"You really do have some screws loose, don't you?"
"What are you even doing here?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.
"That should be my question," Maribel shot back, her glare intensifying as she opened her mouth to continue the lecture she'd clearly been building up to during her sprint to reach me .
But she never got the chance to finish.
The Hybrid's neck began turning with slow motion despite the massive wooden lance still embedded through its throat. The creature's eyes, still burning with that terrible intelligence, locked onto Maribel with clear murderous intent .
Maribel's expression shifted instantly from irritated concern to combat alertness. She reacted with impressive speed, yanking her lance free from the creature's neck with a sharp pull and immediately jumping backward to create distance. Dark blood sprayed from the wound in an arc, spattering across the pavement between them .
"Damn it, I should have gone for the head," she cursed under her breath.
