Chapter 7 #2
The Badari were so quick and so powerful she had to be constantly aware of her location and her movements as the team enacted the simulation of a battle.
She slipped up once but Benet and Kyden covered for her and she quickly got back into sync.
The audience surely never noticed. Their efforts received a standing ovation and the arena announcer made much of her status as the first woman ever to fight for the House of Badari.
She knew the other gladiators were livid for the most part that she’d been included in Kyden’s troupe and thus had a chance to ingratiate herself with the audience before any of the others even took the sands to fight but Samyra brushed off their jealousy.
Kyden was the only one she needed to impress, aside from the audience and she had the utmost confidence she was a crowd pleaser in any arena.
Talinn’s mate-wife Bailey was singing a rousing song that had the audience singing along while the arena dancers performed a routine behind her and then it was time for Samyra and the others to take the sand and settle down to serious combat.
She routed her first opponent easily. He was young and fairly untried and she wasn’t sure why Kyden had brought him into the program but more points for her with the easy win.
Then she swung around to find a new fighter more worthy of her efforts and sprinted toward the man as he came for her.
Their swords clashed and she felt a telltale twinge in her right arm but gritted her teeth and powered through, managing to defeat him after they’d both scored points for inflicting wounds on the other.
Her third opponent was tough and not giving an inch and her arm was throbbing but she fought him to a draw as adjudicated by the officials.
Samyra came in third for the day once the bout points were tabulated but the audience had indeed loved her and their real time votes pushed her to the top. She stood proud while the prince crowned her the day’s champion and the crowd cheered wildly.
Jamirr let the three beasts off their leashes and they sprinted across the sands to join her for her victory lap, which she was sure would earn her a reprimand from Kyden but Samyra was jubilant over her success and didn’t care. If there was a fine she’d pay it.
Backstage was a frenzy when she finally left the sands after acknowledging the crowd’s adulation for a few extra minutes, alone in the arena and feeling like the queen she proclaimed herself to be.
Men were being treated for their wounds, others were high fiving and congratulating each other and Kyden and his Badari moved among them all, offering praise and advice.
There was to be a huge party at the House when they made their way back there and rumor was a friend of Kyden’s was sending her working girls over to help those so inclined to celebrate.
All Samyra wanted was a hot bath, a dinner full of protein and her bed.
She’d make an appearance at the party of course but then she’d take to her suite and rest. Her right arm throbbed and there was a definite tremor in her hand so she went straight to her private room here and waited there for the signal to move to the groundbus.
Slowly she decompressed as she sat on the couch.
She’d left the canines with Jamirr, but Tazur was in the room with her, curled up on the cushions, purring and the sound was relaxing.
There was a knock on the door. “Samyra?” Jamirr called.
“Enter.”
He came in, the two canines with him. “They’ve called for the buses. Are you ready to go?”
“I’m not sure I can stand,” she admitted. Holding out her hand she let him see the tremor. “You’ll have to help me and we can’t let Kyden or his men or the trainers see I have a problem.”
He closed the door and came to her, face full of concern. “You fought well today but with the exhibition on top of the combat, it was too much, wasn’t it?”
“First day jitters,” she said flippantly. “Got me a crown so it was all worth it. Put those other fighters on notice to take me seriously.”
He didn’t appear to be convinced that was such a good thing but he pulled her gently to her feet and held her while she drew in deep breaths and fought the vertigo.
There was a rap on the door and then Benet stuck his head in.
Instantly Jamirr pulled Samyra closer, as if they’d been embracing, taking her weight on his arm.
“Oops, sorry to intrude,” Benet said, “But we’re ready to leave. It’s been suggested the animals should ride back to the House in a separate groundcar since there’s been blood loss and injuries. The scent, you know.”
“My beasts are well trained,” Samyra replied indignantly.
“But it’s a good idea,” Jamirr said smoothly. “The two of us can ride with them. Is the groundcar here?”
Giving him a look that Samyra read as Benet being suspicious, Kyden’s XO said.
“Five minutes out. We’ll go ahead then and you can follow.
The animals aren’t allowed backstage or on the sands after today so this issue won’t arise again.
You’ll be expected to be on the team groundbus with everyone else in the future, is that clear to both of you? ”
“Absolutely,” Samyra said while Jamirr nodded his understanding of the order.
After Benet departed, she sank onto the couch. “Thank the Lords of Space, that’s a lucky break today. If I had to be on the damn bus I wouldn’t be able to fool anyone that something’s not wrong. Quick thinking on your part, thanks.”
“I’m always here for you,” he said. “What will you do next week?”
“I’m not in an exhibition, which will help. I’ll have to pace myself better. And take more of the herbal teas and powders. I wish I’d investigated those black market meds. I don’t know where to get them on this planet either.”
“You’d fail the simplest drug test,” he reminded her gently. “Better reduce your training time this week as well.”
“Kyden complains already about how infrequently I show up at the daily calisthenics and training.” She tossed her hair. “Fortunately that’s not in the damn fine print. All right, I think I can stand now and they must be gone by the silence outside. Let’s do this.”