In spite of what youngsters think, parents do not get a sneaky thrill out of punishing their children.
Listen to me, goblin. You're stupid, let's accept that and move on.
Vinyaya was being openly antagonistic, and that was an emotion that could be trusted, unless of course it was a bluff and the commander was a secret fan of his, unless it was a double bluff and she really did feel antagonistic.
That's the last order I'll ever give you Captain. Don't you dare ignore it.
When the moment comes, will you take your chance to be a hero?
The thing about reading is that if you are hooked, you're not going to stop just because one series is over; you're going to go and find something else.