While Simon and Nell are arguing—which is fortunate, perhaps, because this is all Kostos’ version of behaving politely for strangers, and hearing the word hangups might have quickly shifted him to not giving a damn about Petrana’s serene presence or Melys’ relative innocence—Kostos is looking at Melys in a way that’s genuinely baffled, though probably not any less insulting for it.

“You can manage egalitarian,” he says, “but not bruschetta.”

But he also lights the nearest candle on the nearest flat surface, with his hand, in absentminded obedience.