Time and distance were both running out, and the mermaid's efforts were becoming even more frantic than before. She could have dragged the woman off to drown, or attacked the man with him, but instead she remained fixated on that weapon. The woman simply couldn't be allowed to keep it.

Her tail finally slid free of Agatha's legs as the mermaid made one last effort, lunging forward with mouth wide to try to sink her teeth into the woman's arm.