Was it her human physiology? The fact she received it as an adult? He had no way to know. All he was certain of was that it looked very much as though Maureen was his woman, as he was her man. And now, when they had just found each other, they were torn apart once more, separated by fate.
“Keep moving,” the guard commanded, yanking his arm.
Bodok realized he had apparently slowed his pace, lost in thought. He picked up his feet and kept up, shaking the wild thoughts from his mind. He would have time to ponder what this might mean later. How he might nurture his healing Infala enough to truly bond with his mate. And then, how he would free her from her indenture and take her away from this place.
But first things first.
“What’s the meaning of this?” the overseer growled the moment Bodok was ushered back into the confines of his prison camp.
Many of the other prisoners were present, either picking up or dropping off loads they had been carrying through the city. Azros was among them, the enormous man slowing his work and watching with great interest. His eyes met Bodok’s and he shook his head slightly.Do not speak, they seemed to say, warning him to do all he could to minimize his punishment, whatever that might be.
“He was with one of the servants in the Upsallin marketplace,” the lead guard said. “One of Mistress Tormik’s girls.”
“I know what he was doing, idiot,” the overseer shot back. “Do you think I would not have received word the moment one of my prisoners stepped out of line?”
“Well, I—”
“You’re done. He is in my charge again. You may leave,” he said, turning his attention from the guard and focusing it fully on the source of his new headache.
The Mondarian guard, used to being somewhat feared in the streets and shown deference and respect was taken aback. But this overseer was higher ranking than he was, and in the foulest of moods. Without another word he turned and nodded to his men, departing quickly, eager to be anywhere more pleasant than this.
The overseer’s anger was palpable, a hot rage bubbling just beneath the surface. Bodok had drawn attention to this labor camp. And the attention was not the good kind.
“You,” he growled. “Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Bodok saw Azros shaking his head from the corner of his eye. He remained silent.
“Messing with a servant girl? What were you thinking? And one from Vice Quaestor Tormik’s home? Do you have any idea how much trouble this could bring? You’re lucky you weren’t dealt with on the spot, though that would have made things easier on my end.”
Bodok turned his gaze to the ground, remaining silent, the overseers anger washing over him like a scalding tide in an acid sea.
“That’s it,” the furious man said, turning to one of his aides. “This one’s too much trouble and not worth the headache. Notify the transport team, I’m getting rid of him.”
“Of course, sir. Transfer across the city, then?” the aide asked.
The overseer stared hard at Bodok. “You think playtime with servant girls is funny? You think you can make me look bad in front of the Tormiks? Well, you’ve got another thing coming.” He spun back to the aide. “No, he needs to learn a lesson. He’s strong, even if he has no spine. Send him out of the city, far away from here. Send him to the Itzallin work colony.”
Bodok had heard only a few words about the Itzallin colony, and none were good. Most importantly, however, it was located clear across the planet. Once relocated, he would never see Maureen again. There was only one thing he could do.
“Wait!” he called out despite Azros’s emphatic head shaking.
“Youdarespeak? Guards! Bind and gag—”
“I wish to fight in the tournament!”
The guards froze as their overseer raised his hand. A hush fell over the camp.
“You? You want to fight in the tournament?”
“Yes.”
The man laughed. “Far larger and stronger men than you have made that attempt and failed miserably. You’ll serve a far better purpose laboring.”
“I want to fight,” Bodok said, quiet but resolved.
The overseer turned to the assembled crowd. There were too many eyes for him to simply ignore the request. It was every prisoner’s right to enter the tournament, and he couldn’t stop him.
“Fine. If that’s how you want to die, then so be it. But don’t say you weren’t warned. You will fall, and you will fall hard, no more than a waste of meat and bone by the time they’re through with you.”
