Otherworldly Redemption [Book 7]

9

"So what have you been doing to improve this place?" Jelani's father questioned him just as a few servers placed food down in front of us. The collared female was still sitting on the floor, well she was actually kneeling the entire time. Her body quaked as she tried to maintain the form that she was instructed to be in.

"I have been doing plenty. The number of inmates have increased significantly as well as the power of this place. We are able to complete drain the inhabitants of all their powers without much effort. They have all essentially become mortals under our care." His voice was one of pride but his tense form and his melancholy eyes spoke of a different story.

"Is that all?" His father sighed. "Why have you not found a way to do more? Like take their power for your own? Do you know how powerful you could be if you simply teamed up with a few Juju priests? They've done wonders for your mother and sister."

"I have no need for witchcraft." Jelani grunted as he dragged his fork across the plate that was in front of him. He hadn't eaten anything yet as he simply glared at the food as if it had offended him. It was a clear contrast in the dining hall between our two groups. Jelani sat at the head of the table with his father sitting on the complete opposite at the other end. Marin sat to the right of Jelani with a seat in between him and Jelani's mother. 

Asha sat beside me as I sat on the left of Jelani. All of his family members were eating as if this was a natural conversation to have at dinner while the three of us sat there just glaring at our plates.

"What about that pet of yours? You taught him any new tricks besides sucking people dry?" He questioned.

"He doesn't do tricks father." Jelani sighed.

"Well he is a mutt so he should have abilities from both sides. Does he not have magic as well as his draining capabilities? Is there nothing he can do to further your endeavors? If not then why is he around?"

"He's around because I want him to be." 

"He needs to be treated like Tuli here. She misbehaved and she was punished severely and is still being punished. That's how you keep them in line boy. Fear, not love and affection." He explained.

"Marin stays by my side because he trusts me." Jelani tried to reason. 

"Trust?" His mother sneered. "That is no way to lead."

"Trust is a mere representation of weakness and that thing makes you weak." Asha laughed from my side. Looking across the table at Marin I could see the tears brimming in his eyes. His head was held low as he listened to comment after comment about his uselessness.

"What about this new one? What can he do?" His father questioned.

"He's a shifter." Asha called out before anyone else could say anything. Jelani turned to face me and the best I could do was shrug my shoulders, telling him that I didn't know what to say. "I mean, have you not seen his hair? Literal feathers mother." She gushed.

"I have seen it's hair Asha." Her mother sounded annoyed like she has had this conversation with her daughter plenty of times. "What does it shift into?" 

"It is of no consequence what he shifts into." Jelani replied as he finally took a bite of his food. My lips quirked into a smirk before I went back to simply staring at my plate. The food did look appetizing but the rising tension killed my appetite.

"Do not speak to your mother like that." Jelani's father growled.

"Well then do not speak of what is mine in the manner that you do. They do not belong to you therefore you have no say in what they do or what they are." He snapped, his eyes glowing a fierce green.