Ewa's brow creased in confusion as Al made what was apparently a farewell-bow. Ohh, you do not get to ditch me that easily you over-acting--leaving? Leaving leaving? Then you've known how to get out all along, so you weren't really trapped here, then... oh. Wait. But there was. And you don't shift--impossible.
Her mind scattered in about five different directions in the space of that moment. A slower, more practical corner was still formulating some sort of innocuous response that would convey confusion, concern, and probably a decent touch of hurt betrayal when Salem strode down to join them.
There was a universal hiccough through her thoughts as Ewa saw the terrible hodge-podge Salem had dressed himself in. Clearly he had help before. Really shouldn't be left on his own. The pieces of her mind were just gearing up to get back to more important thoughts when Salem opened his mouth and completely derailed everything she had been thinking about.
Some people recognize internal panic as a roaring within their ears, but Ewa experienced a profound sense of static--unbearably quiet, overwhelmingly loud, disruptive, deadening. It crested over her such deceptive stealth that most of her conscious mind was unaware of it. In that moment, Ewa couldn't even tell for sure that she was panicking--all of her thoughts had disintegrated as though they never were.
Heartbeat seems a bit fast, came one of the thoughts through the static.
They look like they're waiting for something... me? Oh, they want a response.
If she had any idea what the response was supposed to be for or what sort of response she should give, the knowledge had been swallowed in the roaring quiet in her head.
"That's... umm. You seem to have lost me partway through that." Her eyes slid back and forth between the two people in front of her, everything feeling stretched and distant.
Another thought bubbled to the surface while her eyes were on the one without a cape. "You're leaving just like that, then? It's that dangerous? And I..." Ewa was faintly pleased with the words, painted with emotions, that slipped past her lips, but she had the odd impression that something was off....
Ahh, there were supposed to be facial expressions to go with those, weren't there?
She ran through the set that seemed to correspond with the words. It probably didn't make much difference if they were only a few seconds late, after all.
Ewa returned to feeling distantly pleased with herself.