Kori didn't lower her knives.
The blue glow at the cores was still rising, the frost beneath her boots was still spreading outward in jagged ridges, and her Chasmis was still open beneath the curtain of her hair. The fight had not ended; she was halfway through committing to the next exchange – a huge Eon attack that would shatter all the ice around, and send all shards towards Lay at once, from every direction. And then the woman across from her, who had a moment ago dropped into a deeper stance with both Damascus blades pointed at Kori's eyes, had asked for a frozen drink.
"...Pardon?"
"Slushie." Lay tilted her head. Her smile was casual again, the brief flash of real focus from a few seconds ago folded back into her default mood. "It's a drink. Something like shaved ice, flavoured. Sweet. You scoop it with a spoon... Not familiar?"
Kori stared.
The woman was too stunned to speak.
