"Your father is dead! There's nothing left of him!" Her voice cracked. Malrik calling Marcus "Daddy"—is he stupid?! If Marcus is his father, then is Emma his mother? And who am I supposed to be? Celia felt herself unraveling. "No, you're wrong." Malrik scowled at her. He hated this female. She looked sharp and bitter, and every word she spoke was ugly. He pointed at Marcus. "My daddy is standing right here." Then he looked up at Marcus. "Right, Daddy?" Marcus nodded without blinking. "You're correct." Malrik turned back proudly. "You heard that? Daddy said I'm right."Then he warned Celia. "Old female, don't curse my daddy. If you do, I'll hit you—even if you're a female." Utterly insane! Celia was so furious she almost vomited blood. My own son—my obedient boy—just called me 'old female' and pointed at me, daring me. The elders stared at Malrik as if their world had collapsed. Mr. Malrik… his brain really is broken. One elder stepped forward cautiously. "Mr. Malrik… do you remember who I am?" Malrik looked him up and down, as if he were staring at filth. "I don't know who you are, but I know what you are." "You know who I am?" The elder brightened, excitement flickering in his eyes as if he had just glimpsed hope. Mr. Malrik seemed foolish, but maybe not hopeless. "Yes." Malrik nodded seriously.Then he pointed at Celia. "You're that old female's partner, right?" The elder's face froze, cracked, then turned ghost-white. He leaped back like he'd been stung by a scorpion. "I'm NOT! Don't say nonsense!" Celia finally snapped. "Malrik!" She charged forward. But Emma moved faster. Slap! The sound exploded through the hall—Celia's ears rang, her vision darkened. Pain burned across her cheek as blood seeped from her lip. "You… you hit me?" "Of course." Emma stepped forward and grabbed her by the hair. "And I can kill you, too. Want to try me?" Males couldn't hit females. But females could hit each other. Emma raised her hand and slapped Celia over and over. Her eyes narrowed. "Malrik was the match the Beast God personally chose for me. He is mine. If you dare touch him, none of you will leave here alive." "Emma, how can you hit someone? She's the mother of Mr. Malrik!" The elders panicked and rushed forward—only to freeze when Marcus and Drake glared at them. "So what if she's his mother?" Emma sneered. "I'll hit all of you too." She turned to Marcus and Edric. "Marcus, Edric—go beat these old fools. Beat them until they're unrecognizable. Then send a message to the Enchanter Clan. If they want their elders back, bring treasures to ransom them. If not, leave them here as fertilizer." "Emma, you wouldn't dare!" Celia screamed as Emma overpowered her. Celia was only Rank 6—she stood no chance. She was beaten down again and again, unable to land a single blow. Helpless rage filled her eyes. "Emma! I am Malrik's mother! If you dare kill me, when he wakes, he will never forgive you. Don't even think about forming a bond with him!" "Heh." Emma let out a cold laugh. "You think threats like that scare me?" She wasn't afraid at all. "Then, he can leave. There are plenty of males in Interstellar. I don't need him."