She did not know if he felt pain, though his head snapped around.

She did know she felt pain, as his jaw felt like it was made of iron.

She ignored that and landed another blow to his jaw, but he was ready for it this time and shook it off instantly.

Serena then switched tactics, pivoted to her side, putting her weight in her left leg, and kicking out with her right, into his stomach.

He did not even expel air at her strike, and when she adjusted her aim to kick him in the groin, he caught her ankle and twisted it viciously.

In order for him not to break it, she flung her body in the direction her ankle was going, which meant she hit the ground on her shoulder with a body-wracking thud.

But she immediately swung about with her left leg, landing a whack to his temple.

He grunted at that.

She was heartened by that.

Thus, she drew back her left leg and caught him full in the nose with her heel.

He fell back, still with a hold on her ankle, so she was dragged back when he went.

She engaged her stomach muscles to reach to her left boot for her dagger when he made it plain that he’d had enough.

She knew this when he used her ankle to shake her bodily, his strength such she lost control of her frame and her head cracked on the cobbles.

As she blinked away stars, he let go of her ankle to grasp onto her hips and tow her to him.

She was up.

He was up.

And then she was slammed to the wall at the end of the close so hard, her breath left her.

Holding her there with his body, he was clawing at her skirts, thin streams of saliva dribbling through his fangs.

Well then.

Apparently, he’d picked now to have some fun.

However, that would not be happening.

She landed as many blows as she could as powerfully as she could in this position, at his jaw, temple, cheekbone, neck and throat.

He grew impatient with her endeavors and shared this when he snapped at her with his teeth, bursts of slobber slapping her in the face.

Her legs were astride his hips, she yanked up her left knee, reaching for her dagger, and screaming in his face, “Bloody no!”

And then something else splattered her face so violently, she blinked against it.

When she opened her eyes, the body that had her pinned to the wall started listing.

This was because it had no head.

She fell to her feet as it thudded to the ground and that was when she saw Tor in the alley, two of True’s guard behind him.

Both Tor’s hands were wound about the hilt of his broadsword.

Through the blood and drool streaming down her face, she looked down at the body of the troll, its head resting, mouth still in full sneer, some four feet away.