The serpent devil quivered under Athena's fiery gaze, its forked tongue flickering nervously. It hesitated, the words caught in its throat as though speaking them might invite punishment. Athena leaned forward on her throne, her fiery eyes narrowing as a single eyebrow arched, signaling her annoyance.
"Speak," she commanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. "I tire of your stalling."
The devil trembled even more, pressing its head against the bloodied floor in submission. "F-Forgive me, Regent Athena," it stammered. "There is… more to the report."
Athena tilted her head, her fiery hair flickering with the motion, a dangerous curiosity flashing in her burning eyes. "Then speak quickly, before I decide your silence was the wiser choice."