He didn’t want to hurt her? Too bad. Danica was determined more than ever to take her adversary down now—and besides, she was getting paid for her trouble. No sooner had she leapt forward to engage than she was distracted by someone running by her, ignoring the unfolding battle completely in their mad dash into the bowels of the ship. She stopped in confusion, but there wasn’t much time to ask questions as Danica soon found herself tripped off her feet, landing painfully on her back with a loud thud. Her blade left her hand as she was caught off guard, clattering on the floor a few feet from her side. The Naga winced as she felt the unyielding wood floor beneath her, raising her head to see the man retracting the wire that must have tripped her up. Her stomach already hurt from the previous wind blast, and now this? Danica was growing angrier by the second as the battle turned sour. She needed to end this. She side-eyed her knife. It hadn’t landed far away—she could probably just reach it if she stretched her arm out enough.

Her opponent was quick to run over and keep her down with a blade at her throat. Danica raised an eyebrow at his little pacifist speech and attempted to prop herself up on her elbows as much as the blade dangling above her would allow, her muscles protesting at the movement. The Naga didn’t expect to be skewered by the Muran anytime soon, but she was still surprised when his attention turned elsewhere. She followed his gaze to see a waifish girl standing on the steps, some sort of large feline with her. The girl was likely harmless, but that cat with her could pose a threat. Better to keep an eye on that one. She watched the man look between the girl and where his other companion had disappeared, clearly conflicted about his course of action. Danica’s eyes narrowed as she picked up on the Muran’s next words and turned back to him with new fury in her glare, letting out a curse.

“A [i]child[/i]? Here? What do you think you’re doing, bringing a child into a dangerous battle like this? You could get her [i]killed[/i]. What is she even doing with you, Magi? Of all the irresponsible, negligent—” Danica bit back the rest of her words and again swiveled her head to look at the girl, this time with a nasty grin on her face. Her voice held a false charm when she spoke.

“You should take his advice and leave, little girl. I won’t hurt him.” She made no attempt to get up for the moment. As if Danica were going to slice this man into little pieces with the child standing there—the girl didn’t need that image in her head.