“Answer me!” He almost shouted, grasping her arms and shaking her, “Can you please just answer me?”
He caught her and held her up easily. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. So…Were you watching me because you need my help?”
She seemed at a loss for a moment, before shaking her head again, though more slowly and with an air of reluctance. One hand lifted to rub at her temple.
“Come on, let’s get you out of the cold.”
She startled back a step, then swayed, eyes fluttering shut. Her hands clamped more tightly around her temples, but though obviously in pain she still made no sound at all. She didn’t resist when he guided her along.
“Answer me!” He almost shouted, grasping her arms and shaking her, “Can you please just answer me?”
“Okay. Okay. I understand. Just give me nods. Are you going to hurt me?”
Shock scrawled across her face, huge eyes going even wider as she shook her head frantically, so hard her hair flew about her face. She stumbled, catching at his arms to stop herself falling, and shook her head again.
He caught her and held her up easily. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. So…Were you watching me because you need my help?”
She seemed at a loss for a moment, before shaking her head again, though more slowly and with an air of reluctance. One hand lifted to rub at her temple.
“Answer me!” He almost shouted, grasping her arms and shaking her, “Can you please just answer me?”
She shook her head, harder this time, and tapped her fingers on her throat. The enshrouding cloak fell back from her body, revealing a skin-and-bones barefoot figure, dirty and raggedly clothed.
“Okay. Okay. I understand. Just give me nods. Are you going to hurt me?”
Shock scrawled across her face, huge eyes going even wider as she shook her head frantically, so hard her hair flew about her face. She stumbled, catching at his arms to stop herself falling, and shook her head again.
“Answer me!” He almost shouted, grasping her arms and shaking her, “Can you please just answer me?”
She shook her head, harder this time, and tapped her fingers on her throat. The enshrouding cloak fell back from her body, revealing a skin-and-bones barefoot figure, dirty and raggedly clothed.