Ezekiel's face was a patchwork of scars from fights. His nose was ruined from a bad break and he'd once torn his lip so bad that it had been left with a skewed appearance – as if it was being dragged to the side. The bottom lip twitched in independent spasms whenever he grew agitated. Above his mauled left eyebrow, he had a tattoo of a snake and under his eye were the words 'cry baby' in tiny italic script. Sage wasn't brave enough to ask after any meaning behind them. 

　　Ezekiel stared thoughtfully down at his feet as they walked. 

　　"What can I do to convince you?" He asked,...