“You,” I said sharply, glaring at the disrespectful soldier. “Come here.”
My voice rang out over the empty square. Adding to his blatant disrespect, the elf did not move. The others in his row shifted away from him, until he kneeled alone, surrounded by a circle of his comrades who refused to look his way.
Still, he did not rise.
With every second that passed, my anger grew. This soldier’s insolence was appalling. Did he somehow think I would allow this to go unpunished? First, he called me a bitch, thinking I wouldn’t hear him. Then he dared stare at me and now, heignoredme as if I were some common temple whore and not the queen of two entire gods-damned countries.
No.
This would not go unseen.
The people of Ithenmyr needed to know who they were dealing with, and this idiot had just volunteered himself for the position.
Hestillremained unmoving.
With the sound of my blood roaring through my ears, what little patience I had snapped. Not that I had much of that, these days. It was tiring, being the supreme ruler of not one, but two countries.
The beast within me growled as I extended my hand. Crimson ribbons tinged with black left my palm, swirling through the air. They shot through the crowd until they reached the insolent elf. He yelped, shooting his own red threads of power towards mine.
As if he thought he could save himself now.
With a twist of my wrist, my magic snuffed his out. He yelled as the ribbons turned into thick red cords, wrapping around him. I moved my hand, beckoning them to bring him to me.
The soldier hovered over the remainder of my army, the magic carrying him to me before dumping him unceremoniously at my feet.
“You,” I snarled. “You dared ignore me.”
His eyes widened and the scent of fear leaked off him, the bitter aroma infiltrating my nostrils.
Now he was scared. Too late.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
He blinked, and his trousers darkened as a puddle formed beneath him.
“Speak!” I commanded him. “You seemed to have no trouble talking a few moments ago.”
Trembling, he croaked, “M-m-my deepest apologies, Y-y-your Majesty.”
Crouching, I bent to his level. He shook so hard that he couldn’t even look at me. “Are you frightened by me now, little elf?”
“Y-y-yes, Your Majesty.” His voice was so quiet, I had to strain to hear him.
“Louder,” I ordered.
“Yes,” he shouted. “I’m frightened.”
I knew what kind of male this one was. The kind who spoke loudly, who thought himself larger than life and better than everyone else. The kind who postured themselves, who pretended like they deserved better than others, simply because they held themselves in high esteem.
These males thought they were the gods’ gift to the world.
I saw right through them. Males like this one were the worst. They were all liars, ridiculously self-absorbed, and when they were stripped down to their core, they were sniveling, connivingcowards.
There was little I hated more than cowards whose “bravery” dried up at the first real threat. There was nothing worse than one who fled his responsibilities—or worse, who killed instead of dealing with them.
I sneered at the soldier trembling before me. He had spoken as though he thought there would be no consequences.
He was wrong.