The door opens, and in walks a fairy. He's about Blossom's height, green and white, with wings like porcelain knives and claws on his fingers and an almost lupine face.

"Blossom, don't let him inconvenience you."

Blossom spits out the vial at last.

"Put him out."

Alendi is no longer on fire.

Thorn walks over to Alendi.

"A mortal," he muses. "I suppose I could kill him."

"Hurt him first, Master," says Blossom, hissing.

Thorn runs his claws through her hair. "That goes without saying." He regards Alendi. And then, lightly, like it barely matters, to Alendi: "You may do exactly and only this: speak without omission, enforcement, trick, or other extraneous component a sincere and genuine reason I might not want to torture you to death for inconveniencing my Blossom."