Phoenix Maplewood The Traveler Meets Her End

There was no power in titles alone; rank meant nothing unless someone was willing to bow to it, and power had to be taken if it was not freely offered. Luke continued not to heed Spring, partially because he was too enraged to, but mostly because she meant nothing to him, and her words were nothing more than background noise. He was busy with the wolf he had pinned, the one too stupid to have taken either of the chances he had given for her to leave. Her efforts to force him back failed completely; she could flail at him all she wanted with her blunt nails as if she thought she was a cat with actual claws. They did nothing.

She was lucky. She was lucky that Saena had impeccable timing, and the command of her words actually did mean something to Luke, whose assault was immediately halted by them. Otherwise, he would have killed her. The opportunity was his. He did not stand back, but he answered Saena promptly while continuing to snarl and glower at the stranger. "This disrespectful idiot refuses to leave though I gave her two chances to do so."