Firestone Hot Springs The door to December

She acknowledged his statement with a sort of amenable silence, her ears twitching as he gave his name and a reason for his ailment. "Bad—?" she began to question, but he spoke over her, declaring his embarrassment. Her lips pursed together thoughtfully, then she smiled lightly.

Unaware of his misplaced and malevolent thoughts, she opened her mouth to say something else, only to have him accidentally cut her off again. Something about his words rubbed her the wrong way and her pale, icy eyes narrowed infinitesimally. The voice that had warned her not to waste her time and resources on the ailing stranger said, I told you so.

"I'm perfectly fine here, thanks," she said a little crisply. Then, because she couldn't help a stab of curiosity, "But why do you say that...?" She looked directly back into his eyes, instinctively disliking that he held her gaze, though she reminded herself that this was neutral territory and she needn't necessarily look for a challenge in his eye contact.