Page 42 of Galactic Sentinels, Vol. 1 (Chronicles of Pherebos #1)

Ileana.

After spending almost two hours in Onorio’s office, I went to look for Pherebos. Maybe he was finally out of the regeneration chamber.

Unfortunately, I’m not exactly great with directions, so I ended up wandering in circles for a while before finally finding my way back to the recovery room.

The first thing I noticed was that the pod where my beautiful Asgarnian had been healing was now wide open.

A pretty brunette nearby looked up.

“Looking for someone?”

“Yeah, I was looking for Pherebos! He was injured—he was in this chamber,” I reply, pointing to the spot where I’d left him.

“Oh, you’re the girlfriend of the sexy Asgarnian with the killer purple eyes?”

“Yeah… Pherebos is my partner.”

“He was called away for something important. That’s all I know. You can wait for him here if you want,” she offers kindly.

I don’t want to seem like the clingy girlfriend who couldn’t handle a little time apart, so I politely decline and try to find my way back to the cafeteria .

I'm finally drawn in by a warm, slightly spicy aroma that makes my stomach growl with anticipation.

In the large dining hall, a long line of people is waiting for a bowl of steaming soup and soft grain cakes. I hesitate, unsure if I should get in line, but a girl gently nudges me forward and says, ‘’Come on, you’ll see—Nora made the meal. It’s way better than those nutrition bars. Go ahead!’’

A few minutes later, I’m sitting at a table with a small group of friendly people, all praising Nora’s undeniable cooking skills.

The soup is thick and flavorful, its rich scent as comforting as its taste. The grain cake is just as delicious. I close my eyes for a moment, savoring every bite.

‘’Ah, so this is where you’ve been hiding! ’’ exclaims Wingo.

‘’My Wingo, you’re here!’’ I say, giving him a quick hug.

‘’Whoa, is that your pet? You don’t see many animals on ships!’’ someone comments.

‘’He’s so weird-looking! I’ve never seen anything like him. What planet is he from?’’ another asks.

‘’That’s wild—you’ve got the most exotic pet I’ve ever seen!’’ laughs a third.

‘’This is Wingo,’’ I explain. ‘’He travels with my partner and me. Would it be okay if I took a grain cake for him?’’

‘’He eats grain cakes? Sure, go ahead—there’s plenty!’’

“Mmm, smells amazing,” my furry companion remarks .

“And I promise it tastes just as good as it smells. Where’s Pherebos?” I ask.

“Working. He’ll join us later!” Wingo replies.

Rather than risk revealing Wingo’s telepathic abilities, I decide to leave the crowded room. His presence is drawing a bit too much attention anyway. I thank everyone warmly before slipping away to find us a quieter spot.

It’s Wingo who finds us a quiet little room—a meditation chamber, from the looks of it. There’s a bunk built into the main wall and a wide bay window overlooking the surrounding space. It’s stunning. It reminds me of BN-35.

“It’s perfect!” Wingo says. “Want me to turn on some light?”

“No, thanks. Like this… you’re right, it’s perfect. Let’s lie down and enjoy the view.”

“And now we can finish those cereal cakes!”

“ Shouldn’t we save some for Pherebos? ” I ask as we settle onto the bench built into the wall.

“He probably ate during his meeting.”

“Couldn’t you ask him before eating his share?”

“You want me to bother him? Over a snack? No way. Trust me—this wafer won’t disappoint.”

“Wingo, you’re such a glutton! I’m amazed you don’t get fat with all the food you eat.”

“You’re not thinking of putting me on a diet, are you? I don’t need a diet. I’ve already got a perfect body—or close to it. Built for speed, exceptional intelligence, and a killer sense of humor. ”

I can’t help but giggle when I hear my furry friend talk. I feel safe and comfortable in this little cocoon we’ve found. The room is dim, but after a while, my eyes adjust and I begin to make out the details of this vast space. It’s beautiful. It reminds me of Prianka, my beloved sister.

On BN-35, we used to go to meditation rooms like this one to take in the vastness of the universe. I miss her so much.

We’re enjoying our meal on the bench when our peace is suddenly interrupted.

“Yes, it’s me,” says the woman who just walked in.

“Where exactly are you? And where’s our mutual friend?” asks a man’s voice—coming from the tablet she’s holding.

“I’m on a Confederation ship! I don’t know exactly where.”

I instinctively shrink back into the shadows, realizing this conversation wasn’t meant for me. But my movement catches the woman’s attention, and she switches on the room lights.

I’m instantly blinded by the sudden light.

“Ileana!” the woman exclaims.

“Hilda?” I gasp, panicking.

Oh no. Henri’s assistant. Ishehere, on the Renaissance ? Has he found me? My heart starts racing at the thought of running into my old tormentor.

“But what are you doing here?” she asks, her voice soft.

“I was captured… and sold into slavery,” I stammer.

“Oh, you poor thing,” she says, almost too quickly .

Then it hits me—she just shut off her tablet without even saying goodbye or ending the call. That’s… rude. Suspiciously rude.

“I don’t like her,” Wingo says. “And what is she doing here?”

Good question. Shouldn’t she be on Jaga-18?

“What wereyoudoing here?” she asks, trying to sound casual.

“I was just resting a bit with Wingo,” I say, gesturing toward my friend, who’s already making his way toward the door.

“Oh, I think I’ve seen that creature before,” she says, eyeing me more than him.

She doesn’t seem the least bit interested in Wingo. It’s me she’s focused on—like she’s trying to figure out how much I overheard from that call.

I’m still wondering what she’s doing here… and whether Henri is with her.

“Hmmm… and you? It’s quite a surprise to find you here, so far from Jaga-18.”

Her face shifts instantly into a mask of sorrow that wasn’t there a second ago.

“Just like you. I was captured and put up for sale. Looks like the Confederation’s intervention saved us both.”

Seriously? She doesn’t even ask how I’m doing? And I’m supposed to believe that ? What are the odds that this woman ended up in the exact same situation as me, at the hands of the Coalition? I’m still trying to figure out what her real role is here .

“Are you all right? You weren’t hurt?” I ask, thinking of the many prisoners I saw in Vagantu’s cells—certain she wasn’t one of them.

“No, I’m fine, thankfully. But what a horrible experience.”

“Yeah… it was rough. But we should count ourselves lucky to have made it out. It’ll definitely leave a mark, but…”

“You’re so wise for your age. But you’re right—it’ll be a memory filled with awful images and even worse people. And that Noviosk—what a terrifying man!”

“Ileana, none of the slaves for sale ever met Noviosk. Except you. She’s lying—her aura doesn’t lie,” Wingo warns.

I tense up, even though I didn’t mean to. Hilda’s gaze sharpens instantly. She studies me, her expression turning cold. Her lip curls into a wicked little smirk.

“I guess I slipped up. I shouldn’t have mentioned Noviosk, should I?” she says coolly.

I take a cautious step back as she slowly approaches—suddenly looking far more dangerous than she did a moment ago.

“As far as I know, no one ever meets him. Not the slaves, anyway,” I say gently, trying to keep my voice steady.

“What about you?”

“I had the misfortune too,” I admit.

“Ah ah ah!” she laughs, loud and sharp. “You really do have a knack for attracting the worst psychopaths in this part of the galaxy. First Henri… Oh yes, I saw your eyes widen. Of course I knew what Henri was doing. Yo u even told me yourself, remember? And it embarrassed me, because I didn’t want to get involved.

That charming governor… always smiling, always polite—always fake.

And yes, I know what he did to your sister. Poor thing.”

I’m leaning against the back wall now, speechless. Horrified. I endured Henri’s abuse for months, and she never lifted a finger. I remember going to her, asking for help. She brushed it off, blamed it on my youth.

“Don’t panic, Ileana,” Wingo says calmly. “She’s not paying attention to me. I pressed the alarm with my trunk. I also sent a mental alert to Pherebos. He’s on his way.”

“Oh, youdolook like a victim,” Hilda sneers. “But I was impressed when you got away. I never thought you had the guts! Was that before or after dear Henri zapped your sister?”

I flinch.

“Next!” she says with a mocking grin. “I’m not surprised.

You would never have left poor Prianka behind.

You’d rather suffer through it all. And yet, somehow, you managed to escape.

I don’t know how, but… congratulations. Henri never found your body.

He was furious. So tell me—how did you end up on Vagantu? ”

I know I need to buy time. Pherebos will be here soon—I can feel it. So I answer calmly.

“I hid in one ship, then stole another. But I got caught by smugglers and ended up in Noviosk’s hands.”

“As I was saying… you really do have a talent for falling into the hands of the worst psychopaths. And No viosk? He’s the worst of them all. Even I’m careful around him. But business is business…”

“What kind of business couldyoupossibly have with one of the Coalition’s leaders? You’re the assistant to the governor of a new world.”

“Nothing too complicated. Just a few exchanges of information. Confidential plans. Noviosk is very generous with his associates.Verygenerous…”

“Was,” I cut in sharply.

“Huh?” she blinks, caught off guard.

“Was!” I repeat firmly. “I say that because he’s dead. Gobbled up in one bite by a massive bug! You should’ve seen it—he was riding some kind of flying motorcycle inside a cylindrical shell. But the monster didn’t hesitate. Swallowed the whole thing in one go!”

My words cut her off mid-sentence, right as she was listing Henri’s, Noviosk’s, and her own crimes. I can’t help but smile.

That’s when Hilda snaps.