The Last Narkoy: Gathow: Book 2 by Elizabeth Price (good e books to read .txt) 📗

needed after all. Garric was a small man in stature and under Norton’s direction he seemed to be doing well. But then she remembered he was still a Marisheio, regardless if she considered him a friend, he was a friend with a slave collar. “Follow them to the infirmary,” she ordered the two men.

She glanced back to the group, which had already moved on towards the infirmary. Ratisha rolled past moments later. “I’ll stop by in a little while and see how he’s doing.”

Ratisha nodded. She took Sedom’s hand, keeping her from walking away. “Sedom, remember I’m on your side,” she whispered.

Sedom squeezed her hand. “I know. I’m just under a lot of stress,” she admitted low. “I don’t blame you for what happened.”

Ratisha grinned. “I’ll let Doctor Noral know what happened,” she said and continued to roll down the street.

Norton followed close behind Sedom, his aged eyes digging a chasm into the back of her head. “I can't believe you used my collar,” Norton cursed. “You know what that damn thing did to my head. To even think of using it on another --”

Sedom paused, turning to him as they took Garric through the infirmary’s doors. “Look… it was available. Besides, I thought I got all the quarks out of it,” Sedom admitted, though she felt like she didn’t need to explain herself.

“You'll be lucky if your man recovers.” Norton swung the infirmary door open, following the group inside.

Sedom continued right behind Norton. “Garric will be fine. He’s a strong man.”

Norton turned back to her, glaring at her. “Why the hell would you use a collar on a man anyhow? I thought Narkoy were above keeping slaves?”

Sedom looked the man square in his eyes, shaking her head. “Who do you think designed these?” she asked cryptically, holding up Garric’s collar in her right hand.

She continued over to the bed they had laid Garric on. He was calmer now, but his eyes kept darting about the room in a panic. She pressed her hand to Garric's neck seeing the images in his mind. “He'll recover fine.”

“You’re lucky it didn’t kill him,” Norton grumbled from behind her.

Doctor Noral carefully removed the rest of Garric’s collar, handing it to Sedom. “I’m not sure what you want me to do,” he said to Sedom.

“I'll have to take that collar apart and see what’s wrong with it. Until then, keep him sedated. He'll take a long nap, which he needed anyway.” She paused, taking the broken piece from Noral. She held both pieces up to show Norton. “If we manufactured them, it would go to reason we once used them.”

“The Narkoy aren’t as peaceful as they led us to believe,” Norton pointed out.

“No…” Sedom sighed deeply to center herself. “My ancestors were bloody savages, hell-bent on dominating the galaxy, much like the Marisheio. It was a small faction that managed to see the errors in their ways and escape here to Gathow,” she explained.

“What happened to the others?” Doctor Noral asked.

Sedom shrugged bitterly, not wanting to go into a history lesson. She caressed Garric's cheek, causing him to shudder. “This wasn't my choice, it was his. If I could trust him, I'd gladly remove it. But there's too much history involved.”

Danstu poked his head from around the corner, clearing his throat to gain Sedom’s attention. “Chadon, sorry to interrupt, but Marnet Desvin is on the com looking for Faylar Helli.”

“I guess he's sobered up,” Norton mused. “Show me the way.” Norton left with one last scolding glance to Sedom. “Danstu Keriney? I haven’t seen you since…” Norton’s voice faded as he followed Danstu out the infirmary doors.

What could Sedom do? It wasn't like she wanted to keep Garric as a slave. Yes, it had its advantages, but the idea of owning a slave wasn't complementary to her position. She was fighting against slavery. Or was she? Before starting the Tasgool she cared nothing about slavery. She didn’t even know that slavery existed, let alone wanted to fight against it. Her purpose was to keep the Marisheio from taking over her world. If that meant keeping them from taking slaves, so be it.

Tears formed in Garric's closed eyes. “Marida,” he wept, holding his hands close to his face.

He was dreaming of his wife. She recalled him saying her name once before, but it was unlike him to talk about his family. His hands balled into fists, hitting his forehead with both.

“Hush now, it’s okay,” Sedom soothed, keeping him from hitting himself.

Garric's eyes opened wide darting around. “Do you see them?” He jumped back, curling himself against the back of the bed. “Get them away! Get them away!” he screamed.

Sedom sat on the bed next to him. “They're not real,” she soothed. She wrapped her arm around Garric making him relax against her. “I have you. You're safe.”

Noral and Hasapoi rushed over to Garric’s bedside. Noral pressed an air syringe to his neck. Garric relaxed against Sedom’s shoulder. She guided him back, wrapping his blanket around his body.

“I'm not sure what you want me to do with him. I know the laws for slaves--” Noral started.

Sedom turned to Noral, shaking her head frustrated. “The laws don't apply here in Gathow. The collar was only for the city's protection. Keep him sedated until I return. If you have to, confine him for his own safety.“

She continued into Gathow once she decided Garric was calm enough to leave his side. Outside Zion was waiting for Sedom, a satisfied smirk on his lips.

“Your pet having a headache? Collar too tight?” he asked. Sedom ignored him, continuing to walk towards the science labs.

“You're following me, why?” Sedom snarled.

Zion handed her a computer pad. “Team's set. I chose Danstu instead of Dranium. He has a good head for technology and knows how to shoot. And I'm