"What?" he hisses back, pulled away but a snake about to strike and he doesn't--he needs to stop himself except, "that you're so manipulable into a puppet?"

He bobs to one side, head in the slither motion as he continues sharply, "That I'm concerned someone else is going to use you exactly how I intend to? Little footsoldier. Little spy. Your naivety getting anyone to tell you anything, and something in all of that drivel one day is going to be useful!"