Chapter 447
Kingdom of Xyperia, Year 2100.
It had been three months since Shermaine arrived.
When she was pulled into that beam of violet light, she never imagined she’d wake up in Yorksland, the most rundown, isolated corner of the Kingdom of
Xyperia.
She was over four months pregnant now, though barely showing. As long as she wore something loose–fitting, no one could tell. Within days of arriving, she’d learned how to use the local operating systems, called Qrthish, and picked up enough of the language to get by.
She and Joshua had entered the wormhole together, but somewhere along the way, a violent spatial storm had split them apart.
Where he’d landed within the Kingdom, she didn’t know.
But at least he hadn’t fallen into Judy’s hands, and that, in itself, was a relief.
Judy ruled this world. If Shermaine and Joshua had shown up together and walked straight into a fight, there would have been no question who had the upper hand.
Dave’s name hadn’t appeared on any of the bounty lists, which most likely meant he had been captured.
Shermaine didn’t doubt for a second that Joshua was already.looking for her. It was only a matter of time.
But Judy hadn’t wasted a second. She’d issued a nationwide bounty on both their heads, high enough to catch the attention of mercenaries and professional killers from across the realm.
Shermaine, however, was well–prepared. She had changed her appearance, stayed under the radar, and kept her movements tight. Even if someone did recognize her, she wasn’t worried. They wouldn’t live long enough to do anything about it.
Right now, she had no intention of running. Her priority was the child. She wanted to stay put and carry the baby to term.
And before that happened, she needed to make enough money to support them both.
In Basterel, it had been the same. No matter where she went, her fate always came back to one thing, making money.
The Kingdom of Xyperia consisted of thirty main cities, each governed by a City Lord. Beneath them were hundreds of secondary cities, classified as B or
C tier.
The level of technology here was unlike anything Earth had ever seen. It was decades, maybe centuries, ahead. Cars didn’t run on gasoline. They ran on Energon Cores, the same fuel Dave had consumed.
Even in Yorksland, considered backward by local standards, there was an extensive light rail system. And if you needed to reach the far corners of the kingdom, you could hop on a temporal train or a phasecraft. Either way, you’d arrive within two hours.
That was, if you had enough Xyperia Tokens, the universal currency used for everything from transportation to food to entertainment.
The only real threat, beyond poverty, was the war. When Xyperia went to battle, its weapons were devastating. Entire cities could be erased in seconds.
Of the thirty main cities, ten were ruled by Judy. Another eleven belonged to her older sister, Shirley.
The two women were locked in a bitter power struggle, constantly clashing over territory, each fight more violent than the last.
As if that weren’t enough, alien lifeforms routinely invaded the borders of the kingdom. They were relentless, cunning, and terrifying.
People here lived with the fear that any night could be their last that they might be eaten alive in their sleep, or torn apart by an unexpected missile
strike.
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Chapter 447
Yorksland was one of the cities most often under siege. It sat dangerously close to an allen stronghold, separated by nothing more than a failing protective barrier.
It was, in every sense, a place that was both impoverished and constantly at risk.
Shermaine woke from a nap in her hotel room. It was already dark outside.
She stretched, yawned, and wandered into the bathroom to splash some cold water on her face.
It was time to eat, then time to get to work.
Her reflection in the mirror looked different now. Her long hair had been chopped to a neat shoulder–length bob. After washing up, she applied a little makeup, popped in colored lenses, wrapped up her hair, and put on a sleek golden wig.
She barely recognized herself. The woman in the mirror looked exotic, foreign, and still, unmistakably beautiful.
She slipped into a pair of flats, headed downstairs, and had a quick nutrient meal at the hotel’s restaurant. Then she got into the hotel’s designated ride and set off for the place that paid her bills.
The car stopped outside the largest casino in Yorksland. It was the weekend, and the place was packed. Patrons came and went in a constant stream of noise and lights.
This was how Shermaine earned her living now.
In a world where she knew no one, the casino was the fastest, surest way to make money.
All she needed was one good night at the tables, and she’d have enough to breathe a little easier.
She sipped her milk and walked in, unhurried. Tomorrow was her prenatal checkup, but she still didn’t have enough money in her account to pay for it.
Healthcare in Xyperia was no joke. Most people couldn’t afford to get sick. She’d even thought about opening a small clinic of her own, but without capital, it was nothing more than a pipe dream.
And honestly, for someone like her, someone who used to call the shots and command empires, it was almost embarrassing to be this broke.
Elsewhere in the building, a casino employee caught sight of her on the surveillance feed. He cursed under his breath and picked up the phone. “Sir, she’s back again.”
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