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“Now.” I talk to the crowd of zagfers. “Let this be a lesson to all of you! Yiosha’s death is an example of what will happen to all of you if you disobey the rules of this household! And those rules include respecting Althia as my mate. If any of you have a problem with me mating with a human, I suggest that you remain quiet and go home. Then do not come back tomorrow for work.”
The zagfers are quiet.
“I will enjoy this,” I say to Yiosha, who is still groaning.“No one threatens or hurts my mate and gets away with it. You do realize how worthless you are? Don’t you? You could have been going home to be with your children now. You could have lived a good life. We would have treated you well. But because of your misplaced loyalty, you have ended your own life.”
I look at Enilea then. She looks directly at me. Her eyes are hard and she has squared her shoulders.
“I am sure some of you won’t be showing up for work tomorrow.” I speak to Enilea instead of to the crowd. She will be my emissary.
“Make sure every zagfer who comes to look for work here knows exactly what they will get themselves into.”
And after those words, I start to kill Yiosha.
My goal is to make her death as painful as possible. And she is already in a lot of pain, so it will not be that difficult.
Althia walks to the far side of the room with Nexus at her heels, finding a window to look out of. She does not look back at me as I begin my bloodletting, and I cannot fault her for that.
The first kick lands directly on Yiosha’s lower stomach. A steady stream of urine escapes her as I keep kicking her right above her genitals.
I move onto the rest of her body, and I bring my weight down on each of her limbs.
Blood trickles from her nose and mouth, and her throat must stop working because she starts to cough.
She’s choking on it, I think with satisfaction as I kick her in the head.
Some of the zagfers are openly weeping now, not caring if this will get them punished later.
They are crying because they’re afraid that this is their future. Not because they loved Yiosha.
I think this to myself as Yiosha’s ribs give way beneath my feet. Her broken ribs must pierce something vital because her breathing becomes little more than shudders. Dark elves are made to be sturdy, and while I am certain that I have just dealt a killing blow, her death will not be swift.
I will not hasten it along any further, either. I want her to have time to regret what she’s done.
Three of the female zagfers run out of the room, sobbing noisily with their hands covering their faces.
When I look at my mother, her face is strained, the skin stretched tight across her face, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
She looks like she’s going to be sick, I think to myself, and I cannot help but smile.
I leave the body alone then. It is crumpled up and looks like a children’s rag doll.
I glance over at Enilea, who surprisingly hasn’t left the room crying.
“You’re going to be Althia’s personal servant from now on,” I tell Enilea. “You are clearly a strong young woman,” I tell her.
Enilea looks at me with dark eyes before nodding emotionlessly.
“Now,” I tell Enilea and two of the zagfers next to her. “Please take the body and clean it up for her family. Then come clean up the room.”
“And open the windows please,” Althia calls from her far window. Her voice wavers when she speaks. “Open all of them.” Enilea nods again, although Althia cannot see her, and turns away to begin her preparations.
“Oh, and Enilea?” I ask, stopping her. “Arrange for a dividend to be paid to Yiosha’s mate and children in the wake of her death. She has dishonored them and herself, but innocent children will not starve because of her spinelessness and stupidity.”
Althia turns as I finish my demand, and our eyes lock across the room. Her surprise is evident, and a part of me takes great pleasure in that shock.
Good. She should know now that nothing is too depraved an action when it comes to her safety.
But she should also know that I will not use her name as an excuse to do something she would not.
