*Esmerelda*

I collided with something hard and looked up to see that it had been Abner’s chest. I stumbled back, but before I could fall, he caught me against his chest.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. It wasn’t easy.

How had he found me? How was he here? Why was he here? Why couldn’t he just let me be?

“Esmerelda!” Abner exclaimed, his arms tightening against me. “Are you all right?”

There was no way for me to answer that in ...