If it makes you feel better, Shale, Merrill is probably not going to become any Spymaster any time soon.

"Three decades- goodness! That must have been awful, I'm so sorry." She can hardly fault Shale for killing him when he had the golem imprisoned, used as a slave -- when he was able to continue torment even after death.

"Well, I'm glad you don't think I'm not that level of bad, at least; what a horrid man!" He probably never even polished Shale's crystals. "Just tell me if I ever do anything that bothers you, okay?"

Probably doesn't need to be said -- Shale seems pretty blunt.