Page 33 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

He’s massive—nearly half a head taller than me, and built like a walking fortress. His gaze is glacial, and it sends a chill down my spine. I trust my instincts, and they’re screaming: this guy is dangerous.

He scans the room, sizing each of us up. He’s a predator, no doubt. If we all jumped him at once, maybe we’d stand a chance. But that’s not how this game works.

When his eyes land on me, I meet his gaze with a lazy smile and a relaxed posture—everything about me saysunbothered. He underestimates me. Good. Let him.

He drops into his throne, legs spread wide, one arm draped over the armrest, the other tapping impatiently.

A Penubian enters and introduces himself as Manly, the auctioneer.

He’s followed by two others—one Penubian I recognize from the video, and a Sadjim. They’re the ones who brought Ileana in. My stomach tightens.

They lead her to the dais and sit her down.

She’s wearing a white veil tunic—thin, almost transparent. A collar around her neck keeps her in check. Her eyes are downcast, fixed on the floor, avoiding the stares of the men around her. I nearly growl when I think about the way they’re all looking at her.

As soon as she’s seated, the two handlers step back. A beam of light locks onto her, illuminating every curve, every detail.

She looks… breathtaking.

And I’m burning inside.

She looks up, startled, her gaze sweeping across the room. When her eyes land on me, she gasps—just barely, but enough.

Damn it. Noviosk had to know this would happen .

“Slave, do you know this man?”he asks immediately, his voice sharp.

Here we go.

If she tells the truth—the wholetruth—my entire rescue plan could fall apart. But honestly? In this moment, I don’t care. I just want her safe.

She hesitates, clearly unsure of what to say.

“Answer Noviosk!”snaps the Penubian beside her— Bully , as Manly introduces him.

“Yeah, I know him!”she spits, glaring at me.“I’d just managed to get away from him when you captured me. I barely had a few days of freedom.”

“Truth,”the Srebat confirms instantly with a smile.

My throat tightens. So that’s how she saw it. She thought she was escapingme. That stings more than I expected. Maybe I’m not the partner she needed after all.

“And what about you?”Noviosk turns to me, his tone cold.“You didn’t mention you knew her.”

I take a breath. Think fast.

“What exactly do you want to know?” I say, keeping my voice even. “That Iwanther? You already know that—otherwise I wouldn’t be here, ready to pay a fortune.WhyI want her? That’s my business.”

Noviosk studies me for a moment, then leans back in his chair.

“Truth,”he says.“Let’s get on with it, then.”

I exhale slowly, discreetly. The Srebat can’t read my face. That’s something. But this is far from over.

The real test is just beginning .

Manly, the master of the sale, steps forward with the practiced ease of someone who’s done this far too many times. He begins his pitch, showcasing the “quality” of the merchandise—her age, origin, condition. Then he gestures to Ileana.

“Turn around, slowly,”he says, his voice smooth but cold.

She hesitates.

Without missing a beat, Manly pulls out a small remote and presses a button.

Ileana flinches, a sharp cry escaping her lips as her hand instinctively reaches for the collar around her neck. My jaw tightens. I’d assumed it was a proportional-response restraint collar. Clearly, it’s not. That’s one more thing we’ll have to deal with when we get her out.

The light shifts, casting her in a glow that highlights every inch of her. She looks like a statue—vulnerable, exposed, and far too beautiful for this place.

Once the room has had its fill of staring, Manly clears his throat and invites the buyers to introduce themselves and declare their offers.

The first one steps forward.

“Hey Noviosk, real pleasure. I’m Julian, Human. I’m here to buy this woman—she’s from my planet. I’ve brought four diamonds. Top quality.”

Manly presents the offer to Noviosk, Bully, and Prax. None of them look impressed.

“Straight from a king’s crown,”Julian adds, trying to sweeten the deal .

“Lie!”Noviosk snaps.“Guards, remove him. Set him aside—I’ll deal with him later.”

“What’d he say that made you so mad?”Rick whispers, confused.

“His last sentence was a lie,”Noviosk growls.“And nothing pisses me off more than someone trying to feed me garbage. If he’d done his homework, he’d know better than to lie to me . He’ll regret it.”

“My bad,”Manly mutters, clearly rattled.“Ahem… anyone else thinking of leaving before the auction begins?”

No one moves. At this point, walking out would be an admission of weakness—or guilt. I stay seated, calm and composed. I’m in this to the end. And judging by the silence, so is everyone else.

“Let’s start again,”Manly says, resetting the room.

The next buyer steps confidently into the center of the room.

“Gentlemen, I’m Pottak, a Penubian. This Human is exceptional—she’d be the perfect addition to my collection. I’m offering one hundred pistoblasters. Nine!”he adds with a flourish.

“Truth,”Noviosk confirms, his voice flat but satisfied.“Fifty for me, fifty for the sellers.”

“Bid validated,”Manly announces, as the amount appears on the summary screen hovering above the dais.

Then it’s the third buyer’s turn—a small, wiry being with tubular, retractable ears .

“Noviosk, gentlemen,”he says with a polite nod.“I’m Torre, and this is Tourb. Females from my world are rare, and we’re biologically compatible with Humans. I’m offering a one-seater spacecraft. Not brand new, but in excellent condition.”

“Truth,”Noviosk comments, though his tone is less impressed.“I’m not interested in a single-seater. The sellers will pay me half its value and keep the vessel if the bid wins.”

Then, something unexpected happens.

Prax—the Sadjim who helped bring Ileana in—steps forward.

“Noviosk,”he says calmly.“I’d like to participate in the sale as a buyer.”

The room shifts. Even Noviosk raises an eyebrow.

“Prax… well, what a surprise,”the Srebat says, voice dripping with sarcasm.“You’ve got guts.”

“I know what you said,”Prax replies.“But I’m taking my chances.”

I narrow my eyes. So he’s bidding now? One of the two men who brought her in? He must’ve spoken to Noviosk before the auction, just like I did. Maybe Noviosk already had a shortlist of acceptable buyers. Maybe this is all part of the game—to drive up the price.

And Bully, the Penubian beside him, looks furious.

“You can’t do that!”Bully snaps.

“There’s nothing stopping it,”Manly says smoothly.“In that case, let’s hear from the Sadjim. What do you offer? ”

Prax steps into the center of the room, calm and composed.

“I’m Prax, from Sadjim. I offer my two-seater vessel. Bought it five years ago. Fast. Well-maintained.”

Manly glances at Noviosk, who looks… tired. Maybe annoyed. Maybe calculating.

The game just changed.

“Truth,”Noviosk confirms, his voice cool and cutting.“But as far as I know, you don’t have another ship. How do you plan to get out of here? A smuggler without a ship is worthless.”

“And how do you plan to pay my share?”Bully adds, his tone icy.

“I’ll cover the trip back to Sadjim for both me and Ileana,”Prax replies, standing firm.“I’ve still got family there. And as for Bully—he’s forgetting the ship is mine. He’s been using it for free. We split profits evenly, but I could’ve demanded more.”

“I won’t forget this,”Bully hisses, his voice low and dangerous.

Whether Prax wins or not, he’s just made himself a mortal enemy.

With a flick of his hand, Noviosk signals Manly to continue.

“Very well. Bid accepted. Two-seater vessel from Sadjim. Next.”

A Human steps forward.

“Hey, guys. I’m Josh. I’m Human. I’m interested in this woman, but I won’t be bidding. I’ve only got a one- seater, and it’s not even as good as the Sadjim’s. She’s beautiful, but I’m out.”

“Truth,” Noviosk replies, unmoved.

Then comes a Venor—small, humanoid, with crumpled gray skin and translucent wings. I suppress a grimace. I hate this species. They’re hollow, selfish, and violent. No empathy. No soul.

He presents a few weapons, but Noviosk barely glances at them before waving him out of the room—just like he did with the Human before him.

And now… I’m the only one left.

Noviosk turns to me, his expression shifting into something that might be called a smile—if you ignored the fangs. His eyes are a piercing, unnatural blue. He studies me like a puzzle he’s almost solved.

I rise slowly, deliberately. My posture is relaxed, my expression confident. Every step I take toward the center of the room is calculated.

Showtime.