Page 1 of Awakening Storm

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Theodora extended herscepter, pointing it at the man who was flexing his muscles and puffing out his chest as he stood defiantly before her. He obviously didn’t understand that she was the person to please in Riam. Moloch the Demon Prince himself had tethered her to the alternate universe, and she would rule it as she wished. It didn’t matter that it was a punishment; she was the most powerful being in the realm.

He’d been her lover once. Back then he had truly cared for her and had gifted her with the powers of sorcery, back before she’d made that teeny mistake of falling into bed with his demon brother.

She released a venomous grumble. Every time she thought about it, anger boiled to the surface of her skin. Moloch had maimed her, slicing her with his sword across her shoulder and breasts. She had healed, but the scars were thick, ugly, and permanent. He’d incarcerated her here in the alternate universe, Riam, then allowed her only 600,000 measly square miles of ocean from which to apprehend her subjects. After all, what was a queen without her subjects?

Unfortunately, this stretch of ocean wasn’t very fruitful. She slammed the tip of her staff against the dusty ground. As if many humans passed through the Dragon Vortex!

Her lips twisted into a smirk. At least the name people had given the place was pleasing.

The large man moved before her, drawing her attention back to him. With a swirl of electric-blue energy from her scepter, she lifted him off his feet and held him there. The pained, panic-stricken expression on his face was priceless. When she grew tired of holding her arm up, she let him fall. He immediately crumpled to the ground.

“Stand,” she ordered.

Slowly, he did. This time with none of the confidence he had before. She could smell the acrid scent of fear wafting from his skin. “I am your ruler now. When I say fight, you will fight. To the death.”

He dipped his head, acquiescing to her command.

That’s much better.

She dropped a broad sword at his feet and then lifted her chin, smiling, satisfied the war would go on. She floated to her spectator’s booth and got comfortable. All eyes were on her as she raised the scepter in the air and then let if fall with a crack of thunder.

“Let the war games begin!” she shouted with glee.

The men and women started attacking one another ruthlessly. She liked to pick a favorite, someone vicious and capable of amassing a lot of kills. She scanned the havoc before her, searching for her victor. Screams, sobs, and the sound of bleeding hearts filled her ears.

She wished the game could go on and on. Unfortunately, she’d had to come up with viable game rules, as it were. Since her subjects were limited by supply, each game was shorter than she’d like. And when the game was over, she had to use her magic to revive those who had lost. At least their pain was palpable as they came to life once more.

As the dead began to rise with tortured wails, she smiled before addressing her people. “Now go. Live to battle another day.”