by Anna Hackett
Harper slid her swords into the scabbards at her hips. “I’ve been training with swords my whole life, plus, the last few months have been a pretty intense, advanced lesson. Give it time. You’re strong and scrappy, you’ll get it.” Her friend moved closer, running a friendly hand across Rory’s shoulder. “But this isn’t really about the sword, is it?”
Rory nodded. The day had been full of questions, and not a single answer.
“You’ve had a pretty rough day today,” Harper said. “Give yourself a break.”
“Yeah.” But the emotions churning in her gut were hot and angry. With a growl, Rory strode over to the closest sparring dummy and kicked it.
Not enough. She kicked it again. Kick. Kick. Punch.
“Ahh!” A hard roundhouse kick. This one set the dummy rocking.
Harper stopped beside her, her arms crossed over her chest. “You want to talk about it?”
Rory spun, lifting her hands to clasp them behind her head. “Where do I start? I’m still adjusting to life on a new planet. I miss my family. Someone is trying to kill me. I keep imagining Madeline in some house of horrors somewhere.” Rory clenched her hands together, pushing back the memories. “And I’m lusting after an uptight gladiator.”
Harper’s mouth opened, then closed again.
Rory turned and gave the dummy another kick.
“So…Kace, huh?” Harper said slowly.
“I need a big, bossy gladiator like I need a hole in the head.”
“He’s a good man.”
“Yes, but he’s also a structured, military man. Have you seen the way he assesses everything? He never just reacts.”
“That’s what makes him so good in the arena.” Harper stepped in front of Rory, drawing Rory’s full attention. “Like I said, a good man, and one I think could do with a little shaking up.”
Rory paused. She knew Harper pretty well and she heard what her friend wasn’t saying. “But?”
“He’s here temporarily, Rory. He’s contracted here for two years, and he’s already served six months. Once he finishes honing his skills in the arena, he’ll go back to the military. Raiden’s told me that Kace’s planet, Antar, is dedicated to military life. They breed their people for it. For them, it’s all about duty, honor, and protecting their world from their enemies.”
Rory could see the duty, the honor, and the need to protect in him. Hell, she thought it was admirable. “I don’t want to marry the guy, Harper.”
“I know. But I don’t want you hurt more than you already have been.”
In an instant, all the fight went out of Rory. She moved over to her friend and gave Harper a hug. “I’m so glad you’re here. And Regan, too.” Rory lifted her head and looked around. “Speaking of which, where is Regan? I thought she’d nagged you to teach her how to use a sword.”
Harper snorted. “We both know she’s going to be as good with a sword as she is at cards.”
Rory smiled. Her sweet cousin lacked a killer instinct. Even as a kid, Regan was always growing plants and rescuing bugs. She couldn’t even swat a fly.
“Anyway, I saw Thorin drag her off.” Harper waggled her eyebrows. “Two guesses what they’re up to.”
Rory shook her head. To her, Thorin and Regan were like beauty and the beast. But they fit, and Rory had never seen Regan glow with happiness like she did now. Her strict parents had made Regan’s life hell, and barely shown her any affection. Rory couldn’t argue that big alien Thorin showered Regan in love.
Letting out a long breath, Rory stared at the sand. So while Harper and Regan were getting laid, and Rory was dreaming about it, Madeline was suffering. Something about all of it felt so wrong.
“We’ll find Madeline.” Harper gripped Rory’s shoulder and squeezed. “Wherever she is, we won’t leave her there.” Then Harper looked over her shoulder. “Looks like your sexy, uptight gladiator found you.”
Rory’s head jerked up, and she saw Kace striding toward them.
He stood so straight and tall. As usual, he wore a beautiful leather arm guard over one shoulder, leaving all the rest of his muscles on display. Rory never tired of looking at him. The man was built.
She wanted to knock him down, jump on top of him, and lick every defined ridge on his chest and rock-hard stomach. She wanted to hear his groans of pleasure.
Damn. She shifted, feeling a flood of dampness between her legs. Not now, Rory.
“Staff training?” Kace asked.
Rory cocked a hip. “Good morning to you, too. I’m fine, thank you. As is Harper.”
Kace frowned at her.
Harper coughed, although Rory was pretty certain the other woman was hiding a laugh.
“We’re finished.” She speared Rory with a look. “Do what makes you happy. We need a little pleasure to help cope with all the crap.”
As Harper left, Rory found herself standing there with Kace.
“What did Harper mean?” Kace asked.
“Nothing. So, let’s do this.”
He led her over to the weapons rack at the edge of the training arena. “Someone tried to hurt you. You need to focus on protecting yourself.”
His words were sobering. They moved along the display. There were shields, daggers, swords, and nets. And some things she didn’t recognize. “Who makes all these?”
“Galen has a weapons-maker on staff,” Kace said. “He makes some new weapons and deals with repairs. There is also a master weapons-maker here in Kor Magna, who sells to all the houses.”
Rory ran her hand down the hilt of a longsword. “Any news on Madeline?”
“No.”
She huffed out a breath. “Did Galen find out who shot at us?”
“No. By the time Lore and Nero reached the location, the shooter was long gone and didn’t leave anything behind. We analyzed the projectile that hit me. It was generic, no identifying features.”
“You’re okay?”
He nodded. “Fully healed.” He tilted his head. “Did you get some sleep last night?”
“A little.” Not much. Not with memories of those projectiles slamming around them added to her nightmares. She shoved a hand through her hair. “Whoever did this can’t be after me. Why kill me?”
“I don’t know. But whoever it is, they won’t get another chance.” Kace’s voice was hard and unyielding.
Rory felt something in her chest soften. She was used to fighting her own battles, but God, it was nice to know someone else was looking out for her.
Kace picked up a smaller staff from the rack. “I brought this out earlier. It’s the right size for you.”
He’d found it for her. She took the weapon, weighing it in her hands. It was made of a smooth, shiny metal, similar to Kace’s staff. It was lighter than she’d imagined, and felt just right for her. As she moved it, the morning light caught on the carvings in the metal.
“It’s Antarian writing,” he told her. “The incantations of a warrior.” He held up his own staff. Similar markings were etched on his staff. “With everything that’s going on, it’s very important you can defend yourself.”
She nodded. “I’m pretty good with hand-to-hand—”
“It’s better if you don’t get that close. You’re smaller and not as physically strong as every alien species here.”
“You calling me small and weak?”
A faint smile moved his lips. “Weak is not a word that comes to mind when I think of you.”
“You think of me?” She watched him steadily.
Something flickered in his blue eyes, then he straightened. “Come, let’s go through some basic moves with the staff.”
She released a breath and nodded. They moved out into the center of the arena, and found a space on the sand.
Kace started spinning his staff through the air with lethal, economic movements. He certainly wasn’t elegant, there was too much discipline and power in his moves, but watching him was easy. He was a strong, athletic man at ease with his body and strength.
&nbs
p; Rory positioned herself beside him and tried to mimic his movements. She swung the staff around, across, slicing through the air.
She pulled a few faces, trying to get the moves right. He added a few steps, and some new swings to the moves. His face was composed, calm, and untouched by everything around him. The perfect soldier.
Rory wanted a reaction. She wanted to see the passion that she was certain he was hiding under his cool façade.
“Okay, good,” he said. “I think you’ve got the movements down. Let’s try some basic sparring.”
They faced each other, and when Kace moved in with a swing, she stepped up to counter it.
He showed her how to put the basic moves into action. She could see that he was holding back. It would be a while before she could really give him a workout with the staff.
But that didn’t mean she was just going to keep it easy.
Studying the way he moved and attacked, she took a risk, sliding in under his arm. She got in close and whacked her staff into his side.
He grunted.
She stepped back, grinning at him. “Got you.”
He frowned at her. “That was not a good move.”
“But I got a hit in. Sometimes you need to do the unexpected, Kace.”
His frown deepened, but he gestured for her to come at him again. They sparred some more, and, every now and then, she threw in one of her unexpected moves, sliding in close and jabbing him with an elbow or a kick to the leg.
A lot of the time, she just watched him. He used the staff like it was an extension of his body. God, she could watch the man do it all day.
On the next strike, she whirled around behind him, and pinched his ass.
As she pulled back laughing, Kace spun and glowered at her. The look on his face loosened the knot of tension in Rory.
“You are undisciplined,” he bit out.
“Yep.”
“We will continue until you master some restraint.”
She swallowed another laugh. “We might be out here for a while, then.”
He launched at her, and she barely got her staff up in time to block his hit. She spun away and came in again, the metallic thwacks of their staffs echoing across the arena.
“Good,” Kace said. “Keep your elbow up.”
His praise made her push harder. She got in under his arm and slid her body against his. She was going to try another punch, but he was already spinning to face her.
Rory leaped back. Three more strikes, both of them moving across the sand. When she got in close again, she slid her staff past his side until her body crashed into his—her front plastered to his rock-hard abdomen and sweaty chest.
Kace spun her, so fast she barely saw him move. He trapped her against him with his staff, her back pressed hard to his heaving chest. His staff rested against her ribs and the breath rushed out of her.
“I am a gladiator, Rory, and a soldier. It is best not to taunt me.” His hot breath feathered over her ear.
She tilted her head back to look up at him. “What if I want to taunt you?”
His blue eyes flashed with desire so strong and potent it left her weak.
“Rory? Kace?” Galen’s deep voice cut across the training arena.
They stayed pressed together for another second before Kace released her. Rory blinked, instantly missing the contact. He’d scrambled her brain and her hormones.
The imperator stopped a few meters away from them, his face its usual serious mask.
“I have word from Zhim.”
Chapter Five
When they entered the living area, Kace saw all the others were already there, seated around the long table. He ushered Rory to a chair with a hand at the small of her back. Just that small bit of contact with her made his jaw clench.
He was feeling edgy, and couldn’t find his usual calm. He wanted to blame the attack, but he knew he’d had this feeling from the moment he’d rescued Rory from the House of Vorn.
In the training arena, her teasing touches, the brushes of her lean, strong body…she was driving him out of his mind. He’d never met anyone like Rory Fraser before.
Galen turned toward a screen on the wall, and a second later it flickered to life. Zhim’s face dominated. The information merchant was leaning forward toward the camera, and behind him, the room he was sitting in was jam-packed with screens full of scrolling images and text. The screens didn’t appear to be in any sort of order and they were different sizes. The lack of order grated on Kace. This was clearly Zhim’s inner sanctum.
“So,” the information merchant started, “there are no contracts out on Rory’s life.”
Kace released a breath. That didn’t make him feel much better. He’d prefer an enemy he could see coming. He studied her face. An enemy he could protect her from.
“And at first there wasn’t even a whisper of your Madeline Cochran.” Zhim sat back. “I thought maybe she wasn’t even real. Now she’s everywhere.”
Kace frowned. He glanced at his fellow gladiators and saw they were all frowning, too. Rory was sitting up straight, watching Zhim intently, and holding her breath.
“What do you mean?” Galen demanded.
“I mean, there’s a little here—” Zhim wiggled a hand “—and there’s a little there—” another wiggle “—there’s word of Madeline everywhere.”
Rory slammed her fist on the table. “Just tell us, and quit the grandstanding.”
Zhim focused on her, his expression turning serious. “I have reports coming in from all over the city. She has been spotted in the markets, the District, in the city backstreets…and that’s just to name a few.”
“Credible reports?” Kace asked.
“Yes, but something is clearly not right.” Zhim’s colored eyes sharpened. “Someone is playing a game with us. What I can tell you is that all of these reports are coming from reliable sources.”
“Maybe someone’s paying these people more than you do,” Raiden suggested.
Zhim’s tone darkened, the gleam of craziness gone. “These people would not cross me.”
For the first time since he’d known the man, Kace saw something dangerous in the information merchant.
“All right,” Galen said. “Send us the locations, and we’ll check them out.”
“Very well.” Zhim nodded, and then the screen blinked off.
A moment later, Galen stared at a small, portable screen he had on the table. “Here it is.” He studied the list and grunted. “I suggest we split up and each take a location. Find out if anyone really has seen Madeline, and who she was with. Harper and Raiden, head to the markets. Saff and Kace—”
“I’ll go with Rory.” Kace hadn’t realized he was going to say that until the words came out, but he knew Rory wouldn’t want to stay behind. And if she was going to step outside the House of Galen, he was going to be with her.
A muscle ticked in Galen’s cheek. “It’s best if Rory doesn’t leave here—”
Rory abruptly stood. “This is my colleague we’re talking about. I need to help find her. And I will not be locked up in here like an animal in a cage.” She sat, her hands clamping down on the arms of her chair. “I’ve been caged, been chained, I’ve been locked up…I don’t care if someone shoots at me again, as long as I’m free.”
Galen stared at her. “Fine. Kace and Rory, you’ll go to Aran’s store off the main arena.”
“Aran?” Rory asked.
“The arena’s master weapons-maker,” Kace told her.
“Thorin and Saff, head to the District, to—” Galen glanced at the screen again “—the Dragon Star Casino. Nero and Lore, you need to head down to the arena workers’ living areas.”
Everyone moved to head out. Kace grabbed his staff from where he’d rested it against the wall and turned to Rory. “Ready?”
She straightened. “Yes.”
Kace strode over to a closet and pulled out a red-and-gray cloak. “I suggest you wear this. The symbol of the House of Galen will provid
e some protection.” And it would cover those bare shoulders and arms that were driving him crazy. Not to mention the way her leather trousers cupped the gentle curves of her bottom.
She nodded and turned her back to him. She swept her hair up, revealing a slim neck. He stared at her creamy, smooth skin, and the vibrant red of her hair. His hands itched to touch.
You are not here to touch, Tameron. He secured the cloak, letting its folds fall around her body.
Moments later, they were heading out into the tunnels. They didn’t have too far to go, and Kace strongly suspected that was why Galen had selected the weapons-master’s store for Rory to check out. He had rooms just off the main arena.
The Kor Magna Markets offered many of the things that gladiators needed in the arena. But if you wanted the best weapons—the finest swords, the strongest staffs, the sharpest axes—you came to see Aran.
As they walked inside, Rory’s eyebrows rose. “Wow.”
The entire space was crowded with swords, staffs, and various other weapons. They were lined up on the walls, loaded on shelves and cabinets.
“Aran is known as the maker of the best weapons in this system. He sells to the gladiator houses as well as off-worlders.”
She walked along a rack of swords, touching the metal hilts. “Some of these are beautiful.”
Some were almost works of art, while others were plain and utilitarian, pretending to be nothing except what they were—dangerous weapons.
When she touched the sword at the end, its blade glowed and she snatched her hand back.
Kace moved closer to her. “The blade is enhanced with technology. Small machines—”
“Nano-tech.” Her gaze sharpened. “What’s it do?”
“Protects the metal. Cleans and repairs it. Enhanced weapons like these are not permitted in the arena.”
A curtain at the back of the store parted and a tall, dark-skinned man ducked out of a room at the back. He straightened, his pale-gold gaze falling on them.
“The House of Galen pays me a visit,” the weapons-maker said. “You do me an honor, Kace.”
Kace inclined his head. “Greetings, Aran. I’m afraid we aren’t here for weapons.”
Aran’s skin was as dark as space, and it was hard to guess his age. But Raiden had told Kace that Aran had been here well before Raiden had arrived, eighteen years ago. And he still looked exactly the same.
