Blind? he thought. His mind flashed back to her lying dead on the floor. But not dead. Unconscious. He never even thought to check. “Oh, my god, Tabi C… Tabitha. I’m so sorry. I never meant…”

“Enough!” she hissed. “You never meant. You never meant to kill my mother? To hurt Tommy? You never meant to do this?!”

She tossed her hair away from her face, revealing a red silk blindfold. He had only a moment to think, God, so much like her mother! With a movement so quick he couldn’t follow, the sword in her left hand flashed up, and the silk parted like water, falling to the floor. She turned her face to him, revealing eyes that, while completely sightless, held a hatred like he had never seen.

“Do you know,” she asked, her voice losing some of it’s edge, “the kind of dedication it takes to be able to fight when you can’t see your opponent? The skills needed to track someone who doesn’t want to be found?”

Her voice cracked, tears welling up in her eyes. “The hatred needed to kill your own father?”