Chapter 224: When pride meets power.

As they walked toward the main house, a glowing blue panel automatically unfolded across Zyra’s vision, updating her stats.

[Host Status Panel]

Name:Zyra Scorpion

Resonance Points:1,745,900

Unassigned Points:600

Health: 97%

Strength:100%

Agility:50

Speed:90

Command Aura:Low level

Beast Bond:Fusion stage (1 beast)

Beasts:7

[Skills:Knife Assassin, Soul Sight, beast whisperer, Talon wielder, low level beast commander.]

Zyra looked at the panel, "low level beast commander?"

[Yes host, your Resonance levels have gone up to 45% you can now Command all low level beasts.]

Zyra nodded and entered the house, ready to eat a whole calf. This day could not get any better.

********

While those that were happy with the new changes within the Kaelion clan were enjoying themselves at the sanctuary of the skies, Sabrina was absolutely miserable.

She had suffered through the worst night of her life. She hadn’t slept a single wink. Even Horas, her human soothing charm, had failed to calm her raging nerves. No matter how much he tried to ease her stress, her heart remained a storm of fury.

Right now, the entire Kaelion family was seated in the dining area having breakfast. Even Maverick was there, sitting proudly as if he had always been one of the family.

What annoyed Sabrina the most_ what made her blood boil until her teeth aching from grinding them_ was that everyone was fawning over Maverick. To make matters worse, Alessa was going completely out of her way to act sweet, clearly doing extra just to spite her and Elliot.

Alessa delicately poured a stream of hot, fragrant tea into Maverick’s cup, smiling like a blooming flower. "Brother Maverick, I hope you like the cherry cake. I told the chefs to make it specifically for you. You used to like the cherries I gave you when they were still common in the market. From now on, I will always have half of my stash saved for you."

Maverick smiled warmly. "I appreciate it, thank you very much sister Alessa."

Sabrina couldn’t take it anymore. She scoffed loudly, the sound cutting through the cheerful chatter like a rusty blade. "I cannot believe that we now share tables with the help! How the mighty Kaelion family has fallen."

With a look of utter disgust, she shoved her plate of golden, herb scrambled eggs away, treating it as if it were filled with sewage.

Maverick didn’t flinch. He just set down his teacup, a lazy, infuriating smirk spreading across his face. "Dear sister Sabrina, I promise to revive the mighty Kaelion name which you believe to have sunk."

Sabrina’s eyes widened in absolute shock. Her jaw dropped. Sister?!

The rest of the family broke into amused laughter. Hearing them laugh at her expense sent a wave of humiliating heat straight to Sabrina’s face. She glared at Maverick, her mind blanking out from pure rage. "Sister?!" she finally shrieked, stammering over her own fury. "How dare you! You_ you peasant!"

Maverick just chuckled, taking a slow, relaxed sip of his tea. He looked so comfortable it made Sabrina want to rip her own hair out.

Suddenly, a silver spoon flew through the air, aimed straight at Maverick’s forehead. Elliot had snapped.

Without even looking up properly, Maverick casually flicked his wrist. He caught the spoon effortlessly between two fingers and rested it gently on his saucer. "Elliot, watch your manners. Throwing things at your elders is very rude."

"I did not know that you could talk so much," Elliot spat, leaning over the table, his knuckles white. "So what am I supposed to call you now? Uncle? Disgusting. A mere servant suddenly high in the ranks and calling himself my elder."

From across the table, Matilda rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. She delicately wiped her mouth with a silk napkin and chimed in, "Oh, please, Elliot. At least Maverick comes from the second class. Need I remind you that you married a low-born? Your children will always be thin-bloods."

Thin-bloods was the name some high-borns called children born between high-borns and low-borns.

At the far end of the table, Lita froze mid-bite, her dumpling halfway to her mouth. She slowly lowered her fork, closed her eyes, and stared up at the ceiling, silently wondering why on earth she was catching strays in a fight she was not part of. I am literally just eating my breakfast, Lita thought, deeply regretting waking up today.

Before Elliot could roar back at Matilda, the heavy double doors of the dining hall burst open with a loud bang. A wave of suffocating pressure flooded the room. The intense atmosphere vanished instantly.

The Grand Elder stepped inside. Silence fell like a heavy sheet of lead. One by one, every single person at the table bowed their heads in deep reverence.

Everyone_ except Sabrina.

She rose, her chest heaving, her burning eyes locked onto the eyes of her father. Her entire body was trembling with an explosive mixture of wrath, betrayal, and pride. How could he do this to her? How could he elevate a nobody and humiliate his own blood? "You are a disgrace," She shrieked, unable to hold herself back.

The Grand Elder stopped at the entrance. A cool, faint smile touched his lips as he looked at his stubborn daughter.

"If you cannot respect me as your father, then you must respect me as the Grand Elder of one of the most powerful clans in the world," his voice echoed, smooth yet heavy enough to crush a mountain. "Unless, of course, you want me to chase you out of it. You know I have the authority to do so."

Sabrina pinched her lips together so hard they turned white. Her fists clenched at her sides, her nails biting into her palms until it burned. Her soul sang with a desperate urge to scream, to smash the table, to summon her inner flames and burn this whole room to ashes.

But the terrifying weight of her father’s aura forced her down.

Slowly, adamantly, and painfully, she forced her neck to bend. Her head jerked downward into something that barely resembled a proper bow. Every muscle in her body screamed against the humiliation.

The Grand Elder raised his head high, satisfied.

"There, daughter," he thought smoothly, stepping past her as the trench coat fluttered behind him. "That is how it should be. To save my family from your claws_ you must lose all your power forever, no matter the cost."

A small, chilling smile formed on his lips as he walked toward the head of the table to take his seat.