EXCERPT
Queen Adrielle
“Where is Abanthe?” I sneer, stalking closer to the demon.
“My Queen, he’s…” the creature stutters, backing away from me. His red eyes widen in fear. The darkness within me moves restlessly, sensing weakness. If I don’t keep it at bay, it will attack before I’m ready to release it.
“When I ask you a question, I expect you to answer immediately. SPEAK!”
The creature before me falls to his knees. The weight of my magic pressing into him, making him tremble. Even the thickness of his blackened skin and metal wings are no match against my power. How can it be? I created him, I can destroy him just as easily.
“Abanthe was defeated. He’s dead…” the creature responds, his voice quivering in fear.
“Dead?! How is he dead? My magic can’t be defeated. You’re mistaken.” I snarl. My hands curl into fists as the darkness of my magic erupts from my fingertips. Black smoke curls around my wrists, a snake slithering upwards.
The creature before me lifts his head and raises a trembling hand. It makes me sick. He is weak. Fear has no place in my presence. Fear has kept him alive… but not for much longer.
I flick my wrist and his body rises off the floor. He’s weightless in front of me as though hanging by an invisible rope. With a twist of my hand his head turns to the side and his eyes bulge from their sockets. The creature’s hands fly to his throat trying to release the grip I have on him, but his fingers find no purchase against my magic.
From his cracked and broken lips, a thick black tongue pokes free. I could kill him now, it wouldn’t take much effort. But there are things I must know and he’s the only one left of the three demons I sent to assist Abanthe in destroying those bastard angels.
A gurgling noise loosens from his mouth and I release my grip slightly. I do it only to find out what happened, after that he is useless. The creature, whose name I forget, draws in deep, gasping breaths.
“Speak.” It is not a request, but a demand. My magic flows down his open mouth and pulls the words from him. He coughs and splutters at the forced entry as the words are stolen from him.
“We were ambushed by the Dark Knights of Clan Lux…” he says quickly, the rasp in his voice coiled with my magic.
“What?!” I interrupt. The rage boils inside my chest as this demon pays for their betrayal. He howls in pain as I snap one of his arms. The pathetic creature whimpers. He even has the gall to beg for his life.
“My Queen, please,” he simpers.
“SPEEAAAKKKK!” I roar, my magic flares out of me. The coiling snake turns into obsidian flames up my arm, exciting me even though I’m angry enough to rip my kingdom to shreds. I snap his fingers one by one as my magic reaches down his throat once more. He gags, his blackened tongue thickened by my magic.
“Tell me about those bastards. Tell me what you saw.” I draw back my magic just enough for him to speak.
“The whore they escaped with from the castle was fighting by their side,” he gasps, sucking in a breath.
“The one they ran away with? Who is she? This woman they risk everything for?” It is not a question I expect him to answer. I’ve been going over and over the circumstances of that day. “I am Queen. I am powerful. I am beautiful. I hold their lives in my hands and yet they risk everything for this woman. They betray me for her. What possessed them to make such a choice, my most trusted Dark Knights, my most feared Angels of Death? My brother?”
“Not just them, my Queen…” the demon rasps. He swallows hard.
“Where is Abanthe?” I sneer, stalking closer to the demon.
“My Queen, he’s…” the creature stutters, backing away from me. His red eyes widen in fear. The darkness within me moves restlessly, sensing weakness. If I don’t keep it at bay, it will attack before I’m ready to release it.
“When I ask you a question, I expect you to answer immediately. SPEAK!”
The creature before me falls to his knees. The weight of my magic pressing into him, making him tremble. Even the thickness of his blackened skin and metal wings are no match against my power. How can it be? I created him, I can destroy him just as easily.
“Abanthe was defeated. He’s dead…” the creature responds, his voice quivering in fear.
“Dead?! How is he dead? My magic can’t be defeated. You’re mistaken.” I snarl. My hands curl into fists as the darkness of my magic erupts from my fingertips. Black smoke curls around my wrists, a snake slithering upwards.
The creature before me lifts his head and raises a trembling hand. It makes me sick. He is weak. Fear has no place in my presence. Fear has kept him alive… but not for much longer.
I flick my wrist and his body rises off the floor. He’s weightless in front of me as though hanging by an invisible rope. With a twist of my hand his head turns to the side and his eyes bulge from their sockets. The creature’s hands fly to his throat trying to release the grip I have on him, but his fingers find no purchase against my magic.
From his cracked and broken lips, a thick black tongue pokes free. I could kill him now, it wouldn’t take much effort. But there are things I must know and he’s the only one left of the three demons I sent to assist Abanthe in destroying those bastard angels.
A gurgling noise loosens from his mouth and I release my grip slightly. I do it only to find out what happened, after that he is useless. The creature, whose name I forget, draws in deep, gasping breaths.
“Speak.” It is not a request, but a demand. My magic flows down his open mouth and pulls the words from him. He coughs and splutters at the forced entry as the words are stolen from him.
“We were ambushed by the Dark Knights of Clan Lux…” he says quickly, the rasp in his voice coiled with my magic.
“What?!” I interrupt. The rage boils inside my chest as this demon pays for their betrayal. He howls in pain as I snap one of his arms. The pathetic creature whimpers. He even has the gall to beg for his life.
“My Queen, please,” he simpers.
“SPEEAAAKKKK!” I roar, my magic flares out of me. The coiling snake turns into obsidian flames up my arm, exciting me even though I’m angry enough to rip my kingdom to shreds. I snap his fingers one by one as my magic reaches down his throat once more. He gags, his blackened tongue thickened by my magic.
“Tell me about those bastards. Tell me what you saw.” I draw back my magic just enough for him to speak.
“The whore they escaped with from the castle was fighting by their side,” he gasps, sucking in a breath.
“The one they ran away with? Who is she? This woman they risk everything for?” It is not a question I expect him to answer. I’ve been going over and over the circumstances of that day. “I am Queen. I am powerful. I am beautiful. I hold their lives in my hands and yet they risk everything for this woman. They betray me for her. What possessed them to make such a choice, my most trusted Dark Knights, my most feared Angels of Death? My brother?”
“Not just them, my Queen…” the demon rasps. He swallows hard.
