Page 4 of Taken By the Naga King

“Your captors. That’s who you were just looking for. Were you not?”

One of her brows lifted on its own, but she quickly let it drop. She was used to her face being a perfect mask, showing nothing. But already, she was letting much more emotion show than she ever had with anyone else. And it all seemed out of her control.

“Yes, I was.”

“You will not be returning to them.”

The feeling of relief that surged through her was short-lived. Perhaps this Naga was a far worse evil than the Jorvlens had been. Perhaps the savior standing in front of her was no savior after all but a reminder that she would never escape this life no matter how many times she ran. No matter who took over as her master.

“You do not look happy about this,” he stated.

“I…” She began but stopped herself. What could she say?

“You are scared.” Another statement.

She swallowed visibly, still biting her tongue.

He slithered closer to her, his already narrow eyes narrowing even further. “Speak.”

“What is your name?” she blurted out, shocking herself. She wasn’t sure where the question came from. She hadn’t even been wondering about his name. It was as if something had taken over her.

Something flashed over his eyes, but he opened his mouth to answer. “Gravon.”

The name reminded her of something, but it didn’t come to her immediately. Now was not the time to stand there and dwell on the mystery.

She still had no idea what his intentions with her were. “What are you going to do with me?”

He didn’t even think for a moment. “You will be staying with me from now on.”

But what did that mean? She was confused about what her role was to be. No one had ever been so cryptic with her before.

“What about the Jorvlens? They are probably looking for me.”

“We will be long gone by the time they are aware you are on my ship. And I would not allow them access to you, regardless.”

She could tell this Naga was powerful. That was obvious in everything from his appearance to the air around him. But to say he wouldn’t allow the Jorvlens to do something? She knew the Jorvlens weren’t the most powerful race out there, not by far, but she knew that they still held a lot of power on this planet—Noxxa.

If Gravon was above them, that meant a lot.

That’s when she remembered something Gravon had said when he first found her.

And you chose my ship as a way to do so?

His ship. She racked her brain for anything she could remember about the ship when she had first entered.

Words etched into the side in bright red writing flashed in her mind: Imperial Nirum.

If the Imperial Nirum was his ship, which could only mean one thing.

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back from Gravon, purely out of instinct.

Gravon. Gravon Vinezar. The king of Nirum. That’s whose ship she had entered. That’s who was standing, of a sort, in front of her.

Why had he not killed her on sight? Why was he letting her live? What could the king of Nirum possibly want with her?

Gravon cocked his head to the side and watched as the realization settled over her.

“As I said, you will be staying with me. And we must be on the move. We will be taking off soon. You will follow me.”

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