When We Were Kings (The Wolf of Oberhame Book 1)
The Wolf of Oberhame Series
Book One
When We Were Kings
Auryn Hadley
Spotted Horse Productions
When We Were Kings is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2015 by Auryn Hadley
All Rights Reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher and the copyright owner constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.
Published by Spotted Horse Productions
Second Edition: December 2015
Cover Art by Spotted Horse Productions
Edited by Sarah Williams
DEDICATION
For Shannon, because no matter what, you cheer me on when I smile. You're right there with the words of encouragement, even when you're really too busy to offer them. Never mind the wealth of knowledge I plucked from your brain. You're always there to help when I need it. Even when you think I don't notice, I do – and it's carried me through those times when I'm ready to quit. This one is for you, because you showed me that a girl who loves sewing can kick a whole lot of ass. May you one day find a lion to your wolf.
And to all of the Spotted Horse Productions assistants – you know who you are. You are the dream team of publishing. You make this all possible.
Chapter 1
Her heart pounded hard enough to echo off the stone walls around the arena. Above, the crowd jeered, ready to see blood. Leyli took a breath, the sound loud in her ears as her eyes moved to the pile of swords in the center. The rules were clear: kill or be killed.
Time crawled. Acid burned at the back of her throat. Her chest felt like it would explode from the stress of her beating heart. Clenching her sweaty palms did little to stop the trembling in her fingers. She had to wake up soon. This had to be a bad dream. She couldn't die like this!
Four men stood in the arena with her. They were scared. Sold into the gladiatorial games to pay their debts, they all waited for the call. None of them were fighters. The only thing they had in common was that their lives mattered little to the rest of the world. Their new job was to quench the blood thirst of the masses. They would either die or live to try again. If they survived long enough – which only one man had ever done – they might earn their freedom. If not, their lives would be spent to keep the populace amused.
Above, the crowd was thrilled with the idea. She was terrified. Leyli had watched her brother practice the sword, but he'd always been covered in padding to prevent injury. In her entire life, she'd never seen true violence. For twenty-two years, she'd been sheltered behind rich fabrics and gilded doors, but she could do this. Her family were fighters. Her brother's sword trainer had a voice that carried, so she'd heard enough. Don't hesitate. Strike the vitals. Stay out of reach unless you're sure you can make the kill. Do not tempt fate. Relax.
The air slid from her lungs and she forced tense muscle to soften just as the gong sounded. The men rushed forward. Sandals dug into hot sands and they screamed, hoping to terrify their opponents. Panicked, Leyli ran for the side. Let them kill each other. There was only one man she stood a chance against while he was still fresh: the old man to her right.
His eyes were trying to watch the other fighters as she hit him hard from the side. The pair of them crashed into the sand, and he swung, missing her by a mile. Clenching her hands together, she brought them down on his face, screaming out her rage. Bone snapped and blood rushed from his nose as he struggled, but she was in the better position. Fear gave her strength even as he hit back. She just had to hit harder. She just had to keep hitting until he stopped, but she couldn't forget the others. They were armed, and she only had this one chance.
Over and over she pummeled the grandfather until he stopped moving, then she ran. The diaphanous pink gauze of her night dress tangled around her legs, but she refused to slow. The three men only had eyes for each other, and a trident lay within reach. Her lungs burned, her eyes squinted against the glare on the sand, and her chest hurt from the hammering she'd just taken, but she would survive. She was the King's daughter. She was stronger than all of this. The Domn of Lanmont would not dispose of her so easily, or with his hands so clean.
The trident's handle was rough against her palms, tiny grains of sand biting into her flesh. The pronged end was heavy, but Leyli didn't slow. Rushing forward, she rammed it into the closest man's back, his eyes on the pair dueling for their lives. With a strangled cry, he collapsed, wrenching the weapon from her hands. Desperate, she grabbed his fallen sword. Victory lay in surprise. No one thought the delicate girl in the soft pink dress would be a threat. None of them had prepared for this, and there were only two left. She couldn't give up now.
The men fought. The one on the right swung, his blade slicing deep into the other man's arm. The one on the left stabbed, piercing the first man's chest. Heaving the sword over her head, time slowed. Leyli's eyes were locked on the thick muscle across the closest man's shoulder, the rhythm of his pulse throbbing in his neck just above it. With all her might, she buried the blade deep, feeling the bone beneath, but this time she didn't let go.
She screamed like a wild animal and pulled, wrenching it out of the body while flinching away from a blow that never came. The first man was already dead. In the sand around her lay four corpses. Blood stained her dress. Above the stone walls, people stood, their fists reaching for the sky, their mouths open with cheers. The only thing Leyli could hear was her own heart, still beating as the reality of what she'd done tried to catch up.
She'd killed three men. By her own hand, she'd taken the lives of her own citizens. The sword fell from limp fingers and her knees turned to water, but she refused to crumple. Instead, she took a breath. It was so loud in her ears.
"Move, bitch!" a guard yelled, holding a spear in her direction.
Slowly, the words pushed through the terror drowning out her mind. Leyli looked at him, then at the solid walls. The guard pointed at a small black opening, then gestured again with the spear. His mouth moved, but her ears heard only cheers, her mind unable to keep up. They were celebrating the death of innocent men. Men whose only crime had been a lack of money.
"Start walking or I'll put this spear into your guts and let you die slowly." He gestured a third and final time as the crowd began to calm.
She stepped back. The sand burned her feet through the thin leather soles. Her throat was so tight she couldn't catch her breath. Her heart ached from working so hard, and a pain burned in her side. All she wanted was to lay down, but Leyli walked.
At the gate, two men grabbed her, shoving her into the shadowy hall. Sand gave way to stone, their steps rebounding from the ceiling. Scared and confused, she stumbled forward. The guards weren't cruel, but they weren't forgiving. They just hauled her toward an open cell, metal bars making up the front wall, then pushed her through the door. She hit the dirt and stayed, too shocked to even try to stand back up.
From the cell beside her came a voice. "There's a chamber pot in the corner. When you retch, try to hit that. You'll be glad you did later, and I won't have to smell it."
She looked, trying to adjust to the darkness after the glare of the arena. Just as her stomach rebelled, her eyes found it. Lurching forward, she made it – barely. Her long brown hair spilled around her face, but Leyli
didn't care. She just heaved out everything she could, but nothing would purge the memories of those dead faces.
When her stomach finally gave up, she leaned back and sighed. For a moment, she didn't move, but once she knew her intestines would stay still, she scooted back to lean against the wall. Even climbing onto the feeble bed seemed like too much work.
"You going to cry?" the man beside her asked.
She huffed a wry laugh. "Not yet."
His chuckle was warmer, almost sympathetic. "Good. Save it for tonight. You'll go out three more times today. Unless you die. Keep your muscles loose and your mind clear."
"Done this before?"
He paused before answering. "Once or twice. Get rid of the skirt. Shame won't kill you, but getting tangled might."
Leyli leaned her head back against the cool stone wall. "Why are you helping me?"
"Because someone helped me on my first day. I also won't fight against you, today, so I don't care if you live or die." He sighed as the guards moved toward his cell. "You get to rest for this fight and one more, then you're up again. Use your time wisely. I suggest praying."
The men escorting the gladiators were all well armed and muscled. They looked like soldiers, but not the common type. Four of them converged on the cell beside her, and Leyli heard the command. "You're up. Let's go."
Her neighbor chuckled like it was some kind of joke. "What's the game?"
"King of the hill. Theodian, Bernadino, and Tore all have their champions in against you."
The cell clanked open and the guards encircled the man. Leyli looked as he passed her chamber, striding forward like he owned the place. Broad and tanned, his right arm was covered in metal scales to the elbow. Leather straps held the armor on. A small patch rested over his heart for minimal protection. Ornate vambraces were buckled over his forearms. Matching greaves covered his shins, but his clothing was just a Rhian style leather-strip skirt held on by a wide belt. Silky brown hair was pulled away from his face, falling to his shoulders. He was gorgeous, the kind of man that women dreamed of and giggled over. He also looked like a true gladiator.
He turned, and their eyes met. His were hazel, almost green, and so calm. She'd seen that look in her father's eyes when he made a decision he hated. Resigned. The gladiator looked at her like he didn't expect to see her again. She wasn't sure if it was his death he was preparing for, or hers.
"Fight well," she said softly.
He ducked his head in acknowledgment, but didn't bother to reply. Evidently, he'd given her all the kindness he had left.
That's when she realized his advice actually meant something. For a man to live long enough to earn his armor in the games meant he fought well. Leyli pulled herself to her feet and stretched before her muscles could freeze up. Next, she had to do something about her dress. She'd been raised to be proper, not foolish. Right now, her virtue came in second place to her life, but without any tools, all she could do was tear the fabric. Thankfully, it wasn't a durable material.
She tried, but couldn't quite rip off the length of it. When one of the guards walked past, she dared to call out. "Pardon me? I'm assuming I'm not allowed a weapon, but can you tear this?" She held the cloth through the bars.
The man's eyes ran across her body, but he stepped closer. "Gonna show off those legs, honey?"
"Yes, sir. If you'll help me get rid of the extra."
He grinned and pulled a dagger, cutting a notch in the weave. "That should help. Might be a bit short."
"Won't matter if I'm dead." She smiled at him, hoping it might work in her favor later. Then she realized he could have information. "Oh! Do you know who the man is in the cell beside me?"
He cocked his head slightly. "The Lion?" He gestured to the open door. "He's out there right now. That's the Lion of Lenlochlien. One hundred and ninety-seven victories. Don't worry, they won't put you against him today."
"Thank you, sir."
"Rip that skirt high enough, and I might slip you a dagger at the gate."
She blushed. Leyli had been taught to be demure and respectable. She'd never even kissed a man that wasn't her father! The only people who saw her bare legs were her maids, but she wasn't stupid. A dagger in her hand was an advantage she couldn't pass up. Like the Lion said, shame wouldn't kill her. She also wouldn't care about it if she was dead, and if she lived through this, she'd learn to get over it. She was strong enough to ignore the jeers and comments. They wouldn't cut half as deep as a sword.
She tore the dress away, leaving only a finger's length under her buttocks. She had tunics that covered more. While she was pulling off the decorative sleeve caps, the crowd erupted in cheers. A minute later, feet rang out on the stone ramp. When Leyli looked up, she wasn't surprised to see the Lion. What shocked her was the gore across his body.
His eyes found hers, then swept over her legs. The corner of his lip shifted. It certainly wasn't a smile, but she figured that was as close as she was going to get. Then he moved to the front of her cell.
"Turn, I'll pull the other. Tie your hair up, to keep it from your eyes." She obeyed, shocked that his guards didn't try to stop him. The Lion lowered his voice. "Take the weakest. Leave the stronger to wear themselves out. The excess cloth? It's a noose. Never give up anything you can get your hands on. Anything can be an advantage."
She licked her lips, trying to remember all of that. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Are you scared?"
"Terrified."
Finally, he smiled. "Good. Use it."
He tugged the last of the chiffon from her arm, then tucked it into one of the bracers he wore. She glanced up and their eyes met. No words were needed; his expression said it all. Rage simmered, but it wasn't alone. Fear lurked as well, proving that death wasn't something a person got used to. The Lion blinked, then turned for his cage.
"All right, girl. You're next."
She grabbed the scrap cloth and wound it around her arm. Anything could be a weapon. Any advantage was one she'd use. She just had to keep surviving. If she could make it long enough, maybe her father would find her. Maybe the Domn had already been caught. Maybe someone was on their way. She just had to keep fighting, and keep winning. She might be a princess, but her family had fought hard for the right to rule.
"Same as before?" she asked.
The guard chuckled. "Yeah, 'cept this time you're going against the shits who didn't lose last time."
"Then they won't be so lucky this time," she swore, trying to convince herself it was true.
As she walked toward the bright opening to the arena, she heard the Lion talking to the guard behind her. "I think that one might be a real bitch."
"She won't live to see the sun fall."
The Lion's laugh rang out. "I wouldn't bet against her. She has the eyes. You can always see it in the eyes. That one's a survivor."
Chapter 2
The guard at the gate brushed her ass, sliding his hand high over her rump. When cold metal pressed into her back, she realized he'd just kept his promise. Leyli glanced at him and winked. The man tipped his head in response. She had a length of cloth and a dagger. It was more than any of her opponents should have, but she could only hope.
When the gate opened, she stepped out, twisting her hair into a cable that she looped onto itself. With it knotted out of her face, she was as ready as she could get. Walking forward, she waited for her eyes to completely adjust to the bright light.
More weapons waited in the middle. This time, the men she'd fight looked like killers. Big and burly or lean and lithe, they had the advantage. That meant she had to be smarter, because she couldn't be stronger.
To her right stood a massive man with a bald head. He was older, but not old. To her left was a wiry young man who looked like he didn't mind killing. Across from her was a farm hand and what looked like a retired soldier. The guy to her right and the soldier were the biggest threats. That meant she had to take out the behemoth or risk running across the group for the farm
hand.
They were all stained with blood, even if their clothes were common. She watched the men eye her, just like she'd been doing to them. She was the weakest fighter on the field and she knew it. She was also the smartest. Forcing her body to relax enough to keep breathing, Leyli tried to look innocent and naive. Wide eyes – which wasn't hard to fake – and darting glances were enough to convince them she was harmless.
Unfortunately, the monster beside her looked like he planned to take her out first. Which worked out, because she had plans for him. As soon as the gong sounded, she pulled the cloth from her arm and rushed him. It wasn't hard to wrap it around his neck. In fact, it was shockingly easy. The man hadn't expected that. Then she twisted.
He pawed at the noose, trying to break free as she pulled the dagger from her undergarments. Leyli had no idea where the heart would be from the back, but she knew one thing. Punching as hard as she could, she hacked at his spine. The metal cut deep, his legs gave up, and the man screamed.
She dared to look at the others before shoving the dagger into his neck like a butcher would a steer. Blood soaked the cloth, but she remembered the Lion's words. Keep every advantage. As it stood now, she didn't need to dare the pile of weapons. She had all she could use.
The lean man who'd been on her left killed the farm hand. The soldier had taken the opportunity to arm himself and stood waiting. Leyli scurried out of sight. If the wiry bastard thought she was easier, he'd come after her, leaving the advantage to the solider. Instead, she needed to move around the edge. If she could catch the soldier, she could distract him with the scarf long enough to...
From the corner of her eye, she saw movement. The lean man rushed at her back. With a terrified scream, Leyli turned – right into his fist. Pain slammed across her cheek and eye, but she shoved her dagger forward. The first swipe was a weak cut. The man hit her again, and she stabbed harder. This time, she felt skin part. Before he could hit her a third time, with her ears ringing, Leyli ran.