She strolled out of the bathroom refreshed, the robe tightly fixed around her even though it still looked baggy, her hair was left dripping with water since there was no towel to wipe it, she tucked it all behind her back and looked around the room, Ezra was no where to be found, her brows furrowed "Ezra" she called but there was no reply, she wondered where he suddenly went, "Ezra" she called again and still there was no reply, she walked to the creaky door with a frown and pushed it open and suddenly a dark cloud of smoke burst forth, enveloping her in its suffocating embrace, the force made her stumble backward, her eyes scanning the room frantically the smoke began to clear, then she saw the horde of scaly creatures emerging from the shadows, their eyes filled with interest and as soon as they sighted her, their gaze turned furious "it's you, the thief! The one who dared to kill our sister!" they snarled in unison, their voices like a chorus of rage, Hazel's heart raced as she frantically searched for a weapon, her hand closing around a shard of glass from the shattered jar on the table, It was all she had to defend herself against the snarling pack, Ezra's disappearance couldn't have come at a worse time, she was alone, surrounded by the creatures as they closed in for the kill, she dodged and weaved without attacking back, her movements becoming increasingly desperate while she searched for a chance to flee but the creatures' claws snapped even wildly, their hot breath on her skin, their cackles echoed through the room, their leader gloating about Judith's, the owner of the inn's good job in poisoning the bathing water, Hazel's vision began to blur, her movements slowing as the poison coursed through her veins and she soon fell to the floor unconscious, the witches cackled even more loud and mocking, Just as all hope seemed lost, one of the witches behind lost her head and her melting body splattered to the others, they all turned in shock to sight the sinister figure who emerged from nowhere, his eyes blazed with a bloodlust fury, his fangs gone but his gaze still deadly, "You bitches dare harm my little thief?" he growled, his voice low and menacing, the witches gaze became even more furious and they attacked immediately, but Ezra's wrath was unstoppable, he disappeared and reappeared, snapping necks with ease, his eyes fixed on Hazel's limp body the room was a blur of chaos, the sound of snapping bones and snarling creatures filling the air, as the last witch fell, Ezra rushed to Hazel's side, his embrace fierce as he scooped her up in his arms, but just as he thought it was all calm, Hazel's body began to contort, her limbs stretching and morphing into a massive polar bear which suddenly dashed across the room and pinned the final threat, Judith who was holding a pistol to the wall, its massive arm crushing her old figure and as she fell the bear collapsed back into Hazel's human form, Ezra caught her, his arms wrapping around her tightly "where have you been" she muttered, her voice barely audible "I am sorry, I won't leave you again" he vowed and the room went silent, Hazel's body going limp and her breathing became ragged, he picked her up immediately and in the next minute he was in the hall way of his villa, "Melvin" he called, panick laced in his voice and Melvin came running from the study, "what happened to her?" he asked on sighting the unconscious Hazel "we walked into those bitches trap, I was so thirsty and I took the opportunity that she was in the bath to go and satisfy my taste, I just felt so uneasy and I headed back to meet those bitches surrounding her" Ezra said his voice turning cold and his face becoming furious at every word he spoke, he dropped Hazel on the bed but his hand didn't leave her's "she was unconscious all through till I took out the last bitch and when I walked to pick her up she suddenly transformed into a big white furry ball, crushed the last threat to the wall with her hand and she immediately morphed back and fell to the floor, she muttered a few words to me then she became like this" Ezra muttered his voice very cold, "big white furry ball?" Melvin respeated as he turned to pick his medicine bag "a very large and very furry polar bear" Ezra explained "that should be her animal side, a beast side lythrix" Melvin muttered then felt her pulse and he suddenly frowned deeply "her pulse is very chaotic, was she poisoned?" Melvin asked "she hasn't eaten anything, she refused to eat lunch and she didn't touch the food at the inn either, she only took a bath" Ezra said with a frown then he suddenly realized something "could the water be poisoned?, it was one of them who made the water" he said "you have to leave Ezra, I can't handle your panicked and chilling mood and still handle her" Melvin said, his hands hurriedly mashing some herbs together, Ezra sighed, he pulled away his hand and the girl on the bed groaned in pain and immediately snatched it back, her face filled with pain and discomfort "do something, she is in pain" Ezra cried "calm down for goodness sake, you would only increase the delay with your panick, since you can't leave, keep her company and please be quiet" Melvin yelled and Ezra sat down immediately and held her close, while Melvin busied himself with making medicine, her groans and moans soon increased, sweat oozing out in large beads out of her skin, "hot" she moaned as she moved closer to Ezra searching for cold "it's hot, hot" she cried her voice laced with discomfort, Ezra moved closer trying to stop himself from yelling at Melvin while the latter calmly opened the window widely allowing the winter's wind to fill the room and she immediately calmed down, then he presented the medicine to Ezra "feed her" he said and turned back to pack his bags, Ezra adjusted her sleeping position to a sitting position and he placed the bowl in her mouth but she didn't take it at all her face wrinkled into a frown, she was a little conscious and she recognized what was bitter, "would the medicine affect me if it touches my mouth" Ezra asked "no, it's a medicine for lythrix it has no effect on any other creature" Melvin said as he threw his bag across his shoulder and turned "what do you need that f.." immediately he turned back away from the baed "can't you spare me the affections" he cried in frustration, Ezra had poured the medicine in his mouth and was feeding to Hazel with his mouth, minutes passed and he finally raised his head "you can look now" he said to Melvin and the latter turned with grudge filled face, "is she fine now?" Ezra asked "she should be fine tomorrow morning when she vomits the poison, actually the poison was meant for humans but since it was used on her it triggered her abilities causing her to morph easily as soon as she felt danger, I should joyfully say her ability to morph has been fully awakened, that is: if she is strong enough to push out the poison" Melvin explained but Ezra's frown didn't ease "so she still isn't safe until tomorrow" he asked "yes, and if the poison isn't out by tomorrow it would cause great harm to her body, she could be forever paralyzed, she might take an half beast half human form and worst she could die" Melvin explained and it only deepened Ezra's frown "is there nothing you can do?" he asked "no, it all depends on her" Melvin said and Ezra's expression climbed up to a stormy one "trust her strength, she would pull through" Melvin said and walked to patt Ezra "let's go, give her space, your mood won't help her" he said as he strolled out, Ezra stayed for a while, tucking her in and making sure she was comfortable before gingerly leaving the room.