Page 15 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

Ileana

I’ve been out here for two days now—grieving, disoriented, and completely alone.

Two painfully long days and nights since everything shattered.

I keep going over it in my head, trying to figure out how to expose what Henri did, how to make the truth known.

But it never changes. No matter how I look at it, no one’s going to believe me.

Henri’s respected. Trusted. He’s part of the inner circle. And me? I’m just the unstable girl. The criminal. That’s how they’ll always see me.

So now, the only way I survive is by staying far away from the colony’s systems. I have to hope that someone else—someone they’ll actually listen to—will eventually uncover the truth about him.

That night, when Henri gave me that choice—leave or die—I knew what he really meant. He wanted to shoot me in the back and claim he had no other option. So I ran. I sprinted toward the shadows at the edge of the garden, heart pounding, not daring to look back.

When I reached the forest line, it hit me: he wasn’t planning to kill me himself. He just wanted the wilderness to do it for him .

But I didn’t stop. I kept running, deeper and deeper into the forest, where the darkness swallowed everything. I had no idea where I was going, no sense of direction. Just trees and vines closing in around me, every step looking exactly like the last.

After a while, I stop running and glance around. My energy is draining fast. I’m not used to this kind of physical effort, and the adrenaline that kept me going for a while has completely worn off.

I’m lost. Exhausted. Cold. Panic is starting to creep in. But I keep moving, pushing through the darkness of the woods.

My thoughts are getting fuzzy. I keep stumbling over roots, and branches keep slapping my face and arms. My legs feel like lead—every step hurts.

Eventually, I stumble into a narrow clearing and spot a small cave. I stop running and collapse there, trying to rest. And I’ve been stuck here ever since. Two whole days.

This morning, I’m completely spent. Since I fled, I’ve only eaten a few wild berries. I drank a little water trickling from a crack in the rock. I’m starving. Dehydrated. The cuts I got during my escape are burning now—maybe infected.

I miss my sister so much. I feel her absence every single day. I know she’d want me to survive, to fight for the truth. I just hope that one day I’ll be able to prove I’m innocent—and make the man who hurt her pay.

But right now, I need water .

I carefully step out of my hiding place, listening for any sound that might mean someone’s nearby. I don’t know if Henri has sent anyone after me, but if he has, I pray they don’t find me.

I follow the sound of birdsong. Birds know where to find water—and food. I try to memorize a few landmarks so I can find my way back to the cave.

I’m almost at the rock I’m looking for—it’s just under four meters high. It looks hollow at the top, and the birds that gather there are wet and ruffling their feathers. That’s a good sign.

But there’s a problem: I don’t see many handholds to climb up. Still, I don’t have a choice.

I circle the rock—it’s smooth all around—but I find one side with a few small flaws. I give it a shot.

My toes can barely grip the tiny ledges, and my hands struggle to hold on. I move slowly, carefully, one step at a time. My arms are shaking from exhaustion. But I keep going.

I’m almost there. The birds have flown off, and from where I’m standing, I can finally reach the top. My heart leaps when I feel the cool water under my palm. All I need to do now is pull myself up just enough to drink—maybe even rinse my wounds.

I give one last pull with my arms, my feet dangling with no support. But then—I slip.

I fall backward. Not far, but the impact knocks the air out of me. For a second, everything goes black. My vision blurs, and I fight to stay conscious .

After a few minutes, I manage to get back on my feet. My left arm is throbbing. I don’t know if I can try again—not like this.

I failed.

I try to stand, to head back to the cave, but my head is spinning. The pain is worse than the hunger now. Worse than the exhaustion.

I crawl, dragging myself forward, desperate to reach the shelter before I lose what little strength I have left.

But I don’t make it. I collapse just a few meters from the cave. I’m completely drained. I need to rest... I’ll deal with everything else later.

Then I hear something.

A rustle. Something sniffing around nearby. I open my eyes slowly, cautiously.

That’s strange. I thought these woods were only home to birds and insects.

But this thing—whatever it is—it’s big. Way bigger than a bird.

“Gnuffgnuff!” he says, settling back on his haunches, his golden eyes locked on mine.

“Hey there,” I whisper. “What are you doing out here? Are you as lost as I am?”

“Gnuffgnuff!” he repeats, louder this time.

Maybe this is his cave. Maybe I’ve been sleeping in his home all along.

“I’m sorry if I bothered you,” I say softly. “I didn’t know this place was yours. I was just trying to find shelter. I’ll move on as soon as I can. ”

I can’t take my eyes off him. I don’t know if he’s dangerous or just curious. I try to keep my trembling under control so I don’t scare him—or myself.

I speak gently, hoping he understands I mean no harm. I mean, look at me—wounded, weak. I’m not exactly threatening.

My heart skips when he steps closer and lies down beside me. His fur brushes against my skin—soft and warm. I wait, watching his body language, and when he seems relaxed, I slowly rest my hand on his side. He glances at me with those golden eyes and gives a small nod, like he’s saying it’s okay.

I press in closer, soaking up his warmth. He doesn’t pull away. In fact, he seems protective. It’s... comforting. Unexpected, but comforting.

“You’re so soft and warm,” I murmur, letting out a shaky sigh.

“Gnuffgnuff,” he replies.

I must be hallucinating. Everyone knows there are no animals in this forest—so how on earth did I end up with one that not only doesn’t want to hurt me, but is actually trying to keep me warm? Clearly, I’ve lost it. I can’t help but let out a little laugh.

“What a weird dream! But hey, at least I’m not shivering from head to toe anymore.”

“Don’t worry. Pherebos will be here soon. I told him where we are.”

“Oh wow. I must be more dehydrated than I thought. Or maybe it’s those few orange berries I ate! First I imagine a sweet creature coming to warm me up, and now I’m hearing voices in my head? ”

“You’re not dreaming. Though I’m flattered you think I’m sweet. Pherebos is going to be so jealous when I tell him that!”

“Pherebos?”I giggle again at this ridiculous fantasy my brain has cooked up.

“Yes, him!” the dream insists, showing me a stunning face.

A face I’ve seen before—once. And a few times since, in my dreams. That man I met so briefly, just before I fell completely under Henri’s spell.

For a split second, when I looked into those intense violet eyes, I felt like another path might have been possible.

But I sealed our fate—Prianka’s and mine—when I put my trust in the only man who claimed he could take care of my sister. What a tragic mistake.

“Don’t be sad! Your aura just turned all dark!”

“I was thinking about Prianka,”I whisper, as a single tear slides down my cheek.

“Your sister?”

“Henri killed her. What am I supposed to do without her?”

“Pherebos and I—we’re going to take care of you.”

This dream is all over the place. I need to rest. I close my eyes and let myself drift into sleep, comforted by the warmth beside me.

I’m woken by a deep voice, close to my ear.

“You’re right, Wingo. She’s dehydrated. I also need to check how badly she’s hurt.”

I open my eyes and see him— him . The man from my memories. His face is serious, focused. I must still be dreaming. I close my eyes again, hoping to fall into something deeper, something healing.

“No, don’t close your eyes. I’d like you to stay conscious so I can ask you a few questions. My name’s Pherebos. This is Wingo—my furry friend who brought me to you.”

“Pherebos?” I stammer.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m going to help you sit up and get you some water. It’ll be easier for you to drink that way. I also need to know if you’ve injured yourself badly.”

Is this really happening? If not, it’s the most vivid dream I’ve ever had.

“I think... it’s my left arm.”

“Let me scan you real quick. My AI will confirm your condition.”

“No! No scanner!” I panic, my voice sharp.

“Shhh... Don’t worry. My AI is disconnected from the colony’s network. No one will know I found you. Ileana, I need you to trust me.”

I don’t know anything about this guy. But somehow, I feel the same way I did the first time I met him—like I can trust him completely, even with my eyes closed.

Back then, I chose the path of reason. I chose Henri.

This time, I’m choosing to trust Pherebos. At least for now. I don’t really have any other options.

I nod gently and let myself get lost for a moment in his striking violet gaze. He helps me sit up with care, and his companion—Wingo, I think—nuzzles against my side, helping me stay steady. What a strange situation .

Pherebos hands me a flask. I drink slowly while he pulls out a Confederation device and begins scanning me.

“You’re dehydrated and weak from lack of food,” he says. “Your lip’s split and the scab reopened. You’ve got a couple of infected wounds. And your shoulder’s broken. I’ll need to mold a composite brace to hold it in place until we can get you into a tank.”

“No... not a box,” I moan, panic rising in my chest.

“Ileana,” he says, locking eyes with me. “I promise—you’ll be safe with me.”

“You don’t know... what they’re accusing me of.”

“I know all about it. I’m going to get you out of Jaga-18 without anyone knowing. And I’m going to heal you.”

“Let us take care of you!” Wingo chimes in, his voice echoing gently in my mind.