Page 89 of The Pregnancy Pact

A unique spire.

I recognized it. My heart leapt with hope.

Another one.

Not truly spires, but those skypads which had aggravated my fear of heights, attached by walkways to the lofty spaceport. Around the top, which was little more than a pinprick against the purple-blue sky, I could see tiny spaceships zipping around, resembling black ants swarming about an anthill.

I couldn’t tell how far away it was, but I could see it. I could see it.

That meant I could find it.

“Turn down this side street,” I shouted at the transport. Obediently, it swerved, whizzing around the nearest corner. I was flung to the side, catching myself with my fingertips on the windowsill. “Stop here!” I ordered, this time bracing myself for how quickly it would obey.

“Open up,” I ordered, and the door raised, allowing me to exit. Before I climbed out, I said to the vehicle, “Go to Elder Ellax Pendorgrin’s home. Don’t stop for anything.”

I wasn’t sure if the officer I’d kicked out might have the ability to override my command, if she were close enough. She might. Asterions had lots of technological marvels. But I was desperately hoping it would be enough of a red herring to buy me a little time. I was also hoping they’d think I’d gone back to Ellax’s home to hide, to wait for him, instead of heading to the spaceport. After all, when a prey animal is wounded and running for its life, it usually tries to get back to its burrow and hide. Ellax’s mansion would be my only burrow, considering how short a time I’d been on this planet.

Whether the ruse would work or not, I didn’t know. It was all I had.

Pointing my face towards the spaceport, far, far up in the sky, I took a breath, willed my legs to move, and took off running.

At first, it was easy. The adrenaline flooding my body made it feel like flying. I could go on and on and on.

They should have had this stuff for marathon runners, back in the day, I chuckled to myself, thinking of the stories of crazy people who used to run long-distance races of over twenty-six miles, just for fun, or to prove they could do it. Pastimes like that had long since fallen out of existence on Earth. Humans were far too busy utilizing their resources to stay alive.

Nevertheless, as I sped down city streets, guided by the view of the skypads, up in the clouds, I imagined myself as one of those runners in the old photos I’d seen, willing my legs into perpetual motion while the crowds cheered me on. In reality, no crowds here cheered me on. The closer I got to my destination, the thicker the crowds of Asterions became, and there was no denying the strange looks I received. I was surprised nobody attempted to stop me, either to hinder or to help. Mostly, they jolted out of my way, or uttered surprised noises when I wheeled around them on the sidewalks. I heard the questions, the murmuring. I was far too bent on my goal to pay them any mind.

Getting closer, I encouraged myself. Getting closer.

How I wished for my phone—that I could have simply called Ellax for help! Unfortunately, not only did I not have it, I was afraid that stopping to try and borrow a phone from a stranger would have done me little good. In the first place, crazy as it sounds, I didn’t have my Overlord husband’s connecting number. We’d been together mere days, and forced into close proximity up until now. There hadn’t been a need for me to get his connecting number. I had no idea how to reach him, and feared if I tried asking a stranger to get in touch with one of the entire planet’s most powerful figures, they’d drag me off and clap me up in an insane asylum, or whatever form of them Asterion had.

A crazy, beat-up human female would have no business whatsoever contacting the powerful Ellax Pendorgrin, right?

Fearing it would waste precious time, I raced on instead for the spaceport. I had no assurance that I’d have better luck there, but I was hoping desperately I could convince someone to get me on a space ship up to the Coalition’s waiting ship. With any luck, maybe I could sneak aboard. With the greatest of luck, perhaps I could find the captain that had brought us here. Or even some of the crew members—like the Doreethan flight attendant. Anyone who could vouch for my identity. Barring those possibilities, if worse came to worst, I could hide and watch for Ellax, because he’d certainly be returning today. I might be too late to stop the tragedy from being declared on Earth, but could I at least save myself?

That wasn’t good enough.

I forced my legs to go faster, spurred on both by the approaching towers, spires, and skypads, but also by remembering—again—that it wasn’t merely my life on the line.

I have to get there.

The wind rushed by in my ears. My pounding feet on the pavement reverberated through my entire body, which was beginning to tremble. I noticed that, even as my panic and fear increased, even as the space port’s main hub approached, my pace was slowing.

Awareness of pain was subtly returning. The stitch in my side. Or was it busted ribs? The thrumming in my head. Was it from the heavy footfalls? Or physical trauma of the beating?

Oh no.

Dr. Natusha had tried to warn me. The effects of her tonic wouldn’t last long.

It has to last, I thought, panicked. Refusing to settle, I told myself to go faster, faster, faster!

By this point, the main entrance to the spaceport was directly across the street. Had it only been a couple of days ago that I’d been here with Ellax, admiring the greenery, the trees, the sunlight, before stepping into the waiting transport? Then, my biggest fears had been fitting in and not disgracing myself or him. Now, they were survival.

My own.

Members of my species.

I can’t.

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