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“Careful,” she told him, her lovely brown eyes anxious. “Don’t make yourself sick.”
Karn wanted to tell her that he was fine now—that just seeing her was the best medicine any male could ask for. But he had to say something else first.
“So…sorry, baby,” he got out, his voice still hoarse. “Didn’t know I could…get you pregnant without a bond.”
“It’s all right.” Lilli put a hand protectively over her lower belly, which was definitely rounder than it had been the last time he’d seen her. “I’m keeping him,” she said, lifting her chin defiantly. “I don’t care if he is male—I already love him.” her eyes softened. “Just like I love his father.”
“Oh, Lilli…” He started to pull her down, wanting to wrap her in his arms and never let her go, but H’rare’s voice from the front of the ship stopped him.
“Mistress Lilli,” he called anxiously. “We’re being tracked! And your mother is on the viewscreen!”
Forty-Eight
Lilli felt like her heart had stopped dead in her chest.
“My…my mother?” she wheezed, barely able to get the words out.
“I’m afraid so.” H’rare sounded both apologetic and frightened. “And she’s demanding to talk to you.”
Wondering if her legs would hold her, Lilli got shakily to her feet and made her way from the passenger compartment to the front of the ship.
On the viewscreen, to H’rare’s left, was a full-color image of her mother. And Lady Mirabella had a lot of color at the moment—most noticeably in her face, which was nearly purple with rage.
“How dare you?” she said in a low, dangerous voice as soon as Lilli came into view. “How dare you disobey me you insolent girl? How dare you steal my best ship and go after that no-good male who you allowed to penetrate you?”
Lilli raised her chin.
“I love Karn, Mother,” she said, trying not to let her voice tremble. “And I love his baby too—our baby.” She put a hand protectively over her belly. “I don’t want to lose either one of them. I…I won’t let you kill them!”
Mistress Mirabella’s eyes flashed.
“I’ll kill all three of you if you don’t turn that ship around right now and head for home,” she snarled.
“Just let us go,” Lilli pleaded. “You don’t like me anyway, Mother—you never have. You always thought having a daughter was a chore. Just let me disappear and I swear you’ll never have to see me again.”
“What?” her mother nearly shrieked. “Just let you go—just like that?” She snapped her fingers. “Lilliana, I am a member of the Sacred Seven. Do you know how it would look if anyone found out that I had allowed my daughter to run off with her bodyslave and have his wretched male baby? Do you know what people would say?”
Suddenly Lilli saw red. She’d never dared to get angry at her mother before, no matter what awful, cutting things Mistress Mirabella said to her. But finally, after a lifetime of derogatory comments and nasty words, she felt she’s had enough.
“That’s all you care about, isn’t it?” she demanded. “What people will say—how things look. Well, let me tell you something, Mother—I don’t care anymore. It doesn’t matter to me if I ruin my reputation, your reputation, and our family name. I don’t even care if you get kicked out of the Sacred Seven! I’m in love with Karn and we’re going to go someplace where people care about more than just appearances. Where they care about more than who’s got the most money or the highest building or the most expensive dress or bodyslave or hover-car. We’re going to go someplace where people value what’s inside and we’re going to raise our son there together. And you can just…just go to Hell!”
Throughout this speech her mother’s eyes had been getting wider and wider but when Lilli finished they narrowed to slits of rage.
“You’re not going anywhere but straight home, young lady,” she informed Lilli. And if you don’t, the two ships I have on your tail will shoot you out of the sky.”
“What?” Lilli felt sick. “You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, wouldn’t I?” A cruel smile curved Mistress Mirabella’s thin lips. “I’d rather have people think that my heir died in a tragic crash than let them know she was running off with some male in order to have his baby!”
“Mistress Lilli,” H’rare said hoarsely. “We really do have two ships on our tail—both military grade with laser cannons!”
Lilli felt sick. What should they do? If they turned around, both her baby and Karn would be killed. But if they went on, all of them would die, including H’rare whose only crime was being brave enough to leave with her and pilot the ship when she asked him to.
Goddess, she prayed, where are you now?
There was no answer and her heart sank. She looked at H’rare who looked back at her anxiously, his hands hovering over the complicated-looking controls.
