Caedus shook his head, as if he were dealing with a particularly clumsy and dense student. "I"m afraid, Alema, that that simply isn't good enough. You're a good liar, and I simply don't hear any sincerity in your voice."
Nor feel any in her. Nor feel that she had quite learned her lesson. He took out a knife, flashing it in her face. As her eyes widened in fear, he tsked. "No, no, Alema. This isn't for your face. I have something else in mind."
As he took the knife to her damaged brain-tail, the one that had been significantly shortened, he idly thought his flunkies would appreciate having the skin already open. The razor-thin edge of the knife certainly helped him get into each pore and open it up.