That was disheartening to hear, but when I took my eyes off the entrance to the den to stare at her, she was smiling with sharp fangs drawn. The old survivor cackled before she shook her head with amusement.
"Outlaws think this a fitting name for their outpost, but between you and me, to a shol, it is a promise of retribution. A second rising, if you will. It was not a hopeless name, but one of power and a dream of a future."
"Why are you telling me this?"
The crooked dealer hadn't spoken much to me, even if she was the only one who was willing to say anything at all.
"If the trill have returned, then something has shifted in the universe, and you must find out what."
"Excuse me?"
She had lost her mind.
"You want off this rock, and I can arrange that for a price. I told you a bit of my story because freedom is often not enough to motivate someone to do what must be done. I don't care that you escaped Lord Zorn or not. The trill are a wise species, and though they are deadly, they do not often fight. He is not the only trill on this planet. A whole crew of them have arrived and, according to the ones that raised me, they came when the sickness was spreading through Sholonus.
"Instead of helping my species, they destroyed our planet to prevent the spread of the Star Sickness. Shol survivors were only left alone after extensive tests and even then, we were left to die on a barren planet with little resources."
I was covering my mouth as if that would put the unspeakable back within her throat from which they were spoken. Her whole planet was destroyed and, if she was to be believed, then the trill were only here for one reason, to give renewed meaning to the planet's name, Delta Fal, Fated Death.
Chapter four
Yueril
Thedenwascleanerthan I had expected, and when I asked for a room, they led me to a viewing screen filled with monitors of every available accommodation, both to show that I would be watched, and to see each pod offering would include its own companion for my stay. Off to the other wall was a rotation of security cameras, one of which was constantly on the exits. My eye caught on the discarded emerald of the streets as she clutched the flaps of the junk trader's tent outside.
The edge of my lips quirked up in delight that I had been correct about her following me. From the moment I saw her huddled amongst the debris of the shuttle strip, my vision narrowed, and it took everything within my willpower to stop myself from summoning my team to raze the city. I could, with a simple command, overrun this entire port with my crew, but I had instructed them to take rotations of only a shuttle's amount at a time for their celebrations of what they believed was a victory of the planet Necias Prime joining the galactic authority.
Only Belder knew our mission was more than posting up at an outlaw base to stand off against the threat of the Solusgor's approach. Every warrior under my command was prepared to die to protect the universe, but there was no preparation for what we would face when they arrived. They weren't an entity of flesh and blood.
"Who is that?" I asked of my escort.
He cleared his throat and tried to motion me back to the other viewing screens. "No one wants to be caught with a branded slave of Lord Zorn without proof that you've paid your dues. That one can't be touched until Lord Zorn returns, but I do have plenty of other options for every taste of the universe for your stay."
I clenched my jaw to control myself and kept my voice even as I demanded, "Bring her to my room." A slave! My scales threatened to spray the whole room with a toxin to subdue them all.
The spindly-looking escort chewed on his lip nervously, unsure of what to make of me, or what kind of outlaw I must be. "I mean no disrespect, but if you do not know who Lord Zorn is... it's best not to be anywhere near that one. As pretty as she is, she isn't worth your life, as that is what it will cost you."
"I'll decide what it will cost me," I hissed and as his throat bobbed, he then nodded his understanding.
"I'll have her delivered tonight, but I will warn you, the last outlaw to touch the property of Lord Zorn met an untimely end. It won't matter if you plan on paying him after, that you were just looking out for her, or if you claim to inform him that you found her and wanted to return her... Be prepared to defend your life. He'd rather everyone know that escaping isn't an option for a slave, that no one will help them, because if they do, everyone who has been in contact with them will die. Her best option is to wait for Lord Zorn and return to him for her punishment."
My scales flared along my skull, forcing my hood back as I sneered, displaying my sharp teeth. He flinched, and I reiterated that I wouldn't be intimidated by a male that ruled with fear. "When you bring her to my room, you will tell her that it is a request that the Emerald Treasure show a presumptuous wanderer around for his stay. In exchange, the room is hers for as long as she'd like." I watched him carefully to reiterate, "A request. I will know if you have forced her to join me, and it will be you who pays the price."
He sputtered, "I cannot keep her at the den, word will spread, and I will—"
I cut him off. "You are not the owner of this establishment." It was clear from his fear that he was nothing more than a caretaker in the real owner's absence.
Behind us, a clucking noise had both our attentions turning to the viewing room entrance, where a warrior spread out his leathery wings in intimidation. My escort cowered, making himself seem small with his shoulders hunched. This may be someone with a bit more authority here.
He looked over at the screen, where my treasure used to be. She was gone, no longer peeking from behind the dealer's tent. Then the newcomer dipped his horns to me with a smile. "Forgive my associate. He forgets that the customer is always right. If there is someone you want us to bring to you, we will. You do understand that you will take full responsibility for whatever repercussions come from our procurement, so we'll require the fee upfront."
"Commander..." the meek one warned against the offer.
A stern stare was all he got in return, but he nodded profusely. The clucking sound from deep in his throat was forming a pattern that sounded more and more like a language not covered by our databases.
"You will follow Commander Goen," my escort suggested while backing away.
Replacing my hood over my head, I followed without hesitation. I was alone, but I was not unarmed, despite being searched when I entered.
