But this man? Nearly everyone knew his father’s story, and if they hadn’t before, they did now, though certain elements had been scrubbed from the records over the years by the Chancellor and his lackeys. The winner wrote the history books, after all.
In any case, a delay was to happen while his father was brought to the ceremony. It wouldn’t take too long, and there were plenty of entertainers to keep the crowd amused. Plus the family reunion would make for an even more memorable spectacle.
As for Ziana, she could also make a demand, though she was unsure what she wanted as of yet. She had won her freedom. A fortune. An estate. And best of all, she’d met the man of her dreams in the process. One idea did present itself, but it would require Dorrin’s agreeing to it, and she didn’t even know if it was possible.
She pulled him close, her man bending down so she could whisper in his ear. He first cocked one eyebrow as he listened to her idea. A moment later his eyes went wide, gears turning in his mind.
“Yes, I think it is possible,” he finally said. “And I wholeheartedly agree. But are you sure this is what you want?”
“I’ve never been so sure of anything.”
“Then when it is your time, make your request. I am with you,” he said, interlacing his fingers with hers. “Now and always.”
She beamed up at him, utterly content. Exhausted, sure, but happier than she thought possible. They were offered seats on the podium by the elites to watch the entertainment while they waited for his father to arrive. They weren’t quite at their level now, but their standing had been elevated significantly, and with the winnings each family contributed to the winner, Ziana and Dorrin were quite rich.
That didn’t stop the five families from staring at them with barely contained hatred, but Ziana didn’t care. In fact, she was reveling in their displeasure and discomfort. It was almost funny, and sure as hell better than she first thought when she’d mulled the situation over as they were being ushered to the Corsus Maximus obstacle challenge. Looking at the elites’ faces, she found herself having to restrain herself from thanking them for their selection of events for the final spin.
They tried to set her up to fail. She knew it. They knew it. But they hadn’t known she’d had her runes fixed. Best of all, no matter how upset they were that someone had illicitly completed what they’d left undone, the elites who did this to her couldn’t say anything about it. To do so would be courting disaster in the form of intense scrutiny from the Dotharian overseer for the system. They had intentionally broken the law by giving her incomplete runes, and that was their undoing.
The celebration was both massive and raucous, and it encompassed not only the arena but also much of the city. What Ziana and Dorrin had done was the talk of the town, and they had become instant celebrities. There was music, dance, and revelry that went on for nearly an hour before the crowd fell to a hush when a small ship appeared in the sky, dropping right down into the arena proper, landing on a soft cushion of air.
The hatch opened, revealing a tall man with broad shoulders that even age and malnourishment couldn’t diminish. His hair was the gray of an old slate roof, but his eyes were sharp as ever. And his face? There was no mistaking it.
“Your father,” Ziana said, feeling her man’s emotions as he struggled to keep his composure. “Go on,” she urged. “This isn’t the time to be stoic.”
As if all he’d needed was someone to give him permission to finally let down his guard and express himself publicly, Dorrin rushed across the field, his arms outstretched. “Father!” he exclaimed, the two men embracing one another firmly, tears of joy streaming down their cheeks. Dorrin’s father stepped back, holding his son’s face in his hands, taking him in like a man in a desert who’d finally found a glass of water.
“My boy! My wonderful son! You’ve grown into a man!”
“I’ve so missed you, Father.”
“And I you. But is it true? Did you do what I failed to achieve so long ago?”
Dorrin spun around, arm raised to the throngs in the arena. The crowd let out a massive roar, all of them watching the reunion unfold either on the overhead display or their own smaller personal monitors. The day had just gone from incredible to legendary, and they were a part of history.
“I did it for you,” he said, reveling in his father’s proud smile. “We have won not only your freedom and a fortune, but an estate. A place you will come to live with me and my mate.”
His father did a double take at that. “You have a mate? An Infala mate?”
“Not quite. But we are committed to one another,” he replied, gesturing for Ziana to join them. She’d been anxiously awaiting this moment and hurried to his side. “Father, I want to introduce you to Ziana. Ziana, I present my father, Millagro.”
“It’s so good to meet you,” she said, giving the man a massive hug, which for one accustomed to captivity for so long was a much needed, and greatly enjoyed, display of affection.
“I am so happy to meet you. And to thank you for your part in winning my freedom. I know full well the games are the work of two, not one, and my son could not have done this without you.”
“True words, Father,” Dorrin agreed. “But we are not quite finished.”
“Oh?”
Dorrin turned to Ziana and nodded. She, in turn, strode to the officiant and made it clear she wanted to make a public announcement. Naturally, he obliged.
“Thank you all for coming!” she called to the crowd. “And thank you for your support!”
The crowd cheered uproariously. Competitors might acknowledge them in passing, but they never actually spoke to them. Ziana was going to change all of that.
“Now, you’ve all seen what happened. I mean, you’ve been with us every step of the way, and you know how much Dorrin wanted to earn his father’s release. But I am told thateachmember of the winning team may request one additional thing beyond the financial prize and our new estate. My partner—mylove, has asked for his. And now I will ask for mine.”
She paused for effect, knowing that having the crowd rooting for her and Dorrin would make it impossible for the Chancellor or any of the other elites to deny her request. And it was a doozy.
