“I have decided to take my property home to my own arena,” Tirhin said loftily.
“Yes, sir.” Again Orlo glanced at Caelan. His gaze could have frozen meat.
“My trainer doesn’t have time for additional men, especially new recruits as raw as this one. Yet I have seen courage today, and my property has acquitted himself well.”
“He fought better than I expected, sir.”
“I ask you to rejoin my service, Orlo,” the prince said. ‘To work as an assistant in my arena, but chiefly to train new recruits such as this, who need hours of basic drills. Will you consider it?”
Orlo bowed low, his face expressionless. “Your highness honors me,” he said in a toneless voice. “I will consider it.”
“Your answer tonight, or nothing,” the prince said. Giving them a general nod, Tirhin walked away with the imperial soldiers behind him.
As soon as he was out of sight, Orlo moved Caelan down the ramp and shoved him over into a corner out of everyone’s way.
“Are you mad?” he asked furiously. “What did you ask for?”
Caelan said, “To fight where I could win my freedom.”
Orlo’s anger didn’t soften. “Gault, you have the nerve. It’s a wonder the protector didn’t cut out your tongue.”
“It’s what I want,” Caelan said simply.
“A sane man would have asked for money or a dancing girl.”
Caelan raised his brows. “In a place like this, where would I put either?”
“Why your stupid games during training?” Orlo asked, with a rapid change of subject. “Why the fooling about, pretending you couldn’t fight? Did you think it would deceive your opponents?”
“I—” Caelan found himself without an answer he thought this man would understand, or accept. Since his beliefs were forbidden, it was impossible to explain.
“No, don’t tell me it was because I took your amulet away. I’ll never believe that.” Orlo snorted. “Your ruse worked, but don’t count on it again. Rumor spreads fast. They may not see the conflicts, those locked below, but they hear about them. You understand? Great Gault! You killed Amarouk, the best man in my barracks. The best! Do you know where that ranks you now?”
“Yes,” C’aelan said.
Orlo glared at him. “And me? Why me? Why the hell, after all this time, does Tirhin ask me to serve him again?” Orlo paced back and forth, fuming. “Why does his sublime highness think I’d want to go back to wearing his colors? You tell me that!”
“Because I asked for you to be my trainer,” Caelansaid.
Orlo swung around to face him, his mouth open. “You?” he said, his voice almost squeaking. “You asked!”
“Yes.”
Orlo flung his hands up in the air. “I do not believe this. You are mad. Truly.”
“They asked what I wanted.”
“And you mentioned me,” Orlo said. “Before the emperor and before the prince. You mentioned me.”
“Yes.”
Orlo stared at him. “Do you know what lies between me and the prince? What have you been told?”
“Nothing,” Caelan answered honestly. Orlo turned half away from him and stared into space, oblivious to the bustle passing them. The arena still had to shut down. The crowds were leaving now, and there were lighters to be fed and secured for the night, the arena to be cleaned, a thousand tasks requiring supervision.
But Orlo stood there and stared at nothing, his jaw working in time with his thoughts.
“I do not know that I can go back,” Orlo said softly. “But for him to give me the chance ... it is a peace offering and a great honor. I owe you for this, Giant.”
He faced Caelan again, frowning as though he did not know what to think.
Caelan met his gaze squarely, feeling hope rising once again. “Then help us both,” he said and dared to hold out his hand.
Orlo hesitated, glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one saw. Then slowly he gripped Caelan’s hand in the shadows.
“It is a bargain,” he said. “If you want to be a champion, I’ll take you the farthest I can. Just make sure you don’t get yourself killed before I make my fortune with you.”
It was Caelan’s turn to stare into the distance, into the future. What lay before him, he did not yet know. He only understood that since this afternoon, everything had changed. By breaking through the ice wall in his vision with his father, he had crossed some threshold or passed some test that he did not as yet fully comprehend. He suspected, although he did not know how or why, that there were other tests still to come.
“Did you hear me?” Orlo said sharply, bringing him back to the here and now. “You’ve got to learn to concentrate, otherwise you really will find yourself bleeding on the sand.”
Caelan shook his head with a faint smile. “That is not in my plans,” he said softly.
Table of Contents
Prologue
PART ONE
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
PART TWO
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Reign of Shadows Page 32