Avoiding being cut was one of the cardinal rules of swordplay but if there was poison involved it did take on a new importance. Not that he knew the sheen on her blades was poison, he only knew she had mentioned the substance earlier.

"I was rather more under the impression the go you wanted to have at me was something more intimate."

Again he fell back a pace if only to place more distance between them.

"Be reasonable. This isn't like you."