Chapter 17

Theanna was once again sitting on her throne, a pissed off look on her face as she looked at the three Daemoni that Amelia brought before her. Her Royal Guard had them restrained and on their knees.

“I’m told that you wish to see me dead and Reniac ruling over the Dark Realms. Amelia tells me that you believe he'll establish you as Princes of your own realms. You're fools!” she snarled. “Reniac only wishes to see the Dark Realms and all in it destroyed. He wishes to unmake every realm in existence and then to remake all creatures so that they serve the Titans and the Titans alone.”

“Lies!” the one in the middle spat at her. He was obviously the leader of the three. They were part of her palace staff and had hidden their disloyalty from all. The lies and damage they'd done pissed her off more than anything. If they weren't remorseful she was going to have to make an example of them.

Theanna rolled her eyes at him. “Seriously, when have I lied? Have I ever done anything to make your lives harder? Have I ever treated any of you unfairly?” Theanna watched as they refused to answer her. Anger and frustration filled her completely. “So instead of answering me you wish to be labeled traitors, why?”

“You're a filthy hybrid who isn't fit to wear that crown nor should I be forced to serve you as if you're above me. Reniac will destroy you and anyone who fights him. You're trash! Filthy hybrid trash!” the leader of the three spat at her.

“And the two of you that haven't spoken, do you wish to remain silent or do you wish to defend your name?” Theanna asked the two remaining Daemoni.

When they refused to answer she sighed deeply. “Fine. Then this is my judgment. You'll be taken to my dungeons where Cazikel will see to you until you're dead. This death will be the final death. You’ll not move on nor will you be reborn. Your existence in the Realms is over. As a warning to all who are disloyal, your heads will be mounted on a spike above a plaque listing all of your crimes to me and to the Dark Realms.”

With a nod to her guard, the three Daemoni were taken from her throne room and down to the dungeons. Sitting back on her throne she took a brief moment to close her eyes and relax. She hated times like these. She knew she couldn't please everyone all of the time but the fact that they wanted to see her dead was beyond her understanding. Everything she did was to make the Dark Realms better for all Daemoni and for all beings. She didn't require any Daemoni to serve her at her palace. None were slaves to her.

“'Heavy is the head that wears the crown' seems to be more true now than ever before,” Damian stated as he walked into the throne room.

Theanna smiled tiredly as she looked at him. “That it is, especially when I have to be the bitch they think me to be.”

“Let's take a walk, my Queen,” he smiled at her gently as he took her hand in his.

Letting him lead her out of the throne room she noted they didn't head to their rooms. Instead, Theanna realized that her mate was leading her outside towards the large training grounds that sat behind her palace. “Where are we going, Dnirya?”

“Well, it seems to me you need an outlet for your frustration and anger. I thought we might teach these Daemoni brats a thing or two about hand-to-hand combat training. Do you remember when you were channeling training personalities after the Ahriman?”

“Yeah, there were a bunch. Most are only a fuzzy blur, why?”

“You channeled a particularly talented personality. One proficient in the baton that bested the Centurion Commander.”

“Ah yes! I remember her. Brielle. A lot of my combat experience comes from the D Corp training as her. Ahh wait, are you wanting to spar using batons?” Thea asked with a smirk.

Damian chuckled as they arrived at the training grounds. “I thought it could be a fun way to get a lot of your frustrations out.” Bringing forth two large batons he handed one to his mate with a smile.

“Ok, but remember Brielle was a badass with the baton. If I access her skills I make no promises to go easy on you, husband,” Theanna snarked as she noticed that several Daemoni legionnaires came out to watch.

“That's what I'm hoping for, Zoqa. Shall we?” Damian asked as he squared off with an evil grin.

“Let's,” she replied as she took up the same beginning stance. Right before Damian attacked, she noticed a slight twitch in his arm, giving him away to her.

Meeting him strike for strike, the batons clanged over and over, moving faster than the human eye could track. They made whistling sounds as they cut through the air and clashed back and forth as they attacked and defended. Damian and Theanna spun, they flipped, they moved around obstacles, never once taking their eyes off of each other.

Hezin came out to watch, silently rooting for his Queen. She was an amazing female and his Prince was a lucky Daemoni. He could only hope that one day he would meet someone truly extraordinary like his Queen. The baton was larger than she was yet she wielded it as if it were a part of her, an extension of her arms and body.

Damian was no slouch either. Back and forth he moved, attacking and defending as he held his own and several times it looked as if he had her at a disadvantage. As Theanna spun the baton in a move meant to distract, Damian suddenly blocked the move mid-spin with a chuckle.

Using the baton, Thea suddenly flipped over Damian and came at him from behind. Blocking her attack from behind, Damian spun around and using his sheer strength he slashed the baton down at his mate. Thea blocked his move. The more they spared the more it was obvious that they were evenly matched as they once again attacked and blocked each other's moves. Suddenly they stopped as they stared at each other, panting heavily from their exertion.

Thea broke out in a broad smile as she commented, “My Dnirya, my one and only Prince, my mate, my husband. Why does it not surprise me at all that we are the most perfectly matched sparring partners?”

“Because for once fate knew what it was doing, my beautiful Zoqa, my Queen,” Damian smiled as he kissed his mate deeply in front of every Daemoni. Breaking the kiss, he said loudly, “Your Queen! There’s no one in all the Realms that deserves our loyalty like Theanna, High Queen of the Dark Realms!”

“FOREVER OUR QUEEN!” came the reply as a roar that could be heard by all near the palace.

Theanna smiled at her legionnaires. Putting her hands up to quiet them she said, “My wonderful Daemoni, continue to train and prepare because soon we’ll make sure that it's known in every corner of all of the realms that to incur our wrath means certain death and destruction. The Dark Realms are vital to the realms but we won't be controlled or threatened. WE ARE LEGIONS! WE ARE MANY! WE ARE DAEMONI!”

“WE ARE DAEMONI! FOREVER LOYAL! FOREVER OUR QUEEN!”