"Why?" Liora moved closer to the bars until she was inches from him, her eyes glittering with barely contained manic energy. "Does the truth hurt? Does it sting to realize the woman you're avenging wasn't who you thought she was? That your perfect fantasy was built on lies?"
"I said stop."
"Make me," Liora challenged with reckless abandon. "Come in here and make me stop talking. Or better yet, thank me. I just saved you from wasting your grief on a woman who didn't deserve it, who was planning to betray you in the worst possible way."
Thessian's control snapped. He yanked open the cage door with violent force and was on her in two strides, his hand wrapping around her throat and slamming her back against the bars. Not hard enough to cause serious injury, but enough to hurt, enough to remind her of her vulnerability.
Liora didn't flinch. Didn't fight back. Didn't show any fear.
She smiled instead, a sharp and terrible expression.
