"I always knew you were trouble."
"Likewise. What kind of mother disowns her own son? What kind of mother so openly dislikes him? So openly criticizes him? So openly hates him?" It was for the better that Kayden was in the backyard with her cousin and aunt right now. She didn't need to be exposed to this kind of bloodshed. And Sara fully intended to rip this woman apart if it meant protecting her family. If it meant protecting Caleb. This threat was reassured by the two daggers that had been slid loose from her sleeves. Each one found a place in her palm with a single blade pointed towards the delinquent. "Kayden deserves a better grandmother than you."
"Like you or any of John's crooks give a damn about her. She deserves better than what she got: a father obsessed with a life of crime. She'll probably have to live in denial forever because of him." A scowl crosses the elderly woman's face. This, however, was quick to shift into a smirk. "Well, dearie. If you feel that way. . Then, why don't you come say that to my face?"
Hazel was more than happy to oblige. A concoction was swiftly tossed to the floor and shattered upon impact. A harmless smoke rose into the air and began to spread at an alarming rate. It was also more than enough to cloak the rogue woman from sight. She wasn't much of a fighter, admittedly. She preferred shadow tactics and the occasional assassination in dark alleyways instead. Her specialty was more with toxins and less with confrontation. Violence ran in her blood, however. This was true for almost everyone in Thorn City, both young and old. "You're a hypocrite fueled by violence, Sara Nieve!"
"And you're a coward unwilling to face consequences." A body came from somewhere above with a curved dagger aimed downward. The elderly woman had barely lifted her own weapon to deflect the weak attack. Their clash was more than enough to stagger Hazel backwards, however. This was quickly followed by the potion master back stepping and disappearing into the smoke once more. The miasma, meanwhile, continued to spread until it covered most of the living room. Sara was quite clearly at a disadvantage here. Not that it was going to stop her, however. She wasn't going to let Hazel hurt Caleb or her grandson. "What do you know of this takeover?"
"That is none of your concern." An unseen smile flashed as a dagger ripped through the fog from behind Sara. The elderly woman was quick to dodge with a strife, however. Her hand was then swiftly raised to catch Hazel's arm which had arced downward for a stab. One of her own weapons was carelessly dropped onto the floor during this. The other dagger, meanwhile, came upright to strike Hazel's stomach. Based on the cry and horrific shade of crimson that was to follow, it definitely hit its mark. Sara's grip on the rogue tightened. "H-Hey! L-Let me go!"
The fog, which was only good for sixty seconds or less, was already beginning to lift. Sara hadn't doubted that Hazel had another trick hidden up her sleeve though. There was no way that one of John's cronies would surrender so easily. That didn't matter though. Sara hardly had a need for answers and had even less interest in defeating the younger woman. She only needed to distract Hazel until Jake, Caleb, Edward, and Rainbow returned from the Great Oak. "I won't let go until you answer my question."
"Like hell I'll answer any of your questions." Hazel's pathetic attempt at resistance continued as the crimson wound expanded against her shirt. Spit was directed towards the elderly woman's face in the process. How rude. Not that Sara expected anything less from small time crooks. "I'll never betray the son that you abandoned!"
A twisted smirk crossed Sara's face then. "I suppose that I'll just have to force the truth out of you then."