Read Online In His Arena 1: Slave Eternal by Nasia Maksima - Free Book Online Page B

Too bad he’d been disqualified in the Grand Melee three years ago. He might have otherwise earned his freedom.
    That thought warmed Stratos to his toes. He had enjoyed watching the great Hektor Actaeon laid low.
    He put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He’ll attend to you when he’s done claiming his prize.” Gently, he pushed the boy back into the ring of novices.
    Hektor Actaeon. Admittedly, Stratos had used him a little too hard.
    Alession’s slavecraft had broken once Hektor had done the deed, the Ebon brand bleeding into a scar as the spell was used up. No matter. He’d killed the man who’d known the truth about Stratos. Young Leander had held such promise, and yet, he’d seen Stratos and Alession in the bath that night. Now he was dead and couldn’t use his secrets against either of them.
    As for Hektor Actaeon…
    I’ll use him to train the man who will kill him. And the Empress.

Chapter Three
    INTRODUCTIONS
    House Vulpinius,
    Known to enslave their gladiators
    To incite them to fight
    Beyond the scope of mortal men
    —Bann Ali, battle recorder for the Empress’s Grand Theatre
    Whack! The butt end of the longspear cracked against Lucan’s shoulder, knocking him down. Slowly, he regained his feet, glaring balefully at his erstwhile opponent.
    Hektor Actaeon regarded him with sky-blue eyes and a conviction that never wavered. He swung again, whipping the longspear about like a staff.
    Lucan ducked, his heart pounding in pride at his quickness. Too late, he felt the haft of the weapon against the backs of his legs.
    “Ungh!” Lucan crumpled, his thighs numb and aching. He winced as he rolled on the hot sands.
    “Look lively,” Hektor ordered, stepping in. “And try not to roll about like a hog wallowing in mud. On Spectacle days, the Empress has ground glass sifted in with the sand. It will be both hot and sharp.”
    His chest heaving, Lucan rose painfully. He was too winded to retort, and he didn’t dare glower at Hektor again, but he harbored thoughts of beating the man with a stick while he slept.
    As always, Stratos watched, standing off to one side, a finger at his lips as though to silence secrets. His expression was cold, hard to read. The chill of it caused Lucan to blush. For his new owner to think he wasn’t prepared, to think he wasn’t good—
    He barely evaded a pass with the longspear and leaped back to avoid being caught by the gleaming tip.
    Then again, this was Hektor Actaeon, champion gladiator and primus palus. Lucan had survived ten seconds. He was happy to just be standing.
    He dodged the next swing and cast in with his net. Too soon, too eager. Easily, Hektor stepped back, and the net fell short, the weights kicking up puffs of sand.
    “A poor cast.” Hektor’s tone was even and without reproach, but that only increased Lucan’s embarrassment.
    If he’d only yell at me. Shout. Get angry.
    Why was Hektor Actaeon unlike any master trainer Lucan had ever seen? Normally, the trainers railed at their students, bullied them, and in some cases, even beat them with canes. But Hektor… Hektor was mild. Were there places besides the arena where he showed his passion, his fierceness? Lucan could not keep from imaging him lounging in bed, disdaining the sheets, his cock stiff and full.
    Unwittingly, Lucan licked his lips. His own shaft hardened, and he angled his body quickly, hoping no one had seen.
    Hektor appeared unaffected. And Stratos… Lucan glanced back to the quaestor, but his face was dark as he watched, his gaze fixed on Hektor. Then his pallid, cold eyes flicked to Lucan.
    A spasm of pain tore through Lucan’s left pectoral, where Alession had woven his dark spell into Lucan’s flesh. He cried out, falling to one knee. His fingers dug at his skin, the Ebon writhing beneath it like burrowing maggots. Lucan was suddenly breathless. Fear and shame burned through the pain.
    Hektor must think me weak.
    “Lucan.” The voice was gentle, rich with concern. When Lucan