The Revenant Queen (wlw)

Chapter Eight

Adira studied them with a deep scowl, the human along with the panting furball tied to the leash at her side. The girl who once again reeked of stale booze and pungent humans stood still.

The sight of her was refreshing to the Queen. She would've been confused about why but after diving into her archives earlier, the woman understood the familiarity.

"What in the nine layers of hell is that monstrosity?" The queen questioned viciously though, her solid eyes never budging from the dog's teddy bear-like face.

"Jesus, have you nothing nice to say about me?" Colette retorted, tugging on the hem of her shirt attempting to cover herself, inciting the woman to snap her eyes to her. She lifted a brow in confusion. She understood eventually what she said and knew the girl thought her words were aimed at her.

"This time I was not referring to you, but that thing you have at your side." The woman emphasized thing with scorn and it angered the dog's owner.

"I'll have you know that Lottie is not a thing or a monstrosity, she's my pumpkin," Colette defended with an attitude, rolling her eyes which unexpectedly amused the queen. She was already tepid inside, tempted to amuse herself with some sort of punishment for the unapologetically rude little thing who was atrociously dressed but she repressed the need.

"A monstrosity indeed because things like that, well they bark all night long, ruin furniture, shit everywhere and shed that God awful fur,"

"You must be one miserable bitch," whispered Colette, feeling brave now that she knew she had nothing to lose.

Despite her whisper, Adira heard the rebellious phrase and froze. She gritted her teeth.

"Usually such blatant disrespect is rebuked and is punishable but since you're new here I'll spare you this once."

From her perception of the girl, Adira knew the unfortunate human was one to challenge authority and spew impertinent phrases. And if it was anything she hated more, it was an uncouth individual who didn't know their place. The woman already dealt with a horde of those rebellious people, one more added to the list threatened to make her explode, flipping a table or busting a fuse.

"I don't even know anything about you or these people but you're already thinking of punishing me, tyrant much?" Asked the girl. She observed the older man she finally laid eyes on, he was quiet. He also looked tired, but still stood there.

"You don't have to know who I am to conduct yourself appropriately, Miss Rivers."

"You sound like my mother," Colette stated unrepentantly.

The queen wanted to roll her eyes at the disrespect but chose to restrain herself. Such a break in her character would encourage the girl's insubordinate behaviour.

Clasping her hands behind her back, choosing meekness instead, Adira strolled directly in front of the girl. Colette was significantly shorter. Her green eyes were still misted with grief, anger and inebriation, her pale slightly round face depicted her youthfulness. Adira estimated from the girl's attitude and the youngish features that she was probably in her early twenties or barely even twenty at all. Young nevertheless.

Reverting to the hurt she recognized in those emerald eyes the woman understood why. She wasn't sorry for the girl's troubles because technically she had nothing to do with them but what she had was a willingness to help alleviate the pain soon if the rebel was compliant enough. After all, she had some skills that could be useful to Colette.

"It's come to my attention that we've not been properly introduced, Miss Rivers,"

"I don't see the need to be."