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Even in my terror, I found a moment to feel impressed by Ben's skills. Not only was he clearly a fearsome warrior and strong with the force, he cleverly configured the security system in the gestation suites to keep me isolated but also free. The backup generators provided essential lighting and kept the main door sealed (unless you had the code, as I did) to protect the pregnant Breeders, but he'd disabled the cameras, I could tell by the fact that the blinking green lights were no longer operating.

I tiptoed across the living room, not wanting to wake any of the other women. With all luck, they'd sleep through this little blip, and I could escape unnoticed. After the increased security, destruction of Evigilo, and Olga's execution, most Breeders realized the First Order was an evil organization, but some might still try to stop me out of misplaced loyalty.

In addition to the backup lights, a fire crackled in one of the fireplaces. As I crept across the room, I found myself mesmerized by the flames. The hearth crackled during the day, but they were usually protected by a grate; this one was open, exposed. And why would the harpies leave it unattended in the first place?

Then I noticed a figure sitting in a nearby armchair, watching the flames flicker and sputter, her frame so frail, she was practically invisible: Lynx.

"Going somewhere, Astrid?"

Shit, I thought, heart pounding in my chest. I thought I was so smart, planning for every contingency. I memorized the code, ran through the directions Ben gave me in my head every night, forced myself to clean my plate and even did discreet exercises to build up my strength, and yet I'd forgotten that, being a Vigilax (an alien who never slept), Lynx was allowed to sit up all night in an armchair. Stupid, stupid woman!

"Please, give me a minute to explain-"

"Explain what?" She rose from her chair, eerily calm. "That you're betraying the Order, stealing away their child- the future of the galaxy- like the selfish, deceiving whore you are?"

"This baby is mine, not the Order's," I hissed, fists clenching. "And the First Order betrayed us when they stole us from our homes."

"Would you complain about the Republic's taxes? Then why resist giving the order what they are owed?" She slinked towards me, rubbing her belly protectively, a vacant look in her silver eyes. "Actually, requiring a fertile body is more humane than stripping a family of its wealth and resources, especially considering how well we are treated on Starkiller Base."

"What about when they destroyed your planet? Was that humane?"

Her brow twitched, a manic gleam in those pale irises. "I'm not going to let you escape."

"Please, Lynx, I'm begging you." Tears filled my eyes, chest constricting unbearably. I couldn't fail, not again, the rage and disappointment would surely kill me. "Come with me; you can escape too."

As far as I knew, Ben only prepared a single escape pod large enough for one passenger, but I only needed her to trust me, then the commander could subdue her until I was safely off the planet. I wish I could free all the women in the suites and the Breeder Barracks and the Stormtroopers kidnapped at birth for that matter, but I couldn't. If I wanted to help them, I needed to escape first."

But Lynx appeared unenticed by my offer, smirking as she inched ever closer. "Why would I want to leave? I'm no one; I'm a vessel for the will of the First Order. I'd never abandon the father of my child, especially since I've been blessed with bearing the son of an esteemed general. You are a fool for trying to throw this all way."

A single tear slid down her cheek, fists bunching up the fabric of her dress covering her round stomach. She was still months away from delivering, yet she looked ready to pop right now.

"You don't deserve this honor, this sacred duty. You're no Breeder, just a self-serving whore."

Lynx reached out, grabbing me by a fistful of curls, yanking me to my knees. Her strength shocked me, especially for such a frail woman.

"Stop, please, you're hurting me."

"And what about you? What about all the pain you've caused, all the pain you hope to cause? You'd raise that baby on the shithole planet you call home in poverty and disease. You're disgusting, and you must be punished."

I thrashed, attempting to escape, but she dragged me along by the hair- my roots aching so bad I thought I might be sick- till I was face to face with the hearth, the flames appearing to burn much brighter up close.

"Lynx, stop, you don't know what you're doing."

"Disgusting, disgusting slut." Her voice cracked, erupting into open sobs. "You deserve this, you're nothing."

Trying to snap her out of her trance was futile, her actions too propelled by rage and shame. Maybe this is how I die- burned to death at the hour of my escape. My mind almost came to peace with that until my face grew unbearably hot, and my body took control. I reached out, my hand finding the edge of the grate- the place where a protective barrier should have been- white-hot pain shooting through my arm, blisters immediately forming on my skin.

I screamed loud enough to wake the other women, but I didn't care. I'd rather have my escape thwarted than burn to death. I rolled to the side, attempting to fight her off, but Lynx became a wild animal, desperate to spill blood. I couldn't afford to wait for Anika or Ariel to save me, or for the power to come back on and the harpies to flood the suites. Reaching under my dress with my unburned hand, I grasped the stake- the one somehow delivered to me in a dream- and thrusted upward blindly, praying I'd hit something.

Warm fluid splattered onto my chest, a whimpered escaping Lynx's lips. She flopped onto her side, and I crawled away from her, cradling my still burning hand. I'd hoped to get her in the thigh or shoulder, something that could incapacitate her but leaver her ultimately unharmed. I did not get my wish.

Not only did I land a devastating blow, but it hit her squarely in the stomach, the spike deep into her womb.

Vomit ripped out of my throat, my head pounding from shock, pain, and disgust. I was so distraught, I didn't notice the power come back on, the harpies flooding the suites, circling around me like vultures. A hand wrapped around my throat, forcing me to look at them, the vice-like grip pushing me towards unconsciousness.

"What did you do?" Grandmother Bee demanded, her voice hoarse and terrified. "What the fuck did you do?"

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