[Realm of Little Alice]
"You really should think before you speak," Alice said softly, her voice gentle in a way that merely felt rehearsed if anything. "Not because I am offended—offense is such a crude, human thing—but because words have consequences here, and you speak as though you are immune to them."
Her voice reached him softly, yet it carried no warmth whatsoever. There was no anger in it, no irritation or any hint of wounded pride—only a flat tone that made the words far more unsettling than if she had shouted them. She lifted her porcelain teacup with an unhurried movement, the motion smooth as she brought it to her lips. She took a brief sip, just enough to wet them, before setting the cup back onto its saucer.
Her vacant eyes rose immediately afterward, latching onto Grimm.
