The shock was like a stutter in Li Hua's brain and her chest, her body seizing and grip clenching in the boy's hair. Her wide eyes were locked on him, the breath that was caught in her throat just coming out as a cough when that stick struck her in the side. That was far too many hits than the little fool should have been able to land. Tiger shoved him away and skipped back over the snow, hands flying to her gold mask where they just hovered before it, her brow knit in confusion at the sensation. Underneath the metal, the thin skin of her face felt numb, and tore away from the metal when she opened her mouth.
Her eyes locked on Billy's again, narrowed now with intent. She lunged forward, reaching to snatch that stick from him.