His counterattack seemed at first a wise move; Imenry wasn't even slowed down by his block, and was preparing another swing when he charged. Unfortunately, she had pulled away just enough before the upswing--while the move would have the element of surprise in itself, she had a few precious seconds to react before he was upon her. These were well spent. When his shield swung at her, a weapon in itself, her sword was ready; it caught the edge and quenched much of the force behind the attack. What remained, she stole, using the momentum to melt away from the swing of his sword--but not before pressing back, just enough to fool him.
The change in resistance caught him off-balance. His next steps stumbled, spoiling the arc of his sword as it sheared the empty air. After the force he put behind his advance he could not halt and turn quickly enough to face her again. His back would be left completely undefended. Instead of trying to pull back, he pressed on as if charging at yet another enemy beyond her; his steps became sure again, and with a sudden twist in his body and his feet braced against the sliding dust he changed direction--not towards her, but to the left.
The grip of his boots on the dirt floor was weak, but it held; his feet sent a cloud of dust into the air that outlined the sunlight before vanishing. Another heavy pace forward and he repeated the movement. It was a wide circle, consuming much too much time and energy for a dodge, but an unconventional response was needed to oppose her unconventional maneuver. Still, he was not quite facing her. He twisted his upper body at the same time as he swung his shield behind him. The angle of his arm to his shoulder was awkward and wouldn't be able to properly fend off a blow, but he couldn't risk leaving his back completely undefended. No doubt Imenry had made use of the time his stumbling and recovery had allowed her.
He could not see her, clearly, at this point, nor did he notice the young man who stood nearby, watching in curious silence.