Page 334 - Enders_Game_Full_Book

"Fine," said Ender. "Should I keep the boy or the knife?"
He glanced up at the ceiling, her gaze followed his. "Oh, no, I'm sorry, we looked for it all day yesterday, we knew he had it but we didn't know where."
"It was taped to his leg."
"It wasn't yesterday. We always look there. Please, let go of him."
"Are you sure? I think he's been sharpening his teeth."
"Grego," she said to the boy, "it's wrong to poke at people with the knife." Grego growled in his throat.
"His father dying, you see."
"They were that close?"
A look of bitter amusement passed across her face. "Hardly. He's always been a thief, Grego has, ever since he was old enough to hold something and walk at the same time. But this thing for hurting people, that's new. Please let him down."
"No," said Ender.
Her eyes narrowed and she looked defiant. "Are you kidnapping him? To take him where? For what ransom?"
"Perhaps you don't understand," said Ender. "He assaulted me. You've offered me no guarantee that he won't do it again. You've made no provision for disciplining him when I set him down."
As he had hoped, fury came into her eyes. "Who do you think you are? This is his house, not yours!"
"Actually," Ender said, "I've just had a rather long walk from the praca to your house, and Olhado set a brisk pace. I'd like to sit down."
She nodded toward a chair. Grego wriggled and twisted against Ender's grip. Ender lifted him high enough that their faces weren't too far apart. "You know, Grego, if you actually break free, you will certainly fall on your head on a concrete floor. If there were carpet, I'd give you an even chance of staying conscious. But there isn't. And frankly, I wouldn't mind hearing the sound of your head smacking against cement."
"He doesn't really understand Stark that well," said the girl.