The Gladiator's Prize Read Free Page B

opened with a thud.
Logan turned to see A’rees racing back into the room.
“Logan!”
    Logan shot him a frown. “I thought you
were heading to the marketplace?”
    “ That was my intention,”
A’rees said, and Logan noticed he was out of breath. “But I heard
the news and raced straight back here to tell you. I knew this was
something you would want to hear immediately.”
    “ News?” Logan asked. “What
news?”
    A’rees grinned. “A new
opponent is entering the A’lton arena.”
    Logan waved a hand, an odd
disappointment settling in his gut. He wasn’t sure what he’d
expected, but it was not something as mundane as that. “Of course
they are,” he said. “I am no longer available. They must replace
me.”
    “ But the battle is set for
tomorrow.”
    “ Tomorrow?” Logan started.
“You are mistaken. There is always a month between matches in that
arena.”
    A’rees nodded, excitement making him
flush. “I know, but they are bringing it forward because of how
special it will be. Everyone is talking of it. I barely got out of
the door before I heard the news.”
    “ Special?” Logan asked,
his interest now stirred. “What makes it special?”
    “ You will not
believe—”
    Logan waved a hand and shot A’rees a
glare. He hated to be kept waiting. “A’rees! Enough!
Speak!”
    “ Well,” A’rees said, and
he was practically quivering with excitement. “The new opponent…he
is human.”

Chapter Four
     
    Matt could not believe the position he
now found himself in. Sure, he’d been in some dicey situations and
tight corners over the years, but this? This was the worst of them
all. No question. And it was all his own fault! He had been so
stupid! Such a tiny lapse in concentration! And now…
    “ And now you’re screwed,”
he muttered. “Well and truly screwed!”
    He paced back and forth in
his cell, yes cell , he wasn’t calling it a ‘guest suite’ no matter how many
times his captors insisted that was what it was, and tried to work
out what the hell he was going to do, what options might be
available.
    Good fucking luck
there.
    He frowned and placed his hands either
side of the door. It was the only way into the room, and it was
made of several inches of thick metal. Matt had slammed against it
time and time again. He’d tried finding a control panel, a latching
mechanism, anything. But the damn thing was flush to the wall and
wasn’t going to be moving any time soon.
    The room was also bare of windows,
another point in favor of the ‘cell’ idea, and apart from a small
bathroom off to the side was a fairly small space. Matt had checked
it from top to bottom in the first hour of his captivity and found
nothing useful. No sharp implements, no possible weapons, just a
bed and a table.
    He was well and truly
fucked!
    He sat down on the edge of the bed and
took a deep breath. There had to be a way out and he just hadn’t
seen it yet. Because if there wasn’t…
    He buried his head in his
hands wishing to the Gods that he’d never gone to the south docking
port. His contact had said to meet there, but in truth it was one
of the worst possible places for any female or male travelling
alone. Groups of space pirates roamed there, looking for any likely
prize, not to mention the slavers. Of course none of that would
have mattered for a damn if he hadn’t made the mistake . Matt was tall, muscular
and could easily pass for a native of Prima or Jargal if he held himself properly
and made sure his skin was painted. No one would mess with males
from those planets. But no, he’d had to get his s’heeba caught in
the awnings over one of the ships. It had started to unravel before
he could stop it, and it had only taken just one lock of hair to
fall over his brow…
    Matt deeply regretted not dyeing his
hair now, or even just shaving it all off, but it had been his last
link to his people, the few of them that were left. It had
comforted him to be able to look in the mirror and see an