How miserable. Claudia put on a big pout, brow knit sympathetically, ever so sorry for this little boy who didn't seem to understand, "Did you think you would never face consequences for anything in your whole little life? This is probably really scary for you." The dramatics ended as quickly as they came on, her wide-eyed placidity returning for her to contemplate just how interesting it was that he did seem to be aware how inhuman he was. Not interesting enough to keep her from finding out how much he died like one.

"I am so much better than a human," she assured him gently, so he could believe until the end that he probably could have kept treating the mortals like garbage and never faced punishment. How unlucky that he directed that attitude toward something greater. Her grip tightened impossibly, his hair tearing between her fingers, so she could yank down on his jaw to rip it away just as easily.