Page 74 of Mazorium Buys a Human

I put my hand on Maz’s arm. “Remember when you said that you’d listen to my instincts? My gut is telling me to let them talk.”

He remained still, eyes focused on Damascus for another few seconds. Finally he shifted those beautiful purple eyes to me. He leaned over and put his mouth to my ear.

“If I say go, you know what to do?”

“Yes,” I said. It was a last resort plan we’d come up with.

Straightening up, he used his body to move me around Mia and near the open door to the galley. Mia only looked up to make sure we weren’t leaving then went back to sorting through herrocks. She seemed completely unbothered by Damascus’s rattle and Maz’s movements.

“You can both talk from there,” he said. “We’ll stand here.”

Iris rolled her eyes but then nodded. “Sure, whatever makes you feel better. Let me start with telling you about Hesarium, the first Talin I met and the male who saved everyone I love.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed, I hadn’t expected that. “What happened to Hesarium?”

“He’s scent-bonded to my friend Rain,” she said casually, as if it wasn’t extremely illegal. “They live on Talarian with all the humans rescued from Omanal. There are also humans from a mining colony there. From the outside, we’re pets. Inside, our Talins know we are their equals.”

“That’s what you meant when you said you were still free,” I said, excited to know more. “Tell me everything.”

Iris gave me an approving smile then told a story I wasn’t prepared for. It was full of romance, danger, and a narrow escape where they almost lost Rain, but she survived and they successfully escaped Omanal.

But she wasn’t finished there. Later, when they all thought they were safe, Iris, Mia, and Rain were kidnapped to be sold to another Talin for political favors. That also had an incredibly satisfying and happy ending.

I was starting to think Iris was blessed by the universe or something!

She pointed to Damascus. “Now we have the ability to travel just about anywhere looking for humans or checking on ones that have been recently acquired by a Talin.”

“Like me and Nadia,” I finished for her. “That’s why you invested in the planet, so you’d have an excuse to meet us.”

“That was a lot of wealth,” Maz said. “I’m impressed with your dedication.”

“This is an important cause,” Damascus said.

I had the feeling it was important to Damascus because it was important to Iris. If she wanted to do something else, Damascus would throw himself into that. The way he was devoted to her was heartwarming.

It reminded me of how Maz treated me and Nadia.

“I’m glad to find you healthy and happy,” Damascus said.

“And being treated as a sapient creature,” Iris added.

“What would you have done if you found that I was abusing or neglecting them?” Maz asked.

Damascus focused his eyes on Maz. “When we arrived we would have discovered that you’d had a terrible accident and we couldn't find either of the humans you’d bought. It would all have been very tragic.”

I gasped at the blatant threat. “You’d have killed all of us?”

Iris shook her head. “No, we would’ve killed Maz and then taken you and Nadia to Kalor or to live with Baz and Ari on Talarian. You’d be living among friends at either location. It’s easy to forge a sales contract from a non-Talin station to pretend we bought you ourselves.”

The plan wasn’t bad, but it was still disquieting to hear them talk so casually about murdering Maz. To my surprise, their answer made Maz relax.

“That’s good,” he said. “Your answer tells me that you would truly do anything necessary to protect Mika and Nadia. I’m going to file a contract so you will receive ownership of them if anything happens to me.”

“Enough!” I said. Up until that moment, I’d been calm, but suddenly I couldn’t take it any longer. “No more talking of murder or death!”

Everyone shut up and looked over at me, and Nadia stopped burbling. Her face clouded up, preparing to cry. I took her from Maz and jiggled her, forcing myself to smile.

“Ahhhpooof!” I said.