He heard the other guard up above shout something and then start coming down the ladder, but he didn’t pay him any heed. Instead, he shifted his hand enough so that he could make eye contact with the guard, now far enough off the ground to look straight into his eyes. “You were dead right about one thing. There is an easy way and a hard way. I will make your life easy, so long as you give me the respect I’m due. But if you ever draw a weapon to threaten me, know that I will end the fight.” Kyle’s voice was deadly calm as he spoke.
Wide-eyed fear was obvious in the man’s face, as was the perspiration beading up on his brow, but to his credit he didn’t struggle after it became apparent he couldn’t escape, any more than a child could from a full-grown man. The guard behind him said, “Liam, what do I do?”
Without looking back, Kyle answered for the trapped guard, “Liam here is just having a polite conversation. If I am going to come to be a fighter for House Avarda, then we need to make sure we start off things correctly. If you treat me with respect, then I will be compliant and do everything I can to make things as easy for you as possible. But if you disrespect me, then you will get resistance. And… if you threaten me, you will get death. Are we clear?”
The guard named Liam nodded his head as best he could with Kyle holding it against the wall. Then Kyle relaxed his grip and gently lowered the man to the ground. The two guards looked at each other and Liam yelled up to answer one of the guards above, “No, we’re fine. Just had to sort something out.”
Kyle looked at him again. “I am no slave. I am where I want to be because I chose to be here. But I think you and I are going to get along great. Before you know it, Liam, I bet you will have a promotion and pay increase. Just spread the word to the rest of the guards to work with me, not against me.”
Liam nodded again and then climbed up the ladder. Once both the guards were up, Kyle followed them and then began the walk to a large wagon that was going to carry them all to their new home. Even with just four of them in the wagon, it was full, given his size and that of Skrug.
Kyle used the trip to take stock of his surrounding area. When he had been outside the coliseum before, he had still been too new to Verden, too confused. Now he wanted to make sure he understood the lay of the land. Just as he remembered, it took about an hour to get down from the coliseum, but instead of entering the city proper, they took one of the stone roads and travelled for three more hours until they reached a large estate.
It was entirely surrounded by a fifteen-foot stone wall. Though that wasn’t even close to as high as the city wall. Kyle saw vineyards, barns, livestock, and an assortment of outbuildings. In the middle of it all was a palatial manor with at least three stories, fountains, and ornate columns.
Once the wagon was driven through the gates, it drove up to a rectangular building. Lash was waiting for them as the wagon came to a stop. She said, “Welcome to your new home. We will show you to your rooms. You are allowed to go anywhere in the training building, although each of you have your own private room.
“Outside, there are green columns. You are allowed to walk on any path that has the green columns on it. As long as you stay in the designated area, everything will go well. Go outside of that area, and we will have a problem.”
Kyle looked around and saw two women looking at them from a third-story balcony of the mansion. He was pretty sure that it was Lady Meeka. The woman next to her was wearing pink and silver robes. They didn’t quite look like the robes most of the magi he had seen wore. It was clear, though, that they were both very intently watching the newly arrived gladiators.
Once Lash brought them inside, Kyle saw that the core of the building was a gym. There was an area for sparring, as well as assorted weights, and gymnastic equipment. Around the side, the main floor had a medical clinic and various other rooms with supplies.
Upstairs, there were six rooms. Suites, actually.
Lash first showed them where her suite was. “Under no circumstances are you to come into my suite, but if you need me, you can knock on the door. We will be a team and it is our goal to win the Con for House Avarda.”
Then she took them around one at a time and deposited them in their rooms. First Skrug, then Gilthan, Kierra, and finally Kyle.
When she led him into the suite, he looked around. It was many times larger than the cell back at the coliseum. There was a bedroom with a large plush-looking bed, sitting area, a private bath with a tiled floor, and carpet throughout the rest of the suite. He looked at her and asked, “Does Meeka think that this comfortable cell will make me let my guard down?”
“She didn’t have this built for you, you just happened to be the one to fill it. But then again, you should be used to that.” Without another word she turned and walked out of the room.
Kyle had some thinking to do now.
Epilogue - All Eyes Upon Him
Several miles outside of Thena, a woman waited inside
