by S. E. Green
Irritation pulses through me, and I narrow my eyes on Niho. His dark ones flick over to Sera and back to me. He’s scared I’m going to take it out on him.
A harsh laugh escapes her. “You would have nothing without me.”
My fist clenches around my spear and I slowly turn to her. What is she doing? She’s barely said a word to me over the past couple of weeks. Why the challenge now?
She steps out of the shadows and slowly stalks toward me. In my periphery I see the warriors and the recruits backing away. I don’t want to fight her. She’s in no condition to go up against me. Surely, she realizes that.
She comes to a stop right in front of me, purposefully towering and intimidating as she sneers down at me. She’s uncomfortably close, but she doesn’t touch me, as I expected her to.
It’s times like these when I am reminded of our size difference. She’s not quite twice me, but she’s really darn close.
My pulse throbs in my throat as I say, “This isn’t a good idea.”
Her upper lip arcs into a snarl. “I will regain my status here.”
Does she know there’s talk of selling her, is that why she’s doing this? To impress, to prove she’s worth keeping? It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to let her win. I will not purposefully take a fall.
She moves quickly then, swinging her fist to uppercut my chin. My teeth crash together, my head snaps back, and I suddenly can’t hear anything. But I duck and spin and jab my elbow into her lower abdomen.
My hearing rushes back as she sucks in a raspy breath and stumbles away with blood immediately soaking her tunic. I broke her wound back open. She sucks in another breath and falls to the ground, gripping her stomach and cringing, all the while glaring at me.
Guilt pinches at my gut and I clench my teeth against it. It was low of me to hit her there, but what did she expect challenging me?
“Know your opponent’s weakness,” Alexior says to the recruits, using this as a teaching moment.
I turn away from him, from Sera, from the whole thing. I hate what I just did.
~36~
That night after dinner, the recruits pace the training ground with small boulders strapped to their hands and wrists, just like we had to do. They haven’t eaten all day. I remember all too well the hungry acid that felt like it was eating me from the inside out.
“Remember when we had to do that?” Gem mumbles.
I nod.
She shakes her head. “Who would’ve ever guessed we’d be on this side of things?”
“Never thought I’d say this, but I see it all now.” Camille takes a sip of water, studying the recruits. “The training, pacing with those boulders, the sweat box. Everything. It really has prepared us.”
“Hey,” Gem turns to me, “don’t feel bad about Sera. She brought it on herself.”
“I know.” But I still hate myself for it.
“Halt!” Alexior yells, and I watch as he walks around and unstraps the ropes from each of their hands and wrists. “Eat.”
The recruits stumble over themselves to get to the one gigantic bowl of rice and lentils that has been put out on the training ground for them. Eagerly, they thrust their dirty hands into the food and shove it into their mouths.
“What’s this?” A voice cuts through the night and I turn to see a warrior coming out of the men’s quarters. He stomps across the training ground and kicks the bowl through the air.
The recruits watch in agony as it arcs above them and rice flies in every direction.
I step out from the shadows. “Let them be.”
The warrior turns on me. “You’ll teach them nothing being kind and gentle.”
“I agree. But this isn’t gentle, this is humanity. They need nourishment.”
He snorts his disagreement, gives one of them a shove in the head, and stalks back toward the men’s quarters.
Calmly, I look at Alexior. “Can we get more food?”
He doesn’t immediately answer and I lift my brows in question.
“Perhaps,” he says. “But Dominus will require you pay for it out of your arena earnings.”
I shrug. “Then so be it.”
Camille grabs my arm. “What are you doing? They won’t die if they starve for the night. God knows we did.”
Lena’s emaciated body flashes through my mind and I pull my arm away from Camille. “I don’t care. They need food.” And what else am I going to do with my money?
One of the house slaves comes through the tunnel and straight toward me. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a house slave down here. I don’t recognize her. She looks older than the others up in the villa. Does she have a key?
“Domina would like to see you and Camille and Gem,” she tells us, and we all exchange an apprehensive glance.
“Have you bathed for the night?” the house slave asks us next.
My heart jumps unsteadily, but I answer succinctly, “Yes.”
She nods. “Follow me.”
~37~
I glance over my shoulder to Alexior. Last time I was summoned to the villa by Domina he saved me from whatever she had planned with Ignatius. Something tells me he won’t be able to save me this time.
Halfway down the tunnel, Camille stops us. She grabs each of our hands and squeezes tightly. “Whatever they want, we will do. Do not show emotion. Do not show they have power over us.”
I give them both a closed lip reassuring smile. “And imagine slicing their necks open. It’s a beautiful thought.”
“No matter what,” Gem adds. “We will remain friends and allies.”
Allies. What an appropriate word.
A soldier at the top of the stairs shackles our wrists. We follow the house slave through the villa and into a back room where Domina and Bareket and a couple more women lounge among a harem of pillows. The same cat I’ve seen before lays curled on one of their laps.
Their gossiping and laughter immediately die as the three of us enter. There are two house slaves, one in each corner, and as usual their gazes are void.
Domina bites into a plump, ripe strawberry, all the while contemplating us. The last time she summoned me, her husband had no clue. I wonder if he knows now.
She tosses her half eaten fruit aside and takes a sip of wine. “We women have decided the men get all the fun around here. Save for Bareket, the rest of us just live off our men. We’re taking our allowances and betting in the fights to make some money of our own.”
On my right stands Gem and on my left Camille, and neither one of them moves a muscle.
“What do you think about that?” one of the women asks. “Would it make you proud to make us money?”
As expected, the three of us nod, though pride is definitely not how I would feel.
Bareket slides to her feet and casually strolls over. Her pot and jasmine scent floats up my nostrils and they flare. I hate her smell.
She glides around us, easing her cold fingers along our arms, our necks, our ears. I lock my muscles and concentrate on not showing how much she affects me. Because of her, Lena is dead.
She comes to stand right in front of me. “I was so sorry to hear about your sister.”
My jaw clenches and I resist the urge to head butt her.
She tsks. “Such a shame.”
I bring my gaze from the spot I’ve been staring at straight into her demented eyes. I imagine slicing her neck wide open and hope she sees the image reflected in my stare.
Her eyes linger on mine and then she dramatically rolls hers over to Gem first before going to Camille. “I hear you three are quite the pals now.”
My muscles lock even tighter.
Bareket sways back and forth, studying the three of us as she taps her finger to her chin. “What would happen, I wonder, if your little trio was broken up?”
We stay completely silent, and I struggle to suppress the rage scratching its way to the surface.
Domina laughs. “Oh don’t be mean, Bareket.”
Bareket’s ex
pression narrows to deviance as she brings her eyes back to mine. “Yes, I wonder indeed.”
I swallow the words I want to spit at her.
She twirls away and her scent kicks up around us as she throws her arms out. “Okay, which one do you want to keep for tonight’s enjoyment?”
All the women brighten.
Camille visibly quivers, and her fear vibrates in the air around us.
“Let’s keep the blond one,” one of them says.
My pulse leaps that it is not me and then immediately plummets in shame and guilt. I would never wish anything bad for Camille, but I’m so relieved it’s not me they’re keeping.
“What’s her name?” another one asks in this non-purposeful tone that spasms straight through me.
Domina’s face twists into a strange smile. “That one’s Camille.”
“Yes, let’s keep that one,” Bareket agrees.
Domina waggles her fingers. “You two may go.”
I turn toward Camille, but she doesn’t look at me. “Imagine slicing their throats,” I whisper, and she barely nods.
Gem and I are completely silent as we make our way back through the villa and down the stairs to the tunnel. We are silent as we enter the women’s quarters and go to sit on Camille’s cot. Silence that fills my ears with uneasiness.
Camille.
“Do you think they’re going to separate us?” Gem whispers.
Yes. But I don’t say that. I lie. “No. It was just a threat. Just another one of their evil games.”
We don’t say another word as we wait. And wait. And wait for Camille’s return. Hours go by and she finally enters the tunnel. Gingerly, she walks the length of it and enters the gate that leads into our quarters. Every organ in my body wrenches as I watch her.
She looks up, sees us waiting, and doesn’t say a word. Her face is so full of agony and humiliation that my blood curdles.
She keeps walking right past us and straight to the bathing area. Gem and I don’t say a word. We merely follow.
We help Camille undress and step into the water, all the while ignoring the blood smeared along her butt and inner thighs and the welts on her back where she was lashed.
She buries her face in her hands and gives into sobs that come from the depths of her very soul. Sobs that make tears jump into my own eyes. Sobs that make every muscle in my body clench.
Afterwards, we dress her in clean clothes and lead her back to her cot. We stay with her all night, but none of us sleep. None of us talk. Sometimes quiet closeness is the best support friends can give each other.
Camille doesn’t tell us what happened and we don’t ask.
Yes, separating us will be a mistake the elite will most definitely regret.
~38~
“I’m coming to you because I know Camille won’t. She was severely mistreated last night and needs a day to rest.”
Alexior glances over to where Camille’s eating breakfast, and that muscle in his jaw flexes. “I’ll put her in charge of cleaning weapons today.”
“Thank you.” I turn to leave.
“Are you okay?” he quietly asks.
I turn back. “Yes, I’m fine.”
His eyes travel over my face—my eyes, my cheeks, my lips—before gently saying, “Good.”
His tender look washes through me, relaxing me, and I physically feel my shoulders drop with the ease.
I think about his station here in Saligia. About mine. And I watch as his gaze touches down on my triceps where he flung the dagger at me. Though he doesn’t say anything, his expression comes across remorseful.
Yeah, I was pissed. But not now. He did what he was supposed to—discipline me. If it would’ve been Dominus, I would’ve been severely beaten. A nick in my skin is nothing compared to that.
Ducking my head, I catch his eyes and give him a small smile to let him know I’m okay—one that he slowly returns, and I feel myself physically relax with the warmth of it.
Then I walk right past all the recruits sitting on the ground and head toward the tunnel and the medic room. Despite what went down between me and Sera, I want to check on her.
“Valoria?” comes a voice behind me and I turn to see Niho.
“What are you doing?” I ask. He should be with the recruits.
He holds up his hand where a gash runs across his palm. “Alexior has sent me to the medic.”
I point down the tunnel. “It’s just down here.”
“Thank you,” he says as he falls in step beside me, “for being kind.”
“I’m not kind,” I tell him. That’s the last word I want him to associate with me or this place.
“If it weren’t for you we wouldn’t have eaten yesterday. The other warriors are leaving us alone, too. Plus all the instruction with the fighting. I really appreciate it.”
I don’t say you’re welcome, but I do nod my acknowledgment.
“Which makes this even harder to do,” he says.
I turn at the exact second he moves, thrusting a knife right into my hip. I gasp and stumble back and he comes right at me.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbles and lunges.
Sera comes from the medic room. “Hey!” she yells and charges.
I block his lunge and cringe when the blade slices across my forearm. Sera grabs him and throws him, and the knife flies through the air before she climbs on top of him and pummels his face with her fists.
His screams echo up and down the tunnel and I grip my hip and slide down the wall. Blood oozes between my fingers, fire licks through my bones, and I concentrate on keeping my eyes open so I don’t pass out.
People are in the tunnel now, moving around, yelling, trying to figure out what’s going on. Sera’s in front of me next, staring down at the blood creeping through my fingers. She helps me to my feet and into the medic room.
I look down at her tunic. She’s bleeding, too. Her wound has broken open again.
Talme’s eyes move over both of us, and she sighs. We both slip out of our clothes and climb up on side-by-side tables. Neither of us speak as Talme starts working.
“It’s not near as deep as all that blood makes it seem,” she tells me.
“Good.” I put my left hand on top of my head and breathe through the stitches she begins giving me in my side. I look over to Sera and awkwardness fills the air between us.
“Why did you help me?” I ask.
“Because that recruit is nothing. You’re one of us. You don’t deserve to die in a tunnel being stabbed by someone who has been here one day. When you die, if you die, it shouldn’t be like that.”
If you die. I like that she thinks I might not. “But you don’t like me. This would have been your chance to be rid of me.”
“Like I said, that’s not how it should happen.”
I grit my teeth as Talme tugs the last stitch and ties it off. “Well, thank you.”
Sera doesn’t respond. I didn’t really think she would.
Talme looks at my forearm. “I’ll do that after Sera.”
She moves over to work on Sera and while I idly watch, my thoughts drift. She saved me. I probably would not be here right now if it weren’t for her. I owe her my life. This is not a comforting thought.
Dominus flings the door open and steps inside. Alexior comes in behind him. They both take in our stitches, our blood, and Dominus roars, “What the fuck happened? Where did that recruit get a knife?”
Nobody answers him. We don’t know.
Dominus turns on Alexior. “You’re supposed to have better control down here.”
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Dominus talk to Alexior that way. But he doesn’t defend himself, only nods and agrees, “You’re right. I am sorry, Dominus. This won’t happen again.”
What? Alexior has perfect control down here. Why doesn’t he say so?
Dominus sighs. “Banish that recruit to The Hole. He is not to return. Find out where that fucking knife came from and how he got it in here.” He turns to Talme. “H
ow long until my champion is ready to resume training.”
“A couple of days.”
“And Sera?” he asks next.
Talme rolls guilty eyes to Sera before softly admitting to Dominus, “I’m not sure.”
“Fuck!” he yells. “Do you know how much money you’re costing me while you heal?”
Sera looks down at the blood seeping from her wound and quietly acknowledges, “I do, Dominus.”
“She saved my life,” I defend her.
He growls and throws his arms up and turns to leave. I look from Alexior’s frustrated stance to Sera’s defeated expression and I know I have to do something.
“Dominus?” I speak.
He turns back.
“The new recruits. They’re owned by other elite. That’s what you announced, correct?”
He nods and impatiently waves me on with my point.
“Perhaps whoever owns Niho gave him that knife with instructions to hurt me. I am your champion. You’ve made a lot of money off of me. I’m sure you’re making others jealous over that fact.”
Realization slowly creeps into his agitated expression, and he narrows his eyes as he thinks through that. Some extremely quiet seconds go by where no one even seems to breathe. The more I think about what I just said, the more it does makes sense.
Plus, now I’ve planted doubt in Dominus’ mind about the other elite. Doubt is good. It breaks systems down.
He snaps his fingers and points at me. “You’re smarter than I give you credit for.” He slaps Alexior on the shoulder. “Load those recruits back up and take them to the marketplace. I want them sold and out of here. While you’re there, purchase two you think look promising.”
I want to ask him who sponsored Niho, but I don’t. I’m pretty sure I already know—Bareket.
Which means Dominus knows, too. Good. Let him hate Bareket over this. Let him keep that nugget of information. Let him use it. I’ve been around this place long enough to know, he’s going to make Bareket pay for this. Somehow he will.
~*~
That night I request to see Dominus and he agrees. Alexior leads me through the villa to the office, and as I enter, Dominus is sitting staring out at the terrace. Hopefully he’s plotting his revenge against Bareket.
