Gimmel and I were prepared for Maultner's attack. In fact, my bones and flexibility had been prepped by my initial battle with Flourescent, and I was clad by assurance that whatever Flourescent did, Maultner could not measure up to; because he actually had no intention of killing me.
Gimmel had resourceful fighting skills which my father's study would be paying for. For as soon as I ducked to avoid Maultner's first blow, my hand reached out and yanked the rug underneath his feet. I did not succeed in entirely pulling it out, but I managed to rattle Maultner out of his balance. He stumbled. In this narrow timeframe, I grabbed the fireplace poker and pointed it at him. He played his dagger through his fingers, as if offering me a free circus show. I scoffed and nudged the poker at him. My insinuation was clear. It would take more than his apparent dominance over knives to cower me.
