by Penny Rose
Cade sat back against the seat of the hover-bus. This one was different from the one that brought him to Maizon’s. It had windows, allowing the gladiators to look at their surroundings as they traveled.
Maizon sat on the bus with them, along with a handful of guards, and it made Cade a little nervous. The healers and other staff traveled in a separate vehicle. So far, Cade had been able to keep the feelings between him and Eldredth a secret, but being around Maizon was a steady reminder of just how much they were risking. He feared that his actions with his healer would end up getting her killed.
Maizon stood up at the front of the bus, facing the fighters and calling for their attention.
“We are about to arrive at Rahl. I want to make sure that all of you have your heads on straight. Remember what your role is in the fights. You are here for entertainment. That means that all of you better be at your best. Entertain the crowd and they may spare you to fight another day, even in defeat.”
Several of the veteran fighters gave a victory cry, beating their fists against their chests. Cade could tell the men were anxious to get in the arena so they could unleash their aggression. Cade felt the same way. The hover-bus was covered in armored plating and thick windows incapable of breaking, or so Cade had heard. The windows even filtered out the harsh brightness of Pendoria.
The guards stood as silent sentries as Maizon gave his speech and the fighters shouted. Cade had often wondered about the guards. They always kept their faces covered. He’d never seen one without a helmet. What race lay underneath? Were they affiliated with the mercenaries that had captured him? Were they a part of the empire at large or soldiers for hire? He had a feeling Maizon hired them, but he couldn’t be sure.
Cade didn’t trust mercenaries, and he certainly didn’t want them anywhere near his friends or the healers. Maizon put a lot of effort into separating the fighters from the healers. It made it even more obvious that Cade needed to be careful that no one discovered his secret.
Arc left his seat and came to sit beside Cade.
“What’s on your mind, Cade? You look like something is troubling you.”
“I was just wondering if these guards were affiliated with the mercenaries that captured us. It makes me wonder how safe it is to leave them with the healers. I know we can take care of ourselves, but I’d hate for something to happen to one of them.”
He spoke in general terms, but his mind was on Eldredth.
“Oh, does someone have a crush on someone in the other bus?” Arc said with a wink.
Cade glared at Arc who suddenly looked sheepish.
“Sorry, Cade, I didn’t realize that you actually liked someone over there. Do you really think these guards are mercenaries?”
Cade shrugged. “It’s hard to say, but if they are, then they are dangerous.”
“Yes, they are. Give me a crack at one of them without their guns and we’ll see how dangerous they are,” Arc snarled. He leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper. “Look, I want to run something by you. I heard something from some of the other fighters.”
Cade turned to look at him. Arc glanced around the bus to make sure no one was listening to their conversation.
“What did you hear?” Cade gave Arc his full attention.
Arc used one of his tentacles to cup his mouth. “I heard that there might be a loophole to freedom.”
“What are you talking about?” Cade knit his brows.
“Well, we’ve all been thinking about how we could escape here, but what if we didn’t have to?”
“What are you talking about?” Cade repeated.
“What if we didn’t have to escape? What if we could walk right out the door?” A grin crept across Arc’s face.
“What do you mean?” Cade wished that Arc would quit being deliberately vague and get to the point.
“Apparently, you can win your freedom by being the best fighter, which would certainly work out in your favor.”
Cade’s eyes went wide. “Tell me more.”
Arc adjusted himself in his seat. “Apparently, the gladiators that win the fights will advance to bigger arenas with better fights and larger crowds. This is a big planet, and there are arenas in most of the cities, but the capital is where they all lead to. There are different opponents and challenges at each arena. I heard that one gladiator a year has the opportunity to win his freedom. Whoever wins the final battle in the capital is granted one request from the emperor. Can you imagine? It sounds like a pretty big deal.”
Cade couldn’t believe what he was hearing. If what Arc was saying was true, he could win his freedom as well as Eldredth’s without ever having to try to escape from the planet. He knew that he was a skilled fighter, so there was a real possibility that he could get what he wanted in a more straightforward way. He clenched his fist. Now Cade had a goal bigger than just survival.
“The big tournament is only a few weeks away.” Arc nodded. “So, do your best when you are out there. No one deserves to get off this planet more than you.”
Cade appreciated Arc’s belief in him, even though he knew that every one of the gladiators on the bus had been captured the same as him. What gave him a better claim to freedom? Just because he could fight? It didn’t matter, though. He could imagine winning his freedom. Screaming out the victory when it finally happened. Asking the emperor to take Eldredth with him. Not having to worry about slave owners tracking them for the rest of their lives.
He and Eldredth could disappear into the stars and never have to worry about the consequences. If they went back to Kondor, he could lead his men into battle knowing that he was once again a free man. They could start a family, and he would know that Eldredth was going to be in his life forever.
The joy that filled him was overwhelming. So much so that he didn’t notice they had arrived in Rahl. He wanted to run to the other bus and tell Eldredth everything he had just learned. But that would be a mistake. He still needed to play it cool until the tournament was over. No one could know about his plan or his true motivation, because they might try to stop him. Every gladiator wanted to win their freedom, but no one needed to know about Eldredth—especially Maizon. Cade trusted Arc, but not many others.
Freedom was all that he could think about. It wasn’t until a warm tentacle wrapped around his arm, yanking him from his seat, that he noticed the arena.
“It’s time. Let’s make this worth it,” said Arc.
Cade nodded, following him off the bus. He caught a glimpse of Eldredth as she walked off the other hover-bus to the arena where they would set up a tent to treat their fighters. She smiled at him before disappearing through a different entrance. His heart was bursting with excitement. He couldn’t wait to tell her about it. Hopefully, they would have some time together before leaving Rahl.
Although the town was small, the arena was quite large, much larger than the fighting pit Cade was used to. While the pit was surrounded by stone and topped with metal walls and electrical fences, the Rahl arena was made of wood. Electrical fencing ran along the top of the wooden barriers. The inside of the arena was covered in sand, just like Cade was used to.
Maizon gave them a history lesson as they toured the arena. In Latin, the language spoken when the first-ever gladiators battled, the word “arena” meant sand. It was fitting because the arenas had a wooden floor for the fighters to fight on, but it was always covered in sand. Rows of seating encircled the arena, just above the walls. This was a smaller arena compared to others. The larger arenas could hold around 80,000 people, he was told. 80,000 people watching him fight for survival. Rahl’s arena would host 20,000, which was more people than Cade had ever seen in one place.
Maizon seemed fascinated with arena design and lectured them with as much knowledge as he had. Cade learned that the arenas were sophisticated structures. The massive ones were all built with a water retention and drainage system used to control intentional flooding of the arena for the staging of mock naval battles. This particular arena
had a covering, which Cade was grateful for. He looked up and didn’t have to worry about the sun hurting his eyes. He felt amazing. He breathed in the air and felt a brand-new purpose.
The cover would also protect the fighters from the elements, which meant rain or sandstorms as well. There were elevators beneath the arena that would bring the fighters up to the stage—the stage where Cade would fight for victory. Wood showed blood easier than other materials and Cade could see some of the spatters that had soaked into the woodgrain. How many people had died on the very spot he was standing? It might be an incredible place, but that did nothing to redeem the fact that they watched slaves fight for enjoyment. Still, he took in the grandeur of the structure, wondering what might await in the larger cities.
Maizon did his best to tell the history of the arenas and the gladiators. “Gladiator fights go back many thousands of years. In ancient times, gladiators were prisoners who were condemned to death. It allowed those doomed to death to have one last shot at virtue. You men might not be prisoners, but you still have the opportunity to make your lives mean something. What is greater than to entertain the masses?”
Cade could think of a few things better than dying for someone else’s entertainment, but he kept his mouth shut and listened to Maizon’s speech.
“Once you are in the arena, I no longer have a say in the outcome. When the fight begins, it comes down to you and the crowd. Put on a show, and they may spare you even in the face of defeat. Disappoint them, and they will offer a quick exit into the next life. They want to be entertained and they want to see blood. Give them what they deserve. Fight for me, for yourselves, for the crowd. Win, and all of your wounds will be healed immediately after the fight.”
Cade looked around the arena, his heart beating fast. He wanted to find Eldredth before things started. Her touch would put him at ease.
****
Eldredth sat with the other healers on a balcony just above the arena floor. It was a special area reserved for the gladiator masters and their healers, considered the best seats in the house. The healers sat on one side, away from the slave masters, which suited Eldredth just fine.
Next to Eldredth sat Aira and Arina. Arina was from a different house, but she was a distant relative of Aira back on their home planet. Both women had dark brown skin, red eyes, and fiery red hair, they looked almost identical. They seemed excited for the fights, talking in whispers and pointing at the gladiators, something Eldredth just couldn’t understand. Men that they had healed on a daily basis were about to risk their lives for entertainment against their will. It was difficult for her not to care about the fighters even as just friends. Being the reason someone was still alive, it was hard not to have mutual respect for one another. Not all the fighters were nice to healers but most were, once they settled into the routine of things. Even Arc had calmed down to some degree. Eldredth was finding it hard not to show her feelings for Cade. What would she do if he took a hit in the arena? Or something worse? She knew that she had to be very careful or it would be certain death for them both.
She watched the fighters step out into the arena. They stood together, listening to Maizon. He was probably telling them something about honor and glory and other nonsense that wouldn’t matter if they were dead. The other healers were giggling as she focused on Cade. The crowd would be arriving soon and that meant the fighters would be hidden until the games began. She couldn’t help but smile when she saw him. That skin, those tattoos, those warm eyes, he was easily the handsomest fighter there and he was all hers.
“What on earth are you smiling about, lady?” Arina asked with a smirk. “Who is he? And tell us everything.”
Eldredth gasped as she looked at Arina. Aira was also looking at her curiously. Was she really that obvious? The thought terrified her. If they could see through her so easily, what would Maizon think?
“Oh, Aira, I think Eldredth has a crush on one of the fighters.” Arina winked.
The two healers she sat with were younger than her, and they loved to giggle and gossip. That was how a lot of healers got in trouble. Just like Marismith, they mooned over the fighters and would end up getting beat for it. Everyone knew the risks, yet it still happened.
Eldredth was no different, sitting there mooning over a fighter. It was stupid and dangerous. But it wasn’t just a crush with Eldredth, she loved Cade and wanted to spend her life with him. What they had was special. She wouldn’t tell the girls any of that, though. If they found out, there would be no telling who they would tell.
“So, it’s Cade that you like?” Arina asked.
Eldredth decided to stay silent. They could come to whatever conclusion they wanted to.
Arina looked to Aira and stated, “Isn’t that the guy that slept with one of the house slaves?”
Eldredth looked at her sharply. No, she wasn’t going to believe that. They were just trying to get a rise out of her. Cade wouldn’t do that to her. He was taking her away from that place and they were in love.
She decided to humor them, nonetheless. “What?”
“I’m just saying, that’s what I heard.” Arina had a glint in her eye that Eldredth didn’t like.
“Don’t dishonor a fighter’s name with gossip.” Eldredth brushed off Arina’s comment. She refused to believe that Cade was that type of a man. They might not have known each other for very long, but she knew who he was. He would never try to hurt her in that way. He was honorable and noble even as a slave. He would not sleep with her and then go off with another woman.
She got up and decided to take a walk to be away from the gossipy girls. She wasn’t sure why they were trying to upset her, but jealousy would be reason enough. She didn’t want to even think about Cade with anyone else. If anyone asked why she was not on the balcony, she would say that she needed some towels for the healing area.
She was walking aimlessly through the tunnels beneath the stands when Cade came around the corner and spotted her. He grinned and looked around before approaching her.
“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for the fight?” she asked.
“I need you right now, Eldredth. A kiss for good luck.”
She blushed deeply. “What if someone sees us?”
“Let’s go on the bus. There is no one watching us.”
He grabbed her hand and led her toward the loading dock for the arena.
“Cade, it’s dangerous,” she protested.
“More dangerous than fighting in the arena?” He cocked an eyebrow.
Eldredth had no counter to that. He might very well die out there, as much as she hated to admit it. If this was how he wished to spend his final moments, how could she not?
“Fine, let me take the lead. If anyone asks, you are being healed before the fight.”
Cade nodded.
The guard at the bus raised his rifle as they approached. “Can I help you?” His voice was gruff and accusatory.
“I need to take him on the bus. He twisted his ankle in the arena. Maizon wants him healed before the fight.” The lie came easily.
The guard lowered his weapon, allowing them to pass. Once on the hover-bus, Cade locked the bus door and pulled Eldredth into him. When their lips met, the fire burned between them once again. Kissing him always made her breathless and she longed for those kisses when he was gone.
He released her and stared into her eyes. “You are so beautiful.”
Her breath caught and she couldn’t even respond to him. It never failed to move her when he spoke to her that way, with his penetrating gaze. Her body was warm all over at the thought of him taking her right there on the bus.
She kissed him, her tongue sliding gently into his mouth and touching his. How could a man affect her like this? He was just so amazing. She physically needed him and knew he felt the same way.
She smiled up at him again, watching Cade intensely. “I would like you to touch me.”
He groaned. “Eldredth, that's all I want to do. I want
to have your body in my hands once again. You are stunning, Eldredth.”
“Oh, Cade, I love the way you talk to me.” For a barbarian, he had a way with words that unraveled her.
She moved in closer to him, rubbing her hand over the front of his loincloth. His hardened member flexed from the other side. She kneaded until she felt him pulsing against her. He had already been plenty hard to begin with and feeling him grow turned her on that much more. He groaned at her touch and his hands slowly went up her robes, grasping her backside.
Every cell in her body was aware of Cade. She longed to be close to him, near him in every way possible.
She moved to one of the seats on the bus and bent over slightly, showing Cade the bottom of her ass cheeks. And just like that, he was hard as a rock. Harder than she had ever seen him with every vein defined along his massive member. She could make him rock hard so easily.
“I don’t even need to undress. It will be nice and easy, Cade.” She lifted her robe and bent over the seat, completely presenting her backside to him. It was best to undress as little as possible to prevent discovery. Who knew how much time they had?
There was mischief in his eyes. “You want me to make love to you from behind? I'm going to make you feel incredible.”
Her firm ass was there for him to take. The way he looked at her, she knew he wanted to slide in deep. She wanted it too. She couldn’t take it much longer, she wanted him to take her hard from behind and make her say his name again and again.
She hoped that he was going to give her exactly what she wanted. He ran his hands up her sides and squeezed her breasts within the robe. She turned her head, and his mouth found her lips. He sucked on them, the kiss being the most passionate yet. She released a soft cry, and he nipped at her lip. She knew she had to be quiet. There was a guard on the other side of the bus. They couldn't allow anyone to discover them.
Knowing someone was on the other side both terrified and excited her.
