Chapter Three
Lord Aurzac calmly watched the different faces of the Council members gathered in the great hall. Lady Shanra was standing beside him. The Zorg leader hadn’t arrived yet. They stood apart from the other members, waiting for the meeting to start.
This was his last chance to end the century old war between the Zorg and the Argarians, thought Aurzac. Terrgius was dying. With his resources running out, he needed the Council’s help to back him up. It was the only way to put an end to the war and save his planet from further destruction. The thing that nagged at him most was that the Zorg were ruthless. They destroyed planets and abducted their women for trade. He could only hope the Zorg leader would agree to the peace proposal he was going to present to him.
“This war must end. Our resources are limited. I can’t go on like this,” Lord Aurzac told Commander Shanra.
Shanra looked at him, pensively. She had bright amber eyes, pale bluish skin and long red hair. She wore a dark blue suit that clung to her body and a dark cloak over her shoulders.
“We definitely need the Council’s help to stop the war, My Lord. Without their help, the Zorg won’t agree to the proposal,” she said, in a soft, serious tone.
“The Zorg are pirates! They won’t stop plundering until they see a deal that benefits them!” Lord Aurzac flashed a steely glance at her.
“We are offering them our exclusive weapons. But they know the planet is dying. They won’t buy into it. They know we are weak,” she insisted.
“Our swords are made from the iron of Modrya, the rarest metal in the whole galaxy. They should be tempted to accept the deal... as they do have a weakness for weapons,” he said matter-of-factly.
“You must find a mate soon, My Lord, maybe then the Council will put their trust in you.” Her shrewd eyes softened as her gaze locked onto his. Her whole demeanor changed as she looked up at him, a subtle smile playing at her lips.
Lord Aurzac noticed the subtle change. His expression unreadable and nonchalant, he looked away.
“Whether the Council helps us or not, we need to make sure the Zorg leader agrees to the proposed deal,” he said in a controlled voice with finality in his tone.
The Zorg leader, Trobbut appeared. He was a hulking man with harsh features and long dark hair framing his blue-gray face. The other members seated themselves around the long table as the meeting commenced. Lord Aurzac and Shanra also took their places and the leader of the Council made his opening speech.
***
The slaves from the Zorg ship were taken to a hall where other alien species from diverse planets gathered. They stood in a line, near the stage in the center of the hall. One by one, the female slaves were pushed on the stage. The crowd, made up mostly of male warriors, jeered loudly. Large men in armor leered and laughed at the woman on stage, proudly naming their price.
The creature that had brought Renaya food on the ship now stood there, calling out the names of the women on the stage. Renaya was shocked at the scenario. They were going to sell her at this alien auction. This was unbelievable. Her mind raced and the only logical solution that came to her was to escape.
She looked around to see if anyone was watching her. All eyes were turned toward the stage. Carefully, she inched a few steps backward toward the door. She moved further back very slowly until she reached it. She turned around quickly and was about to leave the stage through the door when her eyes momentarily met those of a man standing a few feet away. Mesmerized by his penetrating gaze, she was rooted to the spot, unable to move. She gasped as she took in his handsome features. Intense gray eyes, dark brows, ice-blond hair, strong jaw line. Her heart beat faster and something hot was building deep down in her belly as he took a few steps toward her, his gaze still locked onto hers. He was tall and his muscular body moved with a civilized grace. His demeanor was calm and cool as he stood in front of her. She felt her stomach flip as she blushed to the core. There was something here. She could feel it.
Two powerful hands grabbed her and jolted her out of her trance. Her scream was lost on her lips as a hand came up to her mouth from behind. She tried to pry it off as Ex’ilk dragged her with him, back into the hall. It was all so sudden that the man in front of her didn’t have time to react. Her only hope of escaping faded fast as Ex’ilk shoved her onto the stage and she stumbled, desperately trying to regain her balance. Her t-shirt was torn from the shoulder, leaving it bare and the pajamas she wore were torn at the hem. Humiliation and embarrassment overwhelmed her as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. The crowd was barbaric. They jeered and whistled and called her names as the auction went on. She stood there sobbing, her head lowered as her body trembled.
“We have a new bid. Fifty thousand denarii for the small woman here,” the creature called above the crowd. “Fifty thousand one... fifty thousand two... and she's yours, My Lord!”
Ex’ilk dragged Renaya down the stage and pushed her aside. He told his assistant to keep an eye on her while he took the payment. A few minutes later he dragged her away from the crowd and pushed her toward the man who had bought her. Exhausted from fear and crying, she stumbled forward and fell on her knees. Two strong but gentle hands grabbed her shoulders and helped her up. Through red-rimmed eyes, she looked up at the man who was holding her. The pair of piercing gray eyes was so close to her that it startled her. It was him. A strange wave of relief flooded her whole being as she let out a ragged breath and burst into a fresh deluge of tears.