Now is the perfect opportunity to turn the sharper edge of her tongue outward. But she bites back the urge, even if there's a tightness around her eyes that voices her displeasure just the same, and the hand holding the grenade lowers.

"Your friend seemed to think differently. We'd already discussed terms. My magic for his technology. I understand if he didn't relay that information to you, but my inquiry is genuine."

Still, she's respecting the boundaries here, staying precisely where she is and not a step closer. She's just not going to let herself be chased away that readily.