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The Zibeck's resolve wavered. “All right!" he cried out. "It’s been months since that transaction took place. The largest lot was auctioned off to the Gorkens. Maybe twenty Valosians and ten or so humans. The rest were sold to various species. The Gorkens took them to Gorka to work in the sorium mines."
“What other species bought them!” I hissed.
“Most were sold in large lots to a few Orcs, some Bioti, Natookie. One female was sold to a Nomadican.”
“And what about the Mayrans?” Tyrk sauntered over.
“I don’t know—” the Zibeck’s words were cut off as I torqued his appendage backward.
“Answer the Nomadican’s question and it had better not begin withI don’t know,” I ground out, twisting harder.
“All right! All right! There was a group of them that came through, but that’s been a long time ago, long before the Gretolics brought the Valosians and the humans. Most were sold to the Gorken too while a few were sold to another species. And before you break off my arm,” the Zibeck gasped. “They were beastly creatures I had never seen before. Word spread through the port they were called Jagots from outside the known Universe. That’s all I know. I swear!”
I suddenly released the Zibeck and he crumpled to the ground. Tyrk stood beside me, arms crossed.
"We need to move quickly then," he said gravely. "The conditions in those mines are brutal. Few survive longer than a handful of months."
My jaw clenched. “What do we tell Nara? Her mate may not have been sold to the Gorken.”
“We tell her the truth and start our search on Gorka. If he’s not there, we go in search of these Jagots.”
Just then, Ruze burst into the hut, a triumphant grin on his face. In his clawed hands, he held three circular bands that glinted silver under the bright orange sunlight streaming through the open door.
"Found us some Moktain cloaking tech," he announced and nodded at the Zibeck cowering in the corner. "Where are we headed?”
“To the sorium mine on Gorka.” Tyrk examined the band Ruze handed each of us. “Perfect. This is exactly what we need to infiltrate the Gorken mine unnoticed. With these, we’ll be like ghosts, able to walk among them unseen.”
"How does it work?" I asked, turning the smooth metal over in my palm.
"You wear it around your wrist,” Ruze explained. "It bends light around you, makes you undetectable. Plus, I linked them so we'll be able to see each other even when cloaked."
As I secured the device around my wrist, it melded with my scales like a second skin. The thrum of its energy sent a shiver through me, prickling over my scales in waves of unseen power.
The Zibeck's gaze, previously locked onto me, suddenly darted around the room in confusion. His eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly as he scanned the space where I still stood, now invisible to his probing stare. Despite remaining motionless, I had vanished from his sight entirely.
"Cloaks engaged. It’ll be easier and faster to get back to the ship through the crowd if we don’t have to keep our heads down,” Tyrk said donning his device. “There’s no time to waste. The longer the Valosians and humans are inside the Gorken mine, the greater the risk they won’t make it out alive.”
I took one last look at the cowering Zibeck before turning to follow the two Nomadicans now enveloped in wavy distortions as we raced through the throngs of strange, otherworldly beings milling about the trading port.
Tirius was a cauldron, its sun a fiery blood orange orb in a violet sky. The air was thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe. I yearned to shed the unfamiliar pants and hooded cloak Ruze had given me, craving the comfort of my breechcloth. I hated the feel of the boots covering my feet as I kept pace with the Nomadicans.
The attire was stifling, but concealing my species was important to not draw attention to us. Valosians were an infant race and not enlightened. We weren’t supposed to hold a broader knowledge of what lay beyond the clouds of our world, so blending in was crucial to avoid unwanted scrutiny.
With a cloaking device, I no longer needed the disguise. I shoved the hood from my head as we raced across the desolate field where Ruze had landed our cloaked Moktian craft.
Tirius was the second planet I had roamed since waking up caged on a world filled with giants who wanted to eat us. I despised Tirius just as much as I had the giant's planet and I was certain I would hate Gorka as well, but I was determined to find as many of my kinsmen as I could and return them home to Valose.
Cloaked or not, the Gorken would soon feel my fury. Nothing would stop me from rescuing my people.
Tyrk lifted the ramp and closed the hatch as soon as we were all on board.
"We know where a large group of them are," I told Nara, her delicate blue hands twisting in distress. "Sold to the Gorken for slave labor in their mines. Most of the Mayran too. Zorin might be among them."
"Sorium mines are death traps," Nara spat bitterly. "The Gorken work their slaves until they drop. After all this time, chances aren’t good the Mayran’s taken there are still alive.”
“Your mate was a ranger,” Ruze pointed out and took his seat at the command console. “As a member of the Mayran military, he’s stronger than the villagers.”
I took my seat and strapped in, jaw clenching as fury bubbled within me. The thought of my people toiling away in a death mine boiled my blood. "If he’s there, we'll get him out," I vowed. "All of them."
