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         Zoey listened to Zalika. She didn't flinch when she snapped at her. Her eyes never moved from hers. She just listened to the Princess as she spoke. Absorbing what she said. Zoey began to think. It was true that Zalika was scary but maybe that's what drawn her to her. For Zoey , she said it this way.
If she really didn't like her she could have simply ignored her. If she were truly feared the way she said, she would not be married lest her husband was either seriously whipped or twisted in his own right. No. Zalika probably wanted to be that way and therefore push people away and it would work on most people. Say for someone light hearted and naive like Cortez would have stammered but No. Not Zoey. She was young but she was mature and not only that.
She liked a challenge.
Princess Zalika was definitely that and she would be her mentor.
One way or another. If child like tactics didn't work, which for Zoey, it usually did. She'd find some way to get her way. Some would call that spoiled. Maybe she was but Zoey didn't care for labels.

Throwing away her child like act of stammering and begging for empathy. Zoey's entire presence changed. From then on, Zoey treated this conversation like a chess match. Which Zoey took a little pride in. She got Zalika's attention. Not only that, She got her to talk to her, tell her what she liked and didn't and she'd given her a choice. She'd fallen for Zoey's gambit and now Zoey had the advantage.
Zoey's eyes never left Zalika's. “I didn't ask for a mother. I asked for a mentor.” She said, playing toward Zalika's wanting of respect. “I prefer fear.” She said simply. She knew this next play was a dangerous one. This would either get her killed or exactly want she wanted. Either way. She'd have Zalika's undivided attention.
“As for my abilities. I believe that is for you to decide.” She said and touched her hands to Zalika's arm. The world around them shifted and they were standing in Zoey's old bed room. “ You may shoot me for this, but, I figured. Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” She said feigning humility. She smiled at the Princess.

---

Cortez looked at Silas. “O-Kay, Hello to you too.” He said rubbing the back of his neck. “ Anyway, Lina, I just wanted to let you know Zoey's sa-” It was then he felt a pulse. He had a strange connection to Zoey and he could tell when something wasn't right. It wasn't like he was knew if she was in trouble and it wasn't like he knew anything specific. He just knew something wasn't right. She was up to something. Zoey could be scary sometimes. He sighed. Ah...Zoey...What the hell? He thought. “ Uh, Sorry. Safe. Is what I was going to say. If you wanted to finally meet her.” he said with a shrug. She and Zoey hadn' t met yet. Cortez would talk non-stop about them to each other them, so it was about time they met.

         

"You must be joking." Zalika canted her head to the left before squatting down so that she was eye level with the child. She flicked the dark panther ears that replaced the ears that used to be on the side of her head. "People fear me. They are wary and try their best to avoid me. I am not outgoing nor am I a kind woman. I am harsh and judgemental. I hit children your age when they misbehave. I have pulled guns on them just for getting on my nerves. Is this what you want? To grow to be silent and hateful? For others to listen mostly out of fear? I care not whether people like me - Only that they respect and fear me. It is fear that prevents mutiny. You want a better mentor for leading? Go to Cataleia. You want a mother? Go to Cataleia. You want to learn more about your powers? Go to Orfelina. I don't have the patience to play mommy right now. How do I know you're strong enough to be worth my time? I have little patience for childlike attitudes. You are not the first to ask - What makes you so special? Why me?"

Zalika grilled the girl like she was a fish. She wasn't one that was known for kindness or patience. It was rare that either of those virtues were expressed towards anyone that she didn't grow up with. She looked the girl right in her eyes, her own strangely mystic blue and green ones smoldering. "You can lead with love or fear. What is your choice?"

Cataleia waved absent-mindedly to Melody on her way back downstairs, heatedly spouting Portuguese at her father on the phone, heading outdoors with Buck close behind. Markus watched from above before dropping from his perch and landing with acrobatic grace, startling those who didn't see him. He snarled at them before disappearing in a cloud of orange smoke. He reappeared near the garages in a tree adjacent to where Florence was drawing. He watched with a canted head, his yellow-orange eyes gleaming with devilish mischief.

Silas ignored Cortez, roughly brushing past the boy to his sister. The two shared a long and tight hug, whispering to each other in a language that seemed to be a mix of some Native American, Italian, and French. Silas then held his sister at arm's length, smiling fondly before kissing the top of her head. Turning to leave, he regarded Cortez with a cold and hateful stare, baring fangs and growling before shoving past him again. Silas and Orfelina had a very close bond and they had both literally killed to protect each other from any and all harm - Physical, mental, and emotional. Silas didn't like the way Cortez's pheromones spiked when he saw Lina. It made him want to incinerate the kid.

He stepped back outside, not pausing as he spoke. "It's rude to eavesdrop, Florence. Nor is it polite to spy, Markus." He had smelt them both, not needing to look to know where they were. He ran his fingers through his black hair as he went on.

Julio winked and waved as the older man headed to bed. He learned that his name was Oliver and he was recently divorced. The Brazilian-Cajun chuckled, slinking his way over to Melody and her group of techies. "Hey. Guys." He wasn't the best English speaker and had only began to learn seven months ago how to speak it.

         

Wrong place, sorry. V.V