Her golden eyes flickered between defiance and something that might have been shame. "I didn't know the walls would be so weak. In my homeland, structures are built to withstand spiritual surges. I never intended—"
"So you're saying," Tianlong interrupted smoothly, "that my architecture is inferior to what you're accustomed to?"
The trap was elegant in its simplicity. Either she insulted his craftsmanship, or she admitted to lacking control over her own power.
"That's not what I—" she began, then stopped, realizing how any answer would sound to the watching crowd.
Tianlong sighed dramatically, playing his role to perfection. "It's fine," he said, his voice carrying just the right note of resigned disappointment.
He turned to address the gathered mortals, his expression shifting to one of apologetic humility. "Forgive me, my people. It's just that I am weaker than this woman, so I cannot punish her for the damage she's caused."
