Plus all that brash talk increased the gambling pot.
Skehl waited for his alpha, a most commanding male, to give a nod before stepping farther into the ring, signaling his readiness to fight. At his alpha’s okay, he joined his equally large opponent.
Skehl wore his loincloth, boots, and arm-bracers. His hair had been braided on either side of his face, accenting his facial marker, which had turned a deep, dark black, the intensity of the color a sign he prepared to do battle.
She stepped around another barbarian who blocked her view.
And made her first mistake.
Arghet noticed her movement among the many she stood with. Subtle though her step had been, it had attracted attention she could have gone without. He stared at her from across the fighting ring, his gaze intense. He looked her over, taking in the breast sash and loincloth, her xechelln boots. She’d worn her hair long, unbound, and had covered her cheek with dye, hiding her facial marker. Even the enhancers that turned her eyes from indigo to a barbarian gold masked her identity. Excellent camouflage for a trained assassin.
He would see nothing but an attractive female, perhaps one he wished to bed later. She tried to ignore him, but no. She couldfeelit. Somehow the bastard knew it was her.
She glanced back at him, and he gave her a slow, satisfied smile that made her blood boil. Skehl turned to Arghet suddenly, then looked her way. But she’d taken a step behind a large warrior, not wanting to distract him from the fight, and peeked around the warrior to keep an eye on him.
Skehl stared at the male in front of her, then glanced back at Arghet. A slight grin crossed his face before he squared off against his opponent. As if the pair communicated without words. Interesting.
One of the judges gave the order to begin, and the crowd grew silent, the air heavy with anticipation.
The alpha paired against Skehl had thick muscles, perhaps larger than Skehl’s. The male feinted left then attacked straight on. Skehl didn’t fall for the maneuver and met the alpha with a crack of flesh against flesh. The giants grappled with each other, matching brute strength as the crowd went wild.
They held fast, trying to take the other off his feet. They parted, punched and kicked, then came back together. Feet fought for purchase as they tried to knock the other off balance with kicks that would have done in a lesser warrior.
They seemed evenly matched, which was a huge compliment to Skehl, who should be nowhere near an alpha in power or prestige.
“Quit playing,” Arghet yelled.
Impatient mate,she heard Skehl send to Arghet through their shared connection. She didn’t think Skehl was aware of her presence inside him yet, but she felt Arghet’s clear surprise. Not many barbarians could share a mind-bond along with the mating bond. Even phelthar couldn’t connect souls who had not the power of such a union.
But Raia had offworlder blood, as evidenced by her decidedly odd eye color. Not barbarian gold but a deep purple. And she and Skehl were special. She remembered being told them often before traitors had sold her to offworlder thieves. And she’d been joined with Skehl as a child in some way, though the bond had been severed easily enough once she’d been taken from the planet. Too easily it connected them again, as if she’d never left. A sign that she and Skehl were mates.
She still didn’t know where Arghet fit into their connection. By all rights, he should not be able to join with a bonded pair, let alone form a mind-bond.
Skehl managed to take his opponent off his feet and toss the huge warrior to the ground. An incredible feat of strength. Everyone grew silent, then they exploded in cheer. Bets continued to flow as Talzec, a male Raia considered a problem she’d need to deal with at a later time, laughed with his female applauded Skehl with pride.
Raia had studied Skehl’s new people for some time. She liked what she knew of them, but her mate belonged withher. That the Vyctore had a female warrior gave her hope that perhaps not all the eastern barbarians were such a backward people. With the exception of the Vyctore, she’d only heard of a few clans that which were matriarchal in nature, and they belonged to the Water tribe.
Drawn back to the battle by Skehl’s battle snarl, she watched as he took a hit to the face and soon got caught up in a hold that had to be cracking ribs. The Kwatahk alpha screamed challenge as he lifted Skehl off his feet, binding his arms to his sides.
A truly impressive battle between near equals, with the fight now going in the other direction. She felt her own blood stir, the need to wade in and engage next to her mate.
Skehl smashed his head into the alpha’s face, breaking the alpha’s nose. Blood spurted, yet the Kwatahk didn’t loosen his grip.
So Skehl loosened it for him. With a burst of strength, Skehl freed his arms, his muscles straining. He continued to fight in silence while the Kwatahk alpha bellowed with rage as he struggled to once more contain Skehl.
Between one heartbeat and the next, Skehl maneuvered the alpha before him, caught in a chokehold. The markers on Skehl’s entire body pulsed black to gold and back, while the alpha’s started fading.
Shouts and screams of victory echoed, the crowd thoroughly entertained.
She clapped and cheered as well.Honorably won, mate. You are very worthy.
He dropped the unconscious alpha to the ground and glanced in her direction, though he wouldn’t be able see her, since Raia remained hidden by the males in front of her.
You are the one Arghet seeks,he sent her, and his energy entwined with hers, soothing her frayed nerves. How odd that he’d exposed vulnerabilities she’d as of yet been unaware.
Iam the one seekingyou,she corrected.And Arghet, if he proves to be of value to me.
You are female.
