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"And what was it you took from him," she asked.

"Come on, haven't you been paying attention," Avarice said.

Za'Fia thought momentarily, then remembered him saying something about Tymon and Michael's marks being different.

"His mark," she said aloud.

"Yup, I absorbed the power from it," Avarice confirmed. "I tried taking yours too before you died, but that's when I realized I could only hold power from three, including my own. Attempting to take yours almost killed me. Sadly, I gave up on my dream of obtaining our creator's power after this revelation. However, since I couldn't physically hold the power myself, I settled for having it under my control. So, the Primordials who don't fall in line will become subjects in my experiments as I attempt to remove their marks and place them on my High Gods. After which, they'll die, of course."

"Is that why you wanted me here unharmed? What's my part in your disgusting plan," Za'Fia asked as she backed away from the glass.

The room went still as everyone, but Junichiro looked at each other awkwardly. Verin was now in Za'Fia's line of sight again and was looking – was that envy? It was hard to tell with the anger mixed in.

Avarice cleared his throat. He then spoke to Za'Fia in a softer tone.

"I am the most powerful being on the planet, have reached my goal of surpassing the Primordials, and am now the richest man on Earth. My influence is worldwide since TekTra is involved with selling or producing everything from floss to nuclear warfare – I've even created a drug that every world leader will want to get their hands on, and soon, the few individuals who still oppose me will either be under my control or dead. It's not much of a stretch to be seen as the king of the world. What I'm searching for now is a queen. Who better than the most beautiful of the Primordials, and with your potential, you could become the most powerful woman on the planet after I teach you how to feed."

"Whoa," Za'Fia said, repulsed. "So, for the others, it's obey you or be tortured then killed, and as for me, I'm expected to become your queen and, what, give birth to your prince or princess?"

"You're sick, and it's not happening," she exclaimed.

Avarice's expression hardened, causing a sudden shiver to run through Za'Fia's spine.

"For your sake, I truly hope you change your mind," he said, almost as if warning her.

"Why don't you take Verin as your queen? You both have worked with each other for so long already."

Avarice looked at Verin sympathetically.

"Long ago, Verin confirmed we couldn't procreate with humans. She tried and forever lost her one chance to give birth," he explained.

Za'Fia thought that was weird since Viraa was able to do it. Viraa said she needed to constantly supply the human with her spirit energy so the baby could have the energy it needed to thrive and the human could survive the pregnancy.

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But that wouldn't be an issue for Verin since, as a klevonian, she would've already had plenty of energy....unless it was the problem was the opposite. The baby would've been half human-half klevonian, so maybe the human side couldn't thrive in the immense amount of energy inside a klevonian. If she was right, only male klevonians could procreate with humans.

Za'Fia was about to tell Avarice, but then she figured it was best he continued to believe he couldn't.

"Didn't you kiss Damien a couple of decades ago when your company supported one of his causes?" Za'Fia said in an attempt to goad him.

She wanted the topic to change to anything else.

"Damien kissed me. And it's not like many on the planet can resist his particular power," Avarice replied dryly.

"Well, I hope you have someone else as a backup because I'm not interested," Za'Fia said.

Avarice didn't respond. He just gave her a look like he wasn't taking her answer seriously, which annoyed Za'Fia.

"For someone being rejected by his perfect queen, you're being oddly calm about it," she stated.

This made Avarice laugh.

"You're far from being my 'perfect queen.' Though you are the one with the greatest potential to become it."

Za'Fia hadn't noticed she'd gotten closer to the glass until Avarice stepped forward and stared directly into her eyes. Trying to break the hold of his gaze was like swimming in a hazel-colored sea. She could feel its ancient, powerful currents moving in the depths as its waves tried to force her under.

"Also, I'm over 8,000 years old. I know a thing or two about patience. I'm sure you'll come around,' he said softly.

At first, Za'Fia thought he could somehow use Order on her, but then she realized it was just her mind being captivated by his mystical allure. She didn't spend much time around other Primordials besides Tymon, so she hadn't thought to mentally prepare herself for something like this—especially one who was this old and powerful.

Luckily thinking of Tymon helped her break his gaze.

"8,000, huh? I'm only 184. Doesn't this seem a little predatory," Za'Fia said in another attempt to change the subject.

She hoped one of the two overzealous ones would step in this time.

Finally, Verin snapped.

Her eyes glowed silvery purple as she walked toward Za'Fia.

"That's enough of your nonsense," she hissed.

Suddenly, Za'Fia felt weak and unable to muster her strength. As she sunk to the floor, she needed to lean on the glass to support herself.

"The fact that you have the nerve to say something so hypocritical to Avarice," Verin said as she loomed over Za'Fia. "Tymon's a fraction of your age, so using your logic, what does that make you?"

Predictably, Junichiro was next to defend Avarice.

"You should be grateful that someone as unique and powerful as Father would have any interest in someone as unbelievably ordinary and weak as you," he practically spat.

Za'Fia gave a weak chuckle before speaking.

"The girl that makes the most sense to be by her sovereign's side squandered her chance to give him a real progeny, he basically had to make his so-called 'children' out of test tubes using an inferior race, and now he knows there're only three people on the entire planet who could give him an heir, but he'd have to kidnap them and hope they develop Stockholm syndrome to get anywhere with them because he also wants to subjugate or kill them," she looked directly at Junichiro. "Your 'Father,' as you like to call him, is just another narcissistic egomaniac. There's nothing special about him, which apparently, he's known since he was born."

Junichiro clutched the thing on his waist, which Za'Fia now realized was probably a sword.

"Go ahead, do it," she said. "If I'm so weak, why go through this much trouble to keep me docile."

Junichiro's eyes began to glow a dark purple as some of his spirit energy slowly oozed out of him.

"Stand down," Avarice said to Verin and Junichiro. His tone made it clear it wasn't a suggestion.

Before Za'Fia could say something else, a buzzer went off.

A familiar voice spoke into the mike on the other side of the double doors.

"Hello? Ms. V, Lord Avarice? I've brought the perpetrator."