“Say it!” he barked, eyes burning, wanting to draw that last bit of humiliation out of her. He wanted to hear it, wanted that level of control. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to watch her crumble, see her admit her own bleak stupidity, her lack of understanding of the world and learning with his own two eyes. She had to hurt as much as he was, it was the only way to cure it, the perfect bandage for the ego she’d sliced in two when she flinched away. Girl had to realize who was boss! “Speak it,<span style="font-style: italic">child!</span>” he spat the last part like the most venomous insult under the sun, the word sat on his tongue like a mouthful of dirt! Maybe if he said it hard enough it might physically jump out and snap at her.<br/><br/>Neaths scowl deepened. Illiterate! Of course! How did he ever guess!<br/><br/>He sighed, swallowed heavily and shut himself away in whatever small sanctuary he could muster in the deep red space behind his eyelids, forefingers rubbing irritably at his temples.<br/>Calm down.<br/>At his side his slender fingers curled into karanda mundra, a spiritual gesture that talked all about expelling negative energies, a form of meditation that had been making an increasingly common appearance in the latter days of his life as the world made more and more of an active effort to piss him off.<br/><br/>“Fine,” he said softly and opened his eyes, regarding her with a small smile that never quite reached his eyes, “We’re just going to do this vocally then, aren’t we? Speak your name Amora. Don’t question me, say nothing more, nothing less. Just your name,”<br/><br/>A second heartbeat, a dull thrum of magic stirred under his skin, yawning and stretching like an awoken animal, it came with an odd scent; something musty but metallic, like burned pennies.