Upsetting the child even further is the last thing Azem ever wanted, and for all that Paul puts on a skillful show of guilt she has no need for exaggerations or falsehoods; her expression falters, shifting from steely determination to shame. She has never been overly skilled at restraining her emotions, and while her honesty has served her well enough over the years it has also gotten her into more than her fair share of trouble.

"My apologies, little one." Paul receives no such apology, because Azem holds no remorse for him. "I will try to keep my tone in check."

With that said, however, she still refuses to keep her concerns to herself. She just needs to approach the matter in a different way—

"Do you believe everyone to be bad?"