Page 23 of Bound to the Alien Orc (Alien Gambits #1)

Chapter 23

T he next morning, I wake to Tasha nestled against my chest, her soft breaths tickling my skin. For a moment, I just watch her, the way the early light brightens her face.

But as much as I wish we could stay here, cocooned in this moment, we have work to do. Reluctantly, I ease out of bed, careful not to disturb her.

I dress quietly, my mind churning with what’s ahead. We need to resupply, gather any information Suzor has managed to find, and set out for the mines.

A soft rustle draws my attention, and I turn to see Tasha sitting up, the blanket clutched to her chest. She blinks at me sleepily, a contented smile on her face.

“Good morning,” she murmurs, her voice husky from sleep.

“Morning,” I reply, leaning down to steal a kiss. “As much as I’d love to stay in bed with you all day, we should get moving.”

She sighs, but nods, stretching languidly before reaching for her clothes. I watch appreciatively as she dresses, admiring the play of curves beneath her skin.

“Stop ogling and toss me my shirt,” she teases, catching me staring.

I grin, throwing the garment at her. “Can you blame me? You’re quite the sight.”

She rolls her eyes, but I catch the pleased flush on her cheeks. It warms me to know I have that effect on her.

Once we’re both dressed, we head out into the trading post. It’s early, but the place is already buzzing with activity. Merchants call out their wares, the smell of cooking food wafts through the air, and a steady stream of beings of all races flow between the narrow lanes.

We weave in and out of the crowd, heading for Suzor’s tent. He’s already set up, haggling with a customer over the price of some exotic fruit. When he spots us, he waves us over, a knowing grin on his face.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the lovebirds,” he drawls, his eyes twinkling mischievously. “I trust you had a pleasant night?”

Tasha just laughs, unabashed. “Very pleasant. Thank you for asking.”

I feel the heat rising in my cheeks, but I shrug, a grin tugging at my lips.

Suzor laughs, clapping me on the back. “It’s good to see you smiling, my friend. It’s been too long.”

“Too long, indeed,” I agree, his jovial presence a welcome reprieve from the seriousness of the past few days.

Suzor chuckles, shaking his head. “Ah, to be young and in love. It’s a beautiful thing.” His expression sobers, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. “But I suspect you’re not here to discuss your love life. Come, let’s talk in the back.”

He leads us behind his stall to a small, cluttered space filled with crates and barrels. Suzor leans against a stack of boxes, folding his arms across his chest.

“I’ve been asking around, like you requested,” he begins, his forehead etched in thought. “And I’ve heard some interesting things. Rumors, mostly, but they paint a troubling picture.”

I lean forward, my heart pounding. “What kind of rumors?”

Suzor sighs, running a hand over his face. “Whispers of a shadow group. They seem to have their fingers in a lot of pies. Smuggling, extortion, sabotage... and now, possibly, the luminore trade.”

Tasha frowns, her eyes narrowing. “You think they’re the ones behind the missing ore? Or the attack on the ship?”

“It’s possible,” Suzor admits, his expression grim. “From what I’ve gathered, this group has been making moves across Orion, trying to destabilize the STI treaty.”

A prickle crosses my skin, a sense of foreboding settling in my gut. “And the symbol? Have you heard anything about that?”

Suzor nods, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the scrap of paper. I sketched a rough approximation of the symbol I found in the South Tower and on the ship.

“I showed this around, discreetly,” he explains, handing me the paper. “Most folks had never seen it before. But a few... a few got real nervous when I brought it up. Like they knew something but were too scared to talk.”

I study the symbol, tracing the lines with my finger. It’s the same one, the interlocking geometric shapes, the strange runic script. A cold certainty settles in my bones.

“Suzor,” I say slowly, my voice low and urgent. “When you were asking about this symbol... did you see anyone watching you? Anyone suspicious?”

He frowns, thinking for a moment. Then his eyes widen, realization dawning. “Actually... yes. There was a cloaked figure. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but —”

“Suzor, this cloaked figure... did you get a look at them?” I press, my heart hammering in my chest. “Anything distinctive?”

Suzor shakes his head, his wrinkled in thought. “Not much. They were too well hidden. But” He hesitates, as if unsure whether to continue.

“But what?” Tasha prompts, leaning forward.

“Well, it might be nothing, but... I could have sworn I saw feathers. Long, iridescent ones, peeking out from under their cloak.”

My breath catches in my throat. Slowly, I reach into my pocket, my fingers closing around the black feather I found at the South Tower. I pull it out, holding it up to the light. It shimmers, the colors shifting from deep blue to brilliant green to glinting purple to black.

Suzor’s eyes widen. “That’s it. That’s the feathers!”

A heavy silence settles over us, the implications sinking in. Finally, Tasha speaks, her voice tight with tension.

“Suzor, do you know what kind of feather that is? What... what creature it might belong to?”

Suzor nods, his expression grim. “I’ve seen feathers like that before. They belong to the Auryns, a race of feathered aliens from the planet Auryn. But what would an Auryn be doing here, on Morcrest?”

I frown, trying to recall what I know of the Auryns. They’re a reclusive race, rarely venturing beyond their own planet. But they’re also known for their religious zeal, some belief in a grand cosmic destiny.

“Suzor,” I say slowly, a terrible suspicion forming in my mind. “Have you heard anything about the Auryns that might explain their interest in Morcrest? Are they interested in our luminore?”

Suzor is quiet for a moment, his eyes distant. When he speaks, his voice is low.

“There is... a rumor. Auryns are seeking human females. It’s to do with one of their religious texts. I’ve never heard what they need the females for. As I say, it’s just a rumor.”

Tasha’s eyes widen, her face paling.

Suzor looks at her, his expression a mix of pity and fear. “Most Auryns don’t leave their planet much... but they’re not the only ones who believe in this prophecy. They have a cult, a dangerous one, that’s been hunting human for many rotations throughout Orion. These Auryns call themselves the Astral Hunters.”

A shiver runs down my spine, an icy dread settling in my gut. I recall the strange transmission on our travels here from Orion — it was a communication to... or from an Astral Hunter!

“At the STI Symposium, I overheard someone talking about humans going missing. The Astral Hunters... are they one’s behind that?”

Suzor nods, his face grim. “I’m afraid so. And if they’re here, on Morcrest... I fear your Tasha may be in grave danger.”

I turn to Tasha, taking her hand in mine. It’s trembling, her skin cold to the touch. “Tasha, listen to me. I won’t let anything happen to you. I swear it, on my life.”

She looks up at me, her eyes wide and frightened, but also filled with a fierce determination. “I know, Droilin. I trust you.”

I nod, squeezing her hand.

Suzor clears his throat, drawing our attention back to him. “There’s something else you should know. The Astral Hunters... they’re not working alone. They have allies, powerful ones. I don’t know who, exactly, but I’ve heard whispers of a shadow organization mentioned, one with tendrils in every corner of the galaxy. They call themselves—”

Before Suzor can finish, a commotion at the edge of the trading post catches our attention. A group of Jroskian warriors ride in on their striderunners, two-legged creatures with scaly hides, powerful hind legs and long stiff tails they use for balance. The warriors’ faces are grim, their armor splattered with mud.

Suzor ushers us to go see what is going on. He will tell us more later.

As I approach the warriors, I recognize the leader as Lieutenant Vortok, a formidable fighter known for his strategic mind and his fierce loyalty to his clan. He dismounts, his movements stiff and pained, and I notice a bloody bandage wrapped around his thigh.

Concerned, I approach him, Tasha close behind me. “Lieutenant Vortok, what happened? Are you alright?”

Vortok turns to me, his eyes hard and his jaw set. “Droilin. I didn’t expect to see you here.” He glances at Tasha, then back at me. “We were ambushed on the road, just a few miles from here. Nexus Fist raiders. They’ve blocked the primary route to the Jrosk mines.”

I frown, a sense of unease growing in my gut. Nexus raiders, this far into Jrosk territory? It’s unheard of. “Is there anything we can do to help?”

Vortok shakes his head. “We’ll manage. But the roads aren’t safe right now. I was on my way to warn the trading post.” He eyes me critically. “I assume you’re here on High Chieftain business?”

I nod. “A luminore survey. We were planning to head to the Jrosk mines today.”

Vortok’s expression darkens. “I wouldn’t advise it. Not until we’ve dealt with this raider threat. They seem to be targeting anyone carrying valuable goods.” I catch him looking at Tasha, and the unease in my gut deepens.

I exchange a glance with Tasha. We can’t afford to delay our mission, but neither can we risk walking into an ambush. “How long do you think it will take to clear the roads?”

Vortok sighs, running a hand over his face. “Give us a day. We’ll need to regroup, tend to our wounded, and then we’ll mount a counterattack. We’ll drive them off and clear the road, but it will take time.”

I nod, seeing the wisdom in his words. I fight the urge to go with him and join the fray against the Nexus scum, but leaving Tasha vulnerable is not an option with a shadowy threat in the trading post.

“Very well. We’ll delay our departure, give you time to handle this.”

Vortok clasps my arm, a gesture of respect and gratitude. “Good. I’ll send word when the way is clear.” He turns to mount his scaly steed.

With that, he rides off, his warriors falling into formation behind him. I watch them go, a sense of foreboding settling in my chest.

I turn to Tasha, taking her hand in mine. “It seems the universe is conspiring to keep us here.”

She nods, her expression thoughtful. “I don’t believe in coincidences anymore. We need to figure out how it all fits together—the missing luminore, the Astral Hunters, the shadow organization Suzor mentioned.”

I sigh. “We’ll have to be extra careful from here on out.”

She squeezes my hand, her eyes serious. “We will be. And we’ll figure this out, together. But first we need to have another talk with Suzor. He was going to tell us more.”

I nod, a grim fortitude settling over me. Suzor has information that can help us. We need to get it from him. “Let’s see what else he has to tell us.”

We make our way back to Suzor’s tent. I keep Tasha close, my hand resting on the small of her back. The bustling activity of the trading post fades into the background. My senses heightened, alert for any sign of danger.

Suzor is still manning his stall. He greets us with a knowing smile.

“Come, let’s continue our conversation. I’m sure you are eager to get to Jrosk mines,” he says, motioning for us to follow him to the back.

We duck into Suzor’s tent, the sudden dimness a stark contrast to the bright sunlight outside.

“What of the warriors’ arrival? I trust they won’t impede your mission?” Suzor asks, as he moves into the center of the tent, allowing Tasha and me to enter.

I shake my head, the seriousness of the situation weighing heavily on me. “There’s been a complication. Lieutenant Vortok and his warriors were ambushed on the road. Nexus raiders. They’ve blocked the primary route to the mines.”

Suzor’s eyes widen, a flicker of fear passing over his face. “Nexus raiders? Here?” He shakes his head, his expression grim. “I knew things were getting bad, but I never thought they’d be bold enough to strike so close to the trading post.”

Tasha steps forward, her voice tight with tension. “Suzor, you were about to tell us something before, about the shadow organization working with the Astral Hunters. What do you know?”

Suzor sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. He looks older suddenly, the weight of his knowledge etched into the lines of his face.

“They call themselves the Black Eclipse,” he says, his voice low, as if afraid of being overheard. “They’re a powerful group, with connections in every corner of the galaxy. And they deal in secrets, in forbidden knowledge. And they’ll stop at nothing to get what they want. That symbol you showed me...it’s their mark.”

A shudder crosses my shoulders, a sense of dread settling in my gut. “And what do they want with humans? With the luminore?”

Suzor hesitates, his eyes flickering to Tasha. He shakes his head, his expression helpless. “That is a secret known only by the Astral Hunters. Perhaps they want the luminore to power something. Or possibly they just want the human. Who knows what these shadowy groups are after? It’s all speculation, I’m afraid.”

Tasha’s hand finds mine, her fingers intertwining with my own. I can feel the tremor in her touch, the fear she’s trying so hard to hide.

“So, what do we do now?” she asks, her voice small but determined.

I squeeze her hand, trying to pour all my reassurance, all my love, into that simple gesture. “We stay vigilant. We watch our backs. And we don’t let our guard down, not even for a moment.”

Suzor nods, his expression grave. “You two be careful out there. The Black Eclipse, the Astral Hunters... they’re not to be trifled with. If they’re here, on Morcrest... I fear dark times are ahead for us all.”

As we leave Suzor’s tent, I can’t shake the feeling of eyes on my back, watching from the shadows. The trading post, a place of vibrant life and color when we arrived, now seems sinister, every corner hiding a potential threat.

“Let’s head back to the cabin,” I whisper to Tasha, keeping my voice low. “I don’t like the idea of being out in the open right now.”

She nods, pressing closer to my side. I wrap an arm around her, trying to shield her with my body as we make our way through the crowds.

Everywhere I look, I see figures dressed in cloaks and hoods, their faces obscured by shadow. My instincts scream at me, urging me to run, to protect Tasha at all costs.

But no attack comes.

I glance down at Tasha, seeing the courage in her eyes, the set of her jaw. She’s scared. I know she is, but she won’t let that fear cripple her.

“We’ll figure this out,” I promise her, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She looks up at me, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I know we will. I trust you, Droilin. With my life.”

Those words, simple yet profound, fill my heart with a fierce protectiveness, a love so strong it takes my breath away. I will keep her safe. And I will ensure that no harm comes to her, or to Morcrest.

As we near the cabin, I can feel the tension in my body ease, the threat of imminent danger receding. Still, I don’t let my guard down, not entirely.

I usher Tasha inside, casting one last wary glance over my shoulder. The trading post is quiet, but I can feel it, the tension in the air, the sense of something lurking just out of sight.

I close the door, bolting it securely. For now, we’re safe. But I know, with a certainty that chills me to the bone, that we must be ready to face any danger headed our way.