When We Were Kings (The Wolf of Oberhame Book 1)

by Auryn Hadley

  The man gasped and blood sprayed, the Lion making the kill. Leyli ducked under his next swing, whipping her arm out as if the shield were a cudgel, and caught the shieldman's temple. The man's head snapped back. Beside her, the Lion stabbed, but the rest were nearly to them.

  Turning to face the next attack, Leyli dared to stoop low enough to grab the fallen sword. "Lion!" She tossed it higher.

  He caught the hilt, barely sparing a look in her direction, and surged toward the next group. The second sword made him even more lethal. Leyli focused on keeping him alive, spinning around his body, all too aware of the chain, while he cut down two more men. The next group was too fast. She had no time to claim another weapon. A split-second later, yet another team slammed into them. The fight was now four to two, but Leyli had the Lion.

  With a scream, she pushed at a shieldman, then slammed her shield toward his partner. It took everything she had, but she could just keep them off her savior. When they rushed in again, she kicked, then swung, but the shieldman knocked her legs out from under her. The sand came up fast.

  Panicked, she rolled to her feet in time to see a sword block her escape. The Lion had just spared her life! To pay him back, she surged at the men on the other side. Screaming like some mythical amazon, Leyli fought with everything she had. Hit harder, hit where they didn't expect, keep the Lion safe. That's all she had to do, but each swing used muscles that had lifted little more than a dress. She was tiring too quickly. Trying to ignore it, she forced weak limbs to be stronger, pulling on fear to make her faster.

  "Left!" the Lion yelled.

  Leyli surged left, tangling her shield with her opponent's. The bastard tried to shove his head into hers, but she was out of reach. Being smaller had some advantages. Then blood splattered across her eyes, nearly blinding her. Leyli rammed the man again before tilting her shield to hit him with the edge. She felt something snap as the rim connected with his face, and the man dropped.

  "Right!"

  Ignoring the sword that was almost within reach, Leyli obeyed. Like before, she went for the shieldman. This time, the swordsman went after her. Ducking beneath the metal, the impacts rang loudly in her ears. The shieldman hit hardest, forcing her back again and again. Over her head, the Lion created a web of danger with his swords, keeping the enemy at bay. Parry, block, crash, the combat was going nowhere except back. Step by step, the other team was forcing them to retreat.

  Leyli remembered the sword. "Lion, back and left!"

  His head bobbed once, so she stepped back hard. Her partner kept pace, retreating with her to the corpses. With each step, Leyli crouched lower and lower, until she was over the sword. Then she ducked quickly to scoop it from the sand as the Lion pushed back with force.

  Her fingers found the blade first, but she didn't get cut. Shifting her grip, the fine coating of sand only made the weapon easier to hold in her sweaty palm. Leyli was now armed, and she was tired of being stuck in a corner.

  "Bite them," the Lion growled.

  Reaching over her shield, he swung at their heads. Both men braced against it, leaving their legs exposed, and Leyli took the opportunity. Hacking hard, she dropped the shieldman, then stomped her foot down on the metal over his chest. He screamed, so she stomped again, her eyes locked on the weapon. Taking another step forward, she dared to stab the downed man, making his corpse into an anchor.

  The Lion took the advantage. Without a shield, with only one weapon, the other gladiator stood no chance. Leyli kept herself between her partner and the blade while the Lion forced his way into the man's guard. When the killing blow came, it was visceral and disturbing, but there was no doubt the man was dead.

  "You good, Wolf?"

  "Still alive, Lion."

  He pointed his sword across the arena. "Good, because we've got more men to kill. Good news is the Phantom was the hardest of the bunch."

  There were only two teams left. Eight had entered, they'd killed three, and their opponents had killed two more. They could do this. Sticking to the Lion's left, she raced to join the battle, coming upon the men from the back.

  Before them was a lone fighter, an empty chain dangling from his arm. She hacked at his spine without guilt. The Lion surged to her side to swing, nearly chopping the mans head from his body. Again, she moved into position. Low and tight, they pressed the last two men. They, too, had picked up weapons. Unlike the Lion, they both had a sword and a shield. It made them almost impossible to get around.

  "Take the novice," the Lion ordered.

  There was only one problem. "Which one is that?"

  "Right!"

  Leyli focused on the man, screaming as she pummeled him with her shield. From the edge of her vision, she watched the other, but the Lion had him under control. The novice swung, she blocked, then she swung. He blocked, but she followed with her shield, aiming for his face. He slammed into her, making her stagger back. The chain went taut and she heard her partner grunt in pain. All Leyli could do was surge toward him. The enemy hit hard, her own shield crashing into her damaged face. Pain flared and her eyes filled with tears, but she kept going.

  Unfortunately, her opponent noticed. He crashed into her again and again, his arms tucked close so she had nothing to aim for. Leyli tried to swipe at his legs, but she didn't have the reach. Once more, the novice rushed her, forgetting about the chain on his arm.

  She dropped, rolling with the hit, and the man surged over her, tripping on her body. The chain jerked, grinding against the top of her shield, and his partner staggered, his own shield wrenched out of place. It was all the Lion needed. Flesh crunched as his sword cut into bone.

  Leyli turned on her target. Tethered and over extended, she could see the panic in his eyes. Instead of feeling remorse, she roared, screaming at the top of her lungs as she attacked. Like a cornered wolf, she would kill him. First she punched out with her shield, hitting his face, but her sword followed. It skipped off, only the tip slicing, so she used her shield, again. This time the man staggered.

  Heaving her weapon in an overhand blow, she chopped at his exposed back. Beside her, the Lion aimed for his head. They cut through the man's body in unison. For a single moment, the arena was silent, then the crowd began to cheer.

  They'd just won. She'd won. She'd actually managed to live through all of this and win! Leyli looked up at the man who'd carried her through the massacre.

  "Thank you."

  He grinned and slapped her shoulder, tossing his weapons to the ground. "Not bad, little Wolf. Not bad at all." Then he pulled her sword from her fingers and dropped it beside his. She let the shield fall from her arm.

  Blood coated them both and reeked of rust. His nearly shoulder length hair was stuck against his neck, and she felt her own along her cheek. She was panting for breath and sweating in a way she'd never done before, but something about the victory felt good. For the first time in her life, Leyli had done the unimaginable. She'd fought and she'd won, even though she'd never expected to be anything more than a wife and mother. A smile played at the corner of her mouth as the realization sank in.

  "Shocked?" the Lion asked.

  She just nodded, turning to look at the stands. "I didn't die."

  "Nope."

  "I did this. I really did this. I wasn't supposed to be strong enough to do this."

  He grabbed her shoulders and looked down into her face. "Strength doesn't come from muscles and mass. It comes from the heart. I saw it in your eyes." He rubbed her arms gently. "Tristan, by the way. May we never cross swords."

  "Leyli." That wasn't her whole name, but it's what she preferred.

  "Not too bad for a little bitch."

  That's when the herald called out their win. "Celebrating his two hundredth victory in the arena, the Lion of Lenlochlien. At his side, the Wolf of Oberhame!"

  The Lion – Tristan – grabbed her wrist and held their arms up to the crowd. All around them, people cheered. With his other hand, he gestured wide, encouraging them to love him. Le
yli just lifted her chin.

  "Embrace it," he told her. "Live it up. This, my dear, is the only time they will ever think of you. This is how they make themselves feel good. For these few short minutes, they'll convince themselves that we are great, and that all of this means something. They have to believe it matters, and that makes us something in their eyes. Enjoy it, Leyli. It's the one time we get to be kings."

  Chapter 6

  With Tristan's arm over her shoulder, the pair returned to the gate. Fans tossed down flowers, scattering them around the edge. The Lion pulled away, the chain still binding them, and grabbed a beautiful pink daisy. With a grin, he offered it.

  "To a half decent partner." He winked. "Little training might make you all the way decent."

  When she accepted it, the crowd roared louder. Tristan just lifted a brow, his point clear. On the sands, everything was a show and they were the actors. Leyli ducked her head, took a breath, then wrapped her arms around his neck. With a roaring laugh, the Lion spun her around before setting her back on her feet. Only then did the pair make their exit.

  Their feet barely crossed the line into the shadowed hall before a voice called out, "They loved it!"

  Tristan sighed. "Of course they did. Death, mayhem, destruction. What's not to love? All those idiots want is to see someone else suffer more than them."

  The blue robed man chuckled as he grabbed Tristan's shoulder. "And you do it so well. I've got two hours and three women wanting time with you. Think you can accommodate them?"

  Leyli watched her partner close his eyes for a breath. "Sure, Merino. I can fuck your sluts. Just get me out of these chains."

  Merino snapped his fingers into the air and men appeared. They quickly removed the pin from Tristan's cuff, all but ignoring Leyli. With one last glance, the Lion of Lenlochlien walked away, his jaw clenched. Leyli said nothing, just watched, wondering if she'd manage to live through whatever came next.

  Just before he rounded the corner, Tristan looked back. His eyes met hers, then he wrenched them away. A second later, he was gone.

  The empty chain beside her left a vacuum in her chest. She felt even more alone. The Lion was gone, probably never to be seen again, and now she had no one.

  Eventually, they unchained her. Tinas offered her congratulations as he took her back to her cell, and let her know that the water was fresh. It seemed the better she fought, the more she earned. It started with the little things, but from what she'd seen, it ended up as advantages she couldn't pass up. But how long would it take her to learn to play this game? No one mentioned the rules and the schedule seemed to be made up as they went along.

  At least she could wash off some of the blood. Gently wiping at her wounded nose, Leyli almost didn't hear the familiar voice outside her cell. The pain was distracting, but something about Merino was hard to miss.

  "How much for the bitch?"

  Standing before him was an official with a stack of papers. He flipped through them, his eyes tracking across the pages. "Huh, she's cheap. Family sold her for two thousand. Don't know why she ended up with the debtors if it was a voluntary sale."

  Merino made a grumbling noise. "And costs?"

  "Oh. Right. Yeah, the facility will let her go for twenty-seven hundred."

  "Anyone else asked about her?"

  The official smiled. "You're just the first, not the last. All the big names want to make a bid."

  That's when Merino lifted his eyes and looked into the cell. "You worth it, girl? This is your chance. You can either try to earn off this tiny debt, which should take about fifty fights, or I can buy you."

  "And?" Leyli asked.

  His eyes narrowed and he looked at her again. "And put in thousands into making you a killing machine. I'll supply armor, which will go on your debt, and more. You're limited to two hundred and fifty fights. By the time I'm done with you, that will cost less than what you owe me."

  She licked her lips, thinking hard. "But you make money off each of my wins. You'll have the option to bet either for, or against me, and secure the investment. I see." She moved to the bars. "I'll take the training, Merino. Without it, we both know I won't last another round of fights."

  "What did you do before you were sold into slavery, girl?"

  She smiled. "I was a very fine lady. My father thought I'd grow up and make some man an excellent wife."

  A laugh slipped out of his mouth as he reached into his pocket. Merino counted out bills and passed them to the official, still chuckling. Only after he signed the papers and tucked a document into his voluminous pocket did he look back at her. "Well, my Wolf, I think your days as a wife are over."

  "I'm not a whore."

  He tilted his head slightly. "There's a lot of money to be made spending a few hours with a lonely man."

  "There's a lot less to be made as a pregnant fighter."

  He nodded. "Then we agree. You keep your legs closed, and I won't sell your evenings. You keep killing men, and I won't even complain about it."

  She thrust her hand through the bars to him. "Deal."

  He took it but looked at her strangely. Leyli did her best to shake on it like a man, but her hands were smooth and soft. It was only when he released her that she realized the problem. She'd simply offered her hand; she hadn't spit on it, first. It was one small slip that hinted at her former life, and her new owner had noticed. Hopefully he had no loyalty to the Domn of Lanmont.

  "Send her to the physician. Have her nose repaired and check for other injuries. When she's done with that, clean her up. I'll have a tunic sent for her."

  Merino left without a backwards glance, but the official obeyed the orders. Her next few hours were filled with misery. Fixing her nose was probably the most painful thing Leyli had ever experienced. It also bled profusely. She was covered in a myriad of bruises and small lacerations, but only a cut on her shoulder needed stitches. After the repair to her nose, that experience seemed easy to deal with.

  Then she got a bath. Unfortunately, it was nothing like she was used to. Gone were the private tubs and hot water. Instead, she managed to fit herself into half of a barrel. By the time she was clean, her teeth were chattering. The soap was little more than lye and left her skin dry and irritated, but she knew better than to complain. She'd been spoiled. She'd always known that living in the palace came with luxuries, but she'd taken them for granted. This had to be the gods' way of making her appreciate it all.

  When she was dry, the servant passed her a simple, wool tunic. It was white, or as white as natural wool got. Beneath that went a loose pair of blueish trews that were much too long. She got to keep her sandals, though. Leyli was still rolling up the legs when Merino walked into the bathing room.

  "Good, you're dressed. Take her to the cart."

  Two large men stepped into view, and Leyli sighed. More guards. She finished her pants quickly, then followed them through the halls to a quiet area out of public view. There, waiting in rows, were enclosed carts. Unlike what she was used to, these had the locks outside the doors. The point wasn't to keep the passengers safe, but to keep them from escaping. It was one more reminder that she was just a slave.

  Inside, it was dark, but at least it wasn't hot or stuffy. It also wasn't empty. Six men sat on wood benches, dressed exactly like her. At the front was a long padded area, meant for one person to recline comfortably. Leyli looked at the men, years of warnings making her nervous, then took a seat on the end. Thankfully, none of them said a word.

  Minutes ticked past, and she waited silently like all the others. Leaning her head against the wall, she even let her mind drift off. It wasn't quite a nap, but at least she could rest. Her entire body ached. Not moving sounded like the best thing she could imagine. When the cart started rolling, that wouldn't be an option.

  Outside, voices moved closer. Once again, Merino was making a show of things. "You did good this week, Lion. Two hundred wins! Surely that's worth celebrating?"

  "Thought that's what the women we
re for?" Tristan didn't sound impressed.

  Merino laughed. "So grumpy when I bought you a present."

  "What, another bitch to fuck? Did she pay you enough?"

  The door opened, diffused light bright against her eyes. Leyli blinked, barely catching Merino gesture inside proudly. "It's a bitch, at least. I'd prefer you don't fuck this one."

  Silence made Leyli look. All eyes were on her. The men inside the wagon seemed surprised. For a long moment, Tristan stared. He looked so different in the plebeian clothing, but no less intimidating. No matter how he tried to hide it, she was not at all what he'd expected. His head moved from her to Merino, then back to her, his brow furrowed.

  "You bought me a Wolf?"

  "We have eight requests for more tandem fights. Today was the first time you didn't start out by cutting off your partner's arm. Yes, I bought you a Wolf. You have two weeks to make something of her."

  A grin split the Lion's face as he nodded to his owner. "I underestimated you, Merino. You found the one person in the damned games that's as mean as I am. I can work with that. Least the little bitch won't get me killed."

  "Not more than once," Leyli muttered under her breath.

  The Lion surged into the back of the wagon, smelling like roses instead of lye. The rest of the men shifted back, giving him plenty of room to pass, but he paused before her. With a tilt of his head, he invited her toward the front.

  "It's more comfortable up here, pup."

  "Does this mean I'm your pet?" she snapped.

  He nodded. "Yes, it kinda does. Sit with me. I promise I only bite if you pay extra."

  "Considering I have nothing to pay with, I think I'm safe."

  A smile broke free. "Me too. Besides, I'm tired of fucking. I just want to rest for a bit. I also smell a lot better than your friends."

  "I don't."

  That made one of the other fighters chuckle. When Tristan glared at him, the man's face turned stony. The Lion turned back to her and crooked a finger. "If you want to know what hell your life has become, then sit closer, because I'm not yelling down the length of this thing."