What a pal— she'll definitely have to keep that offer in mind. She's always preferred a more straightforward approach, but hell, if the Noctaere are going to use whatever advantage they can get their claws on, why shouldn't they do the same?

He ducks down, and she wedges her blade against the wall to keep it clear of both of them before she braces her hands against the tunnel on either side so that she can vault herself over him— easily managed, when he's down that low, except—

"What?"

She looks over her shoulder at him as she lands on her feet with a hard thud, reaching to pull her sword free.

"What the hell does that mean?"

... she can figure it out from the context, but she's never heard anyone talk like that before.