The Spider Queen

(Alpha Star System- Planet Gaia)

(Imperial Complex- Side Palace No.1274)

Concubine Sisrelis had a graceful charm that had been left unravaged by the passage of time.

Even among the fresh-faced beauties vying for the emperor's favour, she could stand out like a white flower blooming among the grass.

She had passed on many of her gorgeous features to her daughter Cleo such as her flowing dark hair, modest figure and piercing green eyes that could stare into one's soul.

Cleo was almost an identical copy to the younger version of Concubine Sisrelis.

And yet after the emperor had bedded her once on their wedding night….

He never visited her again.

This was abnormal.

Even the other concubines who were no longer in favour had at least enjoyed a full week or more servicing the emperor in his bedchamber after marriage.

No one knows what the emperor thought as he abandoned this attractive young flower, but Concubine Sisrelis did not reveal even a trace of her emotions.

She went about her daily life as if nothing had changed.

It was only when she found out that a baby was growing in her womb that the concubine finally allowed herself to smile again.

Surprisingly, she did not present her child to the emperor to regain favour but rather peacefully disappeared to live in one of the most inconspicuous side palaces in the Imperial Complex.

Soon many had forgotten about this mother-daughter pair as in a harem of thousands of beauties, it was obvious that some would fade away into the background.

But still Concubine Sisrelis kept her head out of the palace intrigues and schemes as she raised her daughter diligently and in peace.

She did not care for the emperor's so-called favour.

What was the use of a favour from a man who spent his days drowning in sadistic vices?

How much power could such a selfish man afford to gift his lovers.

The real purpose of infiltrating the royal palace was to ensure that her clan was able to survive.

And she would do whatever was necessary to ensure that they once again rose to a position of power within the empire.

Concubine Sisrelis poured herself a glass of red wine and sat on the balcony to gaze at the surrounding villas.

It was currently the middle of the night so none of her fellow neighbours were outside.

She enjoyed this quiet peace and tranquility.

She needed some time to think.

Cleo was expected to arrive tomorrow, and certain countermeasures had to be put in place to deal with this sudden accident.

How on earth had the symbiote not fused to her?!

Concubine Sisrelis had personally overseen the transplant process when her daughter was twelve years old and the symbiote should have invaded her organs and penetrated her heart already.

It should be impossible for anything to go wrong!

For the first time in years, Concubine Sisrelis felt her frozen heart shake slightly as a small feeling of panic ran through her body.

This feeling was fleeting as she no longer had the ability to feel strong emotions. It was an unfortunate side effect from the symbiote race implanted in her body.

Verxus were not inherently harmful creatures and the relationship between the host and the parasite could even be classified as mutualistic.

Embryos needed to be implanted in young victims and then the Verxus would slowly enter the organs of the host and transform them into modified biomasses units.

This would enhance the physique and regenerative abilities of the host.

In addition, the hosts would gain the ability to manipulate a shadowy dark matter that the Verxus naturally produced.

The trade-off for this power was quite steep as the hosts would not longer be able to feel most emotions and their lifespans would be heavily reduced.

That was not to say that they could not mimic emotions nor feel some desires but over time their hearts would cool until only expressionless monsters remained.

Concubine Sisrelis could still remember the day she had gotten her partner from the clan elders.

It was a day of nervousness and yet she felt anticipation and pride for being put into the role chosen for her that was to lead the clan back to glory.

"I think we should just remove the seedling," a low husky voice whispered softly in Concubine Sisrelis mind as the shadows beneath her feet started to twist and contort.

"A failed bonding will lead to the deaths of both the host and the symbiote so we can at least save your daughter."

Two orange eyes stared out from the darkness and peered at the indifferent woman who was still sipping her wine.

Verxus themselves were not without emotions and this one had watched little Cleo grow up since she was young and had a soft spot for the princess.

"And what would we do then?" Concubine Sisrelis' cold voice snapped back.

"I have yet to find anymore of your kind available for sale on the dark net and the clan elders have long disappeared to the outer regions."

"I will admit that Cleo is talented, but she is far from capable of taking over the empire once that drunken old fool is dead."

Time.

She just needed more time.

The ancient ritual of combat that determined the next emperor would only occur if the current emperor had died or was planning on naming a successor.

By all signs, the current emperor had made no plans on stepping down from his throne anytime soon, but Concubine Sisrelis knew that the choice may no longer be his to make.

Too many ambitious noble factions no longer wanted a ceremonial figurehead on the throne who listened to the Imperial Teacher's every word like a puppet dancing on strings.

The emperor's days were numbered….

But Cleo was too weak at the moment.

She would be lucky to even survive the initial rounds should the ritual of combat be declared.

Facing siblings and those of the royal clan who were hundreds of years older than her would be a gap too insurmountable to cross.

Unless she fully bounded with the symbiote and burned her lifeforce during the ritual.

There was still one more card left to play…

Concubine Sisrelis finished her glass of wine before pouring herself another cupful.

Her grip was firm as she spoke to the shadowy figure in her mind,

"When Cleo returns, I will just get a doctor to cut open her chest and forcibly implant a tendril of the symbiote into her heart."

"We can also try damaging her vital organs so the symbiote can assimilate into the biomass more easily."

"If it doesn't work then we can just rip the symbiote out of her body and try putting it back in a second time…."

"Or a third…."

"Or a fourth…."

"Listen to me! You will kill her!" the Verxus roared in panic as he saw the glint of determination in his host's eyes.

"Please just listen to me and stop this madness!"

"Your daughter will never survive such a procedure!"

"I can always make another one," Concubine Sisrelis felt a small twinge of pain in her heart, but this brief feeling soon disappeared.

Cleo was her last hope but that was only under the assumption that she had a chance of becoming the next empress.

Any chess piece that outlived its uselessness….

Had to be removed from the board.