Page 241 of Mayhem and Minnie

She presses her lips together.

“Witches aren’t particularly fond of gods,” she says with a sigh. “My kind tried to exterminate them a long time ago, so I’m not sure how we’re going to find a witch amenable enough to part with precious plants.”

“And you’re telling me this now?” I grit out. “Minnie!”

“What?” she grumbles.

“You’ve known about the fact that we might leave sooner or later. I prepared everything in advance. The least you could have done was to research who might have those plants.”

She mutters something inaudible under her breath, and I’m struck by a sudden realization.

She might not have wanted me to come with her. If she did, surely she would have already had a plan in place.

My nostrils flare at the thought that her plan might have just been sneaking out in the middle of the night and leaving me behind.

Fucking hell.

“Then think about it now. Where might we find someone with those plants?” I ask, making an effort to keep myself under control.

But I’m not pleased. Oh, I’m far from pleased. But this is not the time to get into another argument.

“Can’t you look them up on that internet of yours?”

“I’ve looked enough into witches on the internet to know that ninety percent of them are fake. It’s not going to help. Why would they hate gods anyway? Shouldn’t they worship you or whatever?”

She shakes her head. Looking out the window, she takes a deep breath before she speaks.

“Witches are the offspring of minor deities and humans, something that’s forbidden in my world. In fact, interspecies mating is not only prohibited, but most often than not impossible. Witches and a few other hybrids are the exception to the rule.”

“How so?”

“It all comes down to energy levels. Each being is born with a certain energy level. In my world, the higher deities have the most advanced energy levels, while minor deities are at the bottom. To ensure a viable offspring, the energy levels of the parents must be similar. So even within my society, a higher deity can never procreate with a minor deity. It’s the same with other species, too, especially mortals. But as I said, there are exceptions to the rule. Some mortals are born with exceptional energy levels. It’s rare, but it happens. If one such mortal mates with a minor deity with slightly more elevated energy level, the offspring may be viable.”

“So we could never have children?” I frown.

I’d never given much thought to my own offspring, but then again, before Minnie, I’d never given any thought at all to women.

She tilts her head to glance at me, her smile tremulous.

“Chances are that we won’t,” she admits. “I’m not sure if a true bonding might change that, since there’s never been one between a deity and a human.”

“I see.” I nod tightly.

“It’s why most marriages are arranged in my world. A powerful deity must have an equally powerful mate. It’s both political but also driven by our biology.”

“What about demons? Could you, theoretically, have children with a demon?”

“Marlowe! Don’t even think about it!” she exclaims in outrage.

“I’m just curious, Minnie. Trust me, after that encounter with demon Cara, the last thing I want to do is turn into a smelly ugly thing. No, thank you.”

She stares at me for a few seconds before she scoffs.

“With made demons, no. Even a twelfth level demon, which is the highest, only has similar energy levels to a minor deity. They could, of course, have offspring with other minor deities or even some extraordinary mortals. But it’s unlikely since they’re always controlled.” She shrugs. “The Sons of Tenebreis are a different matter, though. Since we’re both directly descended from the Primordials, we’re technically the same species. It’s just that they feed on souls for nefarious reasons and we don’t.”

“Is that why your brother was so concerned with you consuming those souls?”

She nods.

---