well. I'm going to examine this section of the floor boards."
"Of course. Of course. Right away."
He busied himself with gathering their things. They had kept most of their possessions packed in case they had to make a quick exit, but there were still a few odds and ends that needed to be put away or better organized. As Nolan moved about the room, he constantly checked on Ezzy. The most she did while he moved about was roll onto her back and stare at the ceiling. Her eyes did seem clearer though. The bigger the Vilathos, the more painful a severed bond, but Ezzy's resilience was amazing. She truly was a strong woman.
"All set."
He dropped the last of their packs by the door and turned to find Ezzy climbing one of the beds. He took a step forward to help then stopped as she shot him another look. Instead, he stood there and watched as she clawed her
"What...I...where am I?"
"Ezzy," he leaned down so she could see him better, "are you alright? You need to tell me--"
She struck him once in the chest and sent another punch directly towards his face. Nolan barely dodged it, if falling backwards in pain could be considered dodging a blow.
"Ezzy, what--"
"Who are you? Where am I? Have I been kidnapped?"
Wonderful.
"Ezzy, it's me, Nolan. I know it's difficult, but you need to try and focus. Collect your thoughts. Remember what is going on."
"Nolan? Are you here to bond me with one of my dolls again?" Her voice had taken on a higher pitch and her gaze was still empty. This was bad.
"Ezzy, I haven't bonded you to a doll in a long time. You're an adult now. You have a Vilathos of your own, and I need to know where you hid it."
"A Vilathos of my own? Father would never let me do that."
"Esmerelda, your father is dead. He abandoned you."
A harsh statement, and mostly untrue, but he didn't have time to spare her feelings. With bounty hunters on their tail, and his injured shoulder, Ezzy's broken link couldn't have come at a worse time. He would shake the girl silly if it came to it.
Thankfully, his words struck home. Her eyes started to water as her lip began to tremble. That only lasted a moment, and then that cold steel that seemed to have taken root since her father's death returned to her eyes. The cold gaze she directed his way seemed to drink up the tears that had started to form. When she finally spoke, it was with a whisper, but the force of her words put a shiver down his spine.
"Get away from me."
"I'm sorry, Ezzy, I needed you to focus."
"You don't know anything about my father or what he did for my family. You only graced us with your presence when you wanted to make some money."
The words hurt more than he expected, mostly from the initial surprise at hearing them. Was that what she actually thought?
No, she thinks more of me than that, and she knows I respected her father a great deal. She is just lashing out.
At least, that's what he hoped. He extended a hand to help her up and pulled it right back with the look she gave him. Well, maybe she would just need a little more time to get her bearings.
"Ezzy, you know I didn't really mean--"
"Not another word. You're lucky I can barely see straight, otherwise I'd make sure you felt worse than I do now. Knife wound or not. Now what do you want?"
"Uh..." Not sure whether to keep quiet like she said or answer her question, Nolan shuffled about in place.
Ezzy rolled her eyes and then immediately brought a hand up to rub at them. After a few moments, she finally spoke.
"Right. Paz. You want to know where Paz is hiding. I put him by the temple to Ze'an. No one ever goes near there, especially at night."
"Good. I'll start getting our things together, and we can go fix your bond. Do you want me to get your things?"
"I can handle that myself, thank you very much." Ezzy tried to rise but immediately fell forward. She was barely able to keep her face from smacking into the ground. "Alright. You can get my things ready as well. I'm going to examine this section of the floor boards."
"Of course. Of course. Right away."
He busied himself with gathering their things. They had kept most of their possessions packed in case they had to make a quick exit, but there were still a few odds and ends that needed to be put away or better organized. As Nolan moved about the room, he constantly checked on Ezzy. The most she did while he moved about was roll onto her back and stare at the ceiling. Her eyes did seem clearer though. The bigger the Vilathos, the more painful a severed bond, but Ezzy's resilience was amazing. She truly was a strong woman.
"All set."
He dropped the last of their packs by the door and turned to find Ezzy climbing one of the beds. He took a step forward to help then stopped as she shot him another look. Instead, he stood there and watched as she clawed her
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