Page 78 of Galactic Sentinels: Vol. 1
A few minutes later, he returns—more respectful now.
“Are you the Asgarnian… Pherebos?”
“The very same,” I say with a smirk. “In fact, I’d say I’mtheAsgarnian. Unless you’ve met another one lately?”
“Noviosk is expecting all three of you,”the guard confirms.“He’s asked me to escort you to a private sales room. But he’s also confirmed—you’ll need to hand over your weapons.”
Just as I expected.
I hand over the bag without protest, already shifting my focus to what’s coming next. Noviosk is going to test me—no doubt about it. And I’m going to see Ileana again. I have no idea how she’ll react. I just hope she doesn’t blow my cover.
As we follow the guards down a corridor toward the private room, Rick and Nick are practically bouncing with excitement.
“Look at that, Nick! A private sales room! We’re going straight to the big boss!”
“Yeah, it’s an honor!”his brother replies, wide-eyed.
I keep my expression neutral, but inside, I’m already calculating every possible outcome.
This is it. Showtime.
We’re finally shown into a large, oval room with high ceilings and a cold, calculated elegance. At the center stands a small, round dais—maybe a meter across—bathed in overhead spotlights. It’s positioned directly in front of a massive bay window overlooking the sea. The whole setup screamsluxury, like it’s waiting to showcase a priceless jewel.
But the jewel isn’t here yet.
Across from the dais sits a large, empty armchair—clearly reserved for someone important. A few simpler seats flank it, already occupied by a Penubian and a Human. The guard gestures for me to take a seat and motions for Rick and Nick to stand behind me.
I catch the wince on their faces. Not quite the VIP treatment they were expecting. Their status here isn’t what they thought it was.
A few minutes pass. The room fills. Six buyers in total.
Then Noviosk enters, and the room falls silent.
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. Novioskhadto know this would happen.
