Chapter 45

Lorelai

T he transport ride wasn't long; yet, somehow, it wasn't long enough. Pressed between Sirena's accomplices, I clenched my fingers between my knees, desperate to hide my fear, to show Sirena no weakness. The truth was, I was terrified. The vehicle hummed through city streets that I was too nervous to study. Perhaps I should have, so I had some idea where we were going. Truthfully, I hadn't been in Korith long enough to have any stinking idea where we were going, so it wouldn't have done me much good. No landmarks were familiar to me. I had no sense of direction.

And I couldn't tear my gaze from the stagger Sirena held pointed at my chest.

Most staggers were used to stun and temporarily paralyze, but their shock could easily be turned up to a kill level. Even if Sirena hadn't stooped to that, one hit would immobilize me, preventing any chance of escape.

I couldn't let that happen.

Not only did my own life depend on me, what of the lives of the rebel humans? Could I trust that Ellax had come up with a worthwhile solution? We'd been making love instead of writing his proposal, thinking we had spare time.

We'd been wrong, and I felt immeasurably guilty.

What if the Coalition voted without him? What if they didn't, but he was simply outvoted? What if they swayed him? Had we been together long enough for him to really care about the plight of my species? Could I have said more, done more, to persuade him?

I felt like a failure in every sense of the word. My life and the lives of those outside the Citadel hung heavily on my shoulders, a weight I'd never dreamed I'd be asked to carry.

My boys, Joell and Isak, didn't even know where I was or what had happened. I'd never gotten to inform them of their mom's crazy adventure. Now, I might not get to tell them goodbye. They'd wake up one day to a call from a strange Asterion Overlord, letting them know their mother had been remarried, they had no clue who their stepfather was, and their mother had been wiped out. I couldn't even imagine their grief and confusion.

No, I thought, shoving the despair away. No, I will not do that to my boys. Sirena might be able to finagle her way into almost anything she wants, but I won't let her to do this to my boys. I will get out of this.

I felt the mama bear instinct rise to the fore as I remembered the twins. Furthermore, it occurred to me that there was a chance last night's sex might have implanted a new life in my womb. The slightest chance that I might be pregnant was another reason to fight. To not give up, no matter what.

Even as my resolve hardened into concrete, the transport hummed to a stop. The door opened, and Sirena motioned with her weapon.

"You first."

Since I lacked a choice, I obeyed. As soon as I stepped out, I was grabbed by her henchmen, two aliens of an unknown species. They more or less dragged me into a building that resembled the warehouses built by the Asterions on Earth, which led me to assume that's what these were. A massive sliding door unfurled itself, lifting from the ground to the ceiling, and I was taken inside the dark, cool interior. The concrete floor was hard beneath my shoes and torture to my body when one of the brutes shoved me to the ground.

I yelped, hating myself for giving Sirena and her cohorts that much, but I fell on my elbow, bruising and skinning it.

"Cry, little human," Sirena sneered. Her voice floated at me, otherworldly, in the darkness. "That is the smallest cry of pain you'll utter."

What?

The threat didn't have time to process before a horrific pain took me in the side. I screamed, from shock, dismay, agony. That scream was cut short by another blow that landed on the opposite side, stealing my air.

They're kicking me.

And that was my last rational thought.

Her two goons, some sort of species with long trunks like an elephant, black and green mottled skin, and antennas, showed no pity. Over the sound of my own cries, I heard Sirena laughing, encouraging them on. I felt—and heard—my ribs crack. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't shout. All I could do was try and curl myself into a ball on the floor, whimpering pathetic pleas for mercy.

There was none to be found.

"By the time they're through, worthless human, one thing will be certain. You'll never give Ellax a child. Even if I do return you to him, you'll never be able to uphold your end of that foolish pact."

So that was her game.

My mind grasped the horrible truth, but it didn't matter.

Doesn't matter, doesn't matter, beat in my brain along with the brutal pace of their kicks.

It didn't matter, because I wouldn't survive this.

I'm sorry, Joell, Isak, was my final thought before the world faded into nothingness. I'm sorry Ellax. I'm so sorry.

Agony obliterated consciousness.