a wrist-grabber. Then he blinked. Why, the fellow was actually holding
his knife reversed, his little finger to the guard and his thumb on
the pommel!

Verkan Vall went briskly to meet him, made a feint at his knife hand
with his own left, and then side-stepped quickly to the right. As
Marnark's left hand grabbed at his right wrist, his left hand brushed
against it and closed into a fist, with Marnark's left thumb inside of
it, He gave a quick downward twist with his wrist, pulling Marnark off
balance.

Caught by surprise, Marnark stumbled, his knife flailing wildly away
from Verkan Vall. As he stumbled forward, Verkan Vall pivoted on his
left heel and drove the point of his knife into the back of Marnark's
neck, twisting it as he jerked it free. At the same time, he released
Marnark's thumb. The politician continued his stumble and fell forward
on his face, blood spurting from his neck. He gave a twitch or so, and
was still.

Verkan Vall stooped and wiped the knife on the dead man's
clothes--another Khanga pirate gesture--and then returned it to
Olirzon.

"Nice weapon, Olirzon," he said. "It fitted my hand as though I'd been
born holding it."

"You used it as though you had, Lord Virzal," the Assassin replied.
"Only eight seconds from the time you closed with him."

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