Tilting his head as if to acknowledge her point, Kyden stifled a chuckle. He already knew that from his previous efforts to acquire his brother though puppet bidders. Let him come to the Five Systems, let him remember he was a Badari and everything would change.
“Fine then,” Elara said brightly. “We’re in agreement. Were there any other points at issue or can we expect the signed copy today?”
“I travel with my pets,” Samyra said. “They’re my signature, part of the brand. I need their expenses and arrangements for their care and housing written into the contract.”
“Surely not all of them?” Kyden asked. The thought of her bringing two hulking tusked tantoreans for instance was appalling but he’d pay for it if their presence advanced his efforts to rescue Jamirr.
“Of course not. Many of them travel quite poorly as a matter of fact. I can make do with Tazur and my two Baradian dogs.”
“No problem.” Elara made a note. “I’ll have the House Manager set up the proper space. Send me your requirements.”
“That’s another thing—you expect me and my two men to live in your House?” Samyra asked. “I’m sure I can rent a suitable place of my own there for two months.”
On this he would not budge. “All my gladiators—anyone under the banner of the House of Badari—live within the compound,” Kyden said, aware there was a hint of a growl in his voice and uncaring. “No exceptions are made.”
“The place is huge,” Elara rushed to assure the other woman. “You’ll have a suite of rooms and all the privacy you require. And no rent to pay, nosy neighbors or utilities to worry yourself about. We find it’s better for the security of all the House members to have one location to guard. On occasion the fans can be a little extreme, as I’m sure you’re aware. The gladiators you’re bringing will of course have rooms in the barracks wing with the other men.”
“You have an answer for everything.” Samyra didn’t sound pleased. “Very well, I’ll make my annotations on the contract and sign it.”
“Wonderful,” Elara replied. “I can’t wait to meet you in person. Safe travels.”
The com ended.
“I think she’s having second and third thoughts,” his mate told Kyden. “But the potential opportunities our sponsorship can unlock for her outweigh any concerns she may have about the Jamirr issue.”
“It’s a well crafted trap,” Kyden said. “Thank you for your part in designing the specifics and talking her through her qualms today.”
“She’ll genuinely benefit,” Elara replied. “Unless she gets here and completely fails, which no gladiator of her skill and standing would do. She’s way past stage fright. And if she and Jamirr aren’t mates then she really has no claim on him, does she? Other than legal mumbo jumbo. I want your brother to be free as much as you do.”
“We’ll have to walk carefully nevertheless. Prince Pargen was explicit in warning me to be circumspect in how I rescued this Badari brother.” The knowledge rankled. Any other time he’d already have freed Jamirr and brought him to the Five Systems as a free man to take his place in their pack. Only the knowledge Samyra wasn’t an abusive owner and the fact Jamirr was in a confused state over his true nature gave Kyden any comfort. Jamirr had appeared content enough with his situation and his work with the exotic animals.
* * *
The Five Systems was everything Samyra expected and nothing like what she was used to. She and her two gladiators were met at the spaceport by Benet and whisked into a luxury groundcar for the trip to the House of Badari. The city through which they drove was bustling and busy and built on a scale that made her planet’s capital seem like a village. Once Samyra arrived at the mansion that was Kyden’s home base she had to fight not to be overwhelmed. The building stretched away on either side of the main entrance and rose six stories into the sky. As they were driven to the private, family entrance she saw other buildings in the compound and a training field, with gardens beyond.
Kyden and his mate Elara were there to welcome her and her small team.
Feeling perilously out of control in this situation, Samyra instinctively objected when Benet began to walk away with her two gladiators. “I need to see where my men are to be housed,” she said pugnaciously.
“Of course, totally understandable,” Kyden replied. “Benet will show you and then when you’ve had the tour of the barracks he’ll bring you to the main house and Arinna the House Manager will show you to your suite. In the meantime we’ll have your luggage taken there.”
“And my pets?” she asked, tired of holding the leashes, although all three were behaving themselves quite nicely at the moment.
“We built a kennel to your specifications,” Elara said. “Dmitri volunteered to take them there if necessary. He has his own equestrian unit and is very good with animals. I’ll call him now if you’re ready.”
“I’ll have to view their accommodations as well,” Samyra said. She was awed at the way these people spent credits, building a special kennel for her three animals when she’d only be here eight weeks. Unless of course she was invited back for the regular season. Yes accommodations for the pets had been in the contract but clearly the House of Badari went above and beyond on everything. The sheer wealth and power on view here were breathtaking.
A silver-haired Badari appeared from inside the house and made his bow to Samyra as if she was truly a queen instead of holding the title from the arena. “Pleased to meet you,” he said. “I look forward to talking with you at more length about your animals when you have time. For now let me promise to take good care of these charming ones.”
Jaxur and the canines seemed perfectly willing to walk away with him so Samyra concentrated on Benet. “I’m ready to see the fighters’ quarters.”
She could find nothing to complain about or object to in the barracks wing of the compound. It bothered her to have Jamirr treated as a gladiator when she kept stressing over and over that wasn’t his main occupation, but there wasn’t anywhere else to properly house him here. She did comment to Benet about the doors having no locks and he gave her a reproachful look.
“Lord Kyden keeps no slaves,” he said flatly. “One of the first things he did after taking over the House was to free all of us and he continues the practice with new gladiators. Do you wish us to place locks on the doors of your men?”
In the face of his obvious disgust and disapproval, Samyra decided not to make an issue of it. She trusted Jamirr and Harton was too intensely focused on his chance to impress Kyden to take advantage of the freedom and attempt an escape. Harton was currently living every Hinterlands gladiator’s dream, having a shot at a place in a major Five Systems House.
“No,” she said mildly. “We’re here and will abide by your customs. I was merely commenting.”
