Mated (The Queen's War #1)

Chapter 17

Perci tried to ignore the hostile stares she was getting from the female legionnaires as she changed into some basic workout gear, but it was difficult when she could feel their judgemental gazes drilling into her back. She almost wished she'd taken up Iknaya's offer of accompanying her into the changing rooms of the arena, but it screamed too much of cowardice and no doubt her standing with this particular group of female legion would be even worse.

Over and over again, she'd tried racking her brain for what she could have possibly done to have made such a bad impression on people she'd never even spoken to, but she could only deduce that they simply didn't think she was good enough for their King. In truth, she often thought the same, but the level of hostility she was being subjected to was a little overboard.

Bending down, she finished tying the laces of her borrowed trainers and took a deep breath for courage before side-stepping everybody to go through to the pit. It was silent in the room as she navigated her way around gym bags and half-nude bodies, but the instant she walked into the short tunnel that would open up to the pit, she heard whispers emanating from behind. The curious part of her wanted to eavesdrop and find out what their problems were, but she didn't want to risk getting caught doing something so juvenile.

Instead, she soldiered on and stepped out into the brightly lit pit. Unlike before when she'd been in the stands, now she stood beneath the enormous curved ceiling and was a little intimidated by the structure.

She'd been so eager for her training session that she'd left and gotten ready a lot earlier than Abaddon had asked her to. So now she was a little out of sorts, unsure of what to do. Not wanting to waste time and actually look as lost as she felt, Perci moved to a section of the pit that had mats laid out in two neat rows. They reminded her of the gym mats from her primary school days. Then whilst keeping an eye on the various entrances to the pit for Abaddon, she began to stretch out her limbs in a simple warm-up routine.

Five minutes later, Perci lifted her head when she sensed someone nearing her and instead of Abaddon saw the braided demoness who had snubbed her the last time she had been in the arena.

"My Queen." She said and though the words were correct the tone was definitely not. Perci narrowed her eyes. She'd never had the time or patience with bullies as a human, now that she was a demon, even less so.

"Was there something you wanted?" She straightened and crossed her arms.

The other women from the changing rooms were far enough away that it was clear they didn't publically stand with the demoness, but close enough that they could hear every wood exchanged.

"There are many things I want, little Queen." Perci immediately remembered Lucan's words about expecting respect and decided to take a punt at being uncharacteristically curt instead of ignoring the woman's rudeness.

"Do not refer to me as that again." She said calmly.

"And what will you do to me if I do?" She tilted her head, eying her fragile human body. "I could take you down without blinking."

"Yes, you could." Perci agreed and her reply seemed to surprise the other woman. "That's why I'm here, to get stronger."

"Do you think a few simple sessions with our Second will be enough to compensate for your pathetic human weakness?"

"I don't know whether you have been living under a rock or not, but I am not human any longer."

The demoness scoffed.

"You're as good as and as weak as a child. Had I known volunteering for the King's legion to collect his Queen would culminate in you, I wouldn't have bothered."