"My lady!"
The familiar voice sounded behind her and Celestiel was momentarily distracted, allowing her opponent the opening to strike her.
She grunted, falling to the side as her hands moved up to touch her right cheek, where she had been struck. The warm blood felt sticky between her fingers and if not for the stinging pain reminding her of her injury, she would have thought it hadn't happened.
Undeterred and letting her instincts kick in, she kicked at the pirate's legs, sweeping below his feet and causing him to lose his balance. Like she had anticipated, the man fell before her and swiftly, she raised her sword, stabbing him in the chest.
She glanced up to find Aletta fighting off one of the pirates. Celestiel watched keenly as the shopkeeper took the woman's head in her hands and snapped her jaw upwards, ultimately breaking her neck.
