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But the hurt and anger in her heart were too great to ignore. She might not be able to stop him, but she wasn’t letting Jubal out of here without giving him a piece of her mind.
The gate slid open at the last moment, and the fireflies led her down the road, which seemed to take a different path from the last time she traveled it.
But the asphalt was smooth under her wheels and the view was transcendent. And somehow, she was managing to stay upright, in spite of the curves. In any other circumstance, it might have actually been enjoyable.
She wasn’t sure how long she kept it up, but her legs were starting to tire when the road curved and she heard a low roar ahead. At first, she wasn’t sure what it was.
As she drew closer, she realized it was voices, a lot of them. Though she couldn’t tell if they were cheering or protesting.
The road curved again, then opened up to reveal a long fence line that extended in both directions for as far as she could see.
Up ahead, a massive gate separated the Center from a roadway that seemed to lead into a residential town on the other side.
And that gate was being stormed by what looked like hundreds of people, screaming and waving things and trying desperately to get into the Center, their eyes fixed on something just inside.
She looked over to see what they were so excited about.
Just inside the gate, kneeling on the ground with his head in his hands, was a big red alien with a crown of horns.
“Jubal?” she said.
He looked up at her, and even at this distance, she could see that his dark eyes were filled with pain.
23
JUBAL
Jubal gazed up into the furious eyes of the woman he loved.
“How could you, Jubal?” she demanded.
He took her in for a moment, trying to figure out how to explain himself when he was so transfixed by her.
“Answer me,” she shouted.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that you’re… you’re…”
“I know, I know,” she stormed. “I look ridiculous - an angry woman in a muddy evening gown, blasting down a mountain on roller skates. But let’s not forget that you are the one who made me do this.”
“I was going to say that you’re so beautiful,” he told her.
She blinked at him, as if surprised by his answer.
“Well, you’re beautiful too,” she recovered quickly. “But beauty is only skin deep. Your behavior is ugly, and that’s all that matters to me. How dare you leave me just because I can’t get pregnant at the drop of a hat?”
“I’m sorry?” he asked, confused.
“Oh, now you’re sorry,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Why couldn’t you face me like a man? You came here wanting to be a parent, to nurture and guide a young life. But you can’t even take care of your own problems without running away.”
That hurt, but it was fair.
Though the tears streaming down her face broke his heart.
“I wasn’t leaving you because you weren’t pregnant,” he said quickly. “It was the opposite.”
“Explain,” she said, giving him a dubious look as she wiped the tears from her cheeks with her muddy hands, leaving streaks behind.
“You know about Maltaffian mate bonds, because you did your homework,” he told her carefully. “But do you know what one feels like?”
