Fear makes my hands shake a little and I clench my fists around the drying cloth that’s still wrapped around me.
The human’s head is shaved and he wears a cloth around his waist. The rest of him is bare. Black ink has been pushed under his flesh to make designs. There are marks. Names, I realize. Of other fighters he’s triumphed over? Of his masters? Of a bakery down the way? I don’t know. I can’t read.
But I see a letter on his upper arm that I know and I stare at it for a moment, my mind suddenly becoming a maelstrom. My eyes shut, my head pulsing in pain.
‘Buh’ for Bryn.
Survive.
I shake my head to get rid of the fractured ideas that are floating to the surface, pushing them away yet again, and the ache in my skull recedes.
I’m brought to stand in front of the orcs and fae with my back to the window. I see that the chairs are lined up in front of it… For viewing, I realize with a sinking feeling.
I keep my eyes low.
A warning voice in my head is telling me this isn’t going to go well. In fact, it’s bad. Very, very bad.
I glance over my shoulder. The male fighter can see me now. His eyes move over me and he frowns a little as if he isn’t quite sure what’s happening either.
I turn back to the orcs and fae. They’re talking amongst themselves, barely noticing me.
They’re wagering, I realize. On me. How long I’ll last with Maldred,their prize human fighter.
I frown to myself. Surely not long. I’m tiny, half-starved and ill-prepared. But they only just bought me, so surely they won’t let this great beast of a man kill me.
I glance back at Isen in question, hoping he’ll say something as he seems to be so loose-lipped.
‘Ah,’ Isen says close to my ear in a low voice half to himself as he listens to their words. ‘Kobeth has decided that you’ll fight after all, female.’ He lets out a low chuckle. ‘You poor wee thing. That monster is going to beat you bloody.’
‘I won’t last five breaths,’ I murmur in agreement. ‘So then why are they bothering to wager on how long I’ll go until he wins?’
The orc lets out a snicker. ‘They’re not wagering on how long you’ll last until you’re bested, girl, they’re wagering on how long you’ll last before he has you under him.’
He steps very close to me and speaks his next words veryverylow, so that the others don’t hear.
‘And these wealthy cunts are going to watcheverything.’
‘But ...’ My words fade, bile rising.
I swallow my fear and I see Isen shrug in my periphery.
‘You’reupto entertain. They decide how you’ll do it. But take heart. Kobeth won’t let Maldred kill you.’ Isen snorts. ‘Though when he punishes you for losing a fight you can’t possibly win, you might wish he had. Better make sure you entertain them well so he goes easy on you later.’
I turn my attention back to the group. The fae and the orcs are now sizing me up. Kobeth stands slowly and approaches me. Isen leaves my side to stand by the adjacent wall, in a decent viewing spot with a goblet of wine to watchthe festivities, I notice with an internal sneer.
Clawed fingers snap in my face. ‘Do you understand the shared tongue, slave?’
I nod once, not speaking.
‘Good. You belong to me. You will amuse me and my guests. Your fight is with that one. Maldred. If you entertain us well, I let you remain up. I let you have food. Yes? You fight more. You entertain more.I let yousurvive.’
Survive.
That I understand. I have to survive.
He stops talking and looks at me expectantly.
‘I understand, my lord,’ I say quietly, keeping my eyes down.
