Page 77 of The Pregnancy Pact

“One of my lovers is quite adept at hacking mecha internal systems,” she smirked. “I’ve been privy to Ellax’s secrets for quite some time, thanks to monitoring his mechanical servants. Which means,” she added, “don’t bother calling Ellax’s mechas for help. They’re under my control. And his secretary? Vreld? He’s gone too. I sent him on an errand, upon my arrival. We’re quite alone, you and I.”

I pressed my lips together to prevent my jaw from falling slack.

“Yes, my dear,” she chuckled. “Thanks to the mechas, I know all about your business and the pact. If only you’d never crossed paths with Ellax. If only you’d never agreed to bear his child. If only you had no other children of your own, proving your fertility,” she practically spat. “I could have allowed a simple, stupid marriage, especially with him agreeing to let you go in the end. But a child ruins everything.”

“How does a child…”

“I want to bear his child!” she snarled. “I want him, I want his power united with mine on the Asterion Council, and I want our child to one day sit on the Interstellar Coalition. You have ruined all of those things for me!”

“Sirena.” Deliberately, I kept my voice calm, even though I was terrified. I’d never met anyone so unhinged.

“I didn’t mean to ruin anything for you. I didn’t even know you. You can’t—”

“Don’t tell me what I can’t,” she sneered. The stagger twitched in her hand. I jumped involuntarily. She laughed, gleefully.

“People told me I would never sit with the Elders. I have done that. They told me I could never influence the course of worlds. I have done that. They told me I could never be rid of the foul humans.” She nodded in self-appreciation. “Soon, I’ll have done that. Some of them, anyway.”

“Look, Sirena, I’m sorry anyone ever doubted you. Clearly, you’re hardworking and talented and ambitious. I’m sorry people didn’t recognize your worth. Still, that doesn’t make it right to take it out on me, does it?”

The vase was trembling against my hip. I hoped she couldn’t see it. If I was going to die, I wanted to be brave. I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

“I am not taking anything out on you, fool,” she spat. “I am using you to ensure that my plans succeed.”

“You’re what?”

“Put the vase down, Lorelai. Turn, walk from the room. Remember that I am behind you with a weapon. And it will not hurt my conscience to use it on you.”

She meant what she said. I could tell that. What I couldn’t tell was why she was doing this.

“You’re kidnapping me?”

“Let us call it exchanging one thing of value for another,” she sneered. “I have you. Ellax’s precious human wife. The potential carrier of his seed. If I have you, he will be forced to retract his opposition to the Coalition’s decree. Drelor is not nearly as stubborn as Ellax. He will concede. And the wild humans will be blasted from existence.”

“And…” I’d set the vase down and was walking, heading for the doorway, acutely aware of the crazed Asterion female at my back.

“And?”

“And then what? You just let me go? You’re not afraid of punishments? Reprisals? You’re kidnapping the wife of an Elder, a Lead Advisor.”

“Oh,” she chuckled, her tone so cold, so careless that it sent an arrow of fear straight through my heart. “I have my means of escape. Never fear, Lorelai. This has been meticulously planned.”

She’s going to kill me.

The realization fell onto my shoulders like the weight of a backpack filled with lead.

She doesn’t have a choice. She’ll have to kill me and pin the blame on someone or something else. That’s her way out.

What do I do? I wondered next.

We were in the main corridor now, which would lead to the foyer, then the front door. To my shock, I saw dark figures approaching, backlit by the sunlight streaming in through the open door.

“Here they are,” Sirena announced. “Reinforcements. In case you decide to do something foolish.”

I’d been considering it. My fingertips had brushed a marble-topped end table as I stepped into the corridor. On it was another vase. Tall. Glass. Heavy. Sirena was behind me with her stagger. Two strangers were walking toward me. Were they armed too?

I couldn’t let myself stop to think, or I’d never have the courage to act. In one swift movement, I snatched the vase, whirled, and brought it down with all my might on Sirena’s forearm. She screamed, her weapon clattering to the floor. I sidestepped her, slipping in the water and fallen flowers from the vase, but catching myself with a hand to the end table before taking off running down the hall.

“Get her!” Sirena shrieked, clutching her arm. “Your lives are forfeit if you let her escape.”

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