Lunarians were rarely happy to be locked up for long. They had found a way out and were likely on their way up already.
Lunarians never wasted an opportunity to crash a party they had not been invited to, either. Especially not when the life of an innocent was on the line.
Mentally, I took stock of my weapons. My blaster on my left hip, my dagger on my right. When everyone was distracted by Idria and her king’s wedding vows to one another, I would make my move. I was outnumbered by Rutharian berserkers twenty to one, but it did not matter.
I could fire ten times before they even realized what was happening. Ten more, and the battle would be won.
There were Lieja’s guards and harem to contend with as well, but I paid them little mind. The key was to take out their masters before an order could be given. The Rutharians would fight me down to their last warrior whether they had been told to or not, but the others were slaves here. Prisoners, without that same sense of bloodlust. When Lieja, Idria and the Rutharian king had all fallen, there would be no one left to fight for.
Then, when the battle was over, I would lift Atlanta up in my arms and—
A gasp rippled through the crowd, stirring me from my musings. In the center of the ballroom, Atlanta seemed to have come unbalanced after one of her twirls. She stuttered her steps and held out her arms to stop herself from falling—something I had never seen her do before.
She and I had practiced in the gardens for weeks now, and not once had I ever seen her so much as mistime a step. Something was wrong—but what?
She cleared her throat, regained her composure, and took a few quick steps forward. But as she launched herself into another leap, a pained gasp left her lips. She tumbled to the floor like she had been struck down by rogue blaster fire, though as my eyes scanned the crowd in a panic, I did not see that anyone had drawn a gun.
Lieja clung to my arm even tighter, but I pushed her away in an instant. Atlanta lay crumbled on the ballroom floor, doubled over. She clutched her stomach tight beneath her arms as she hugged herself. Her face was contorted in pain, as though she wished to cry out.
I shoved my way through the crowd, desperate to go to her. My plans could be damned, for all I cared in that moment. They had been thrown off the moment Atlanta missed a step. Now, I did not give a single thought to how we would proceed now that she was obviously injured in some way.
Plans could be changed.
If she was hurt, though—or worse, if this dancing had somehow caused her to miscarry when she was so freshly pregnant…
If I could not get her to a healer in time, I would never forgive myself.
Unfortunately, as quickly as I moved, I could not make my way to her side fast enough.
In a blur of black skirts and pale orange skin, Idria entered the ballroom with a furious snarl on her lips that made my heart sink.
She got to Atlanta first.
19
Atlanta
My stomach panged with the most intense pain I’d ever felt. It was even worse than when Apex had cut my birth control implant from my arm. At least then, I’d been able to anticipate how much it was going to hurt, and I’d known why I was hurting.
This, though…
I’m pregnant. The thought hit me hard, and another followed like a punch to the gut. Or, I was.
My vision was blurry as I looked up and searched for Apex’s face in the crowd. But as soon as I found it, I felt a sharp tug on my braid. My scalp screamed with white-hot agony as someone pulled me to my feet by my hair.
“You pathetic little brat!” Idria hissed in my ear. “I will not tolerate this melodrama. Get up and finish your dance!”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled back at her. I tried to focus on the floor in front of me, but something between my brain and my eyes just wouldn’t click. The pain in my gut was slipping away now, but I was still a little stunned. “I…I must have gotten a stitch in my side or something. Should’ve warmed up.”
“A stitch in your side? What is this nonsense?” Idria snarled.
“Not nonsense, my lady.”
I looked up as Apex emerged from the crowd. Thankfully, my vision finally focused on him, but there was no reassurance in his face.
For the first time since I’d met him, he looked scared and pale.
“Apex, this does not concern you.” Idria pointed him back to his place at Queen Lieja’s side. “Atlanta is not your charge anymore.”
“Forgive me, my lady, but that is simply not true.” Apex continued to move toward me, until he could take my hands in his. He gave my fingers a little squeeze of comfort. “Are you all right, my love? Are you hurt?”
“I’m…fine. Like I said. A stitch.” Or something. Oh, god—if I really was pregnant, my body had chosen the worst possible time to inform me of the fact.
“No.” Apex shook his head as the color returned to his face. He looked relieved. “Not a stitch.”
“Apex, this is not your place!” Idria howled. She pointed him back to Lieja again. “Return to your new mistress. At once.”
“I have no mistress.” Apex straightened to his full height. He was a head taller than Idria when he stood up straight like this. His eyes burned with conviction. He looked furious. He looked…proud. “Only a mate.”
Idria rolled her eyes
