  In this work we study the interactions of the multiquark state $Z_{cs}
(3985)^-$ with light mesons in a hot hadron gas. Using an Effective Lagrangian
framework, we estimate the vacuum cross sections as well as the thermal cross
sections of the production processes $ \bar{D}_{s}^{(*)} D_{s}^{(*)}
\rightarrow Z_{cs}^- X \, (X=\pi , K, \eta) $ and the corresponding inverse
reactions. The results indicate that the considered processes have sizeable
cross sections. Most importantly, the thermal cross sections for $Z_{cs}$
annihilation are much larger than those for production. This feature might
produce relevant effects on some observables, such as the final $Z_{cs}$
multiplicity, measured in heavy ion collisions.
