"And<em>how</em>do you expect me to believe that?" Finexia asked dangerously, taking him by the throat with one hand, staring him in the eyes. "I made an honest, relatively reasonable offer. And you tried to run away. You obviously were planning to just abandon the spellbook and your guide and breaking your word. So<em>how</em>can I trust a single word out of your mouth, other than the fact you want to live?"