War God for Hire- Gladiator by David Burke (books under 200 pages .TXT) 📕

“He was married to seven sisters? Isn’t that disgusting?” Kyle asked. His emotions were in turmoil.

“Not as I have heard the stories. It is said that they were called sisters because they were that close to one another, or perhaps because they all shared a common role with the war god. Although many also say that the war god never partook of that fruit, and that their veils were kept on to show that they were still pure, unsoiled by the touch of a man and instead wedded to the blade so to speak.”

Kyle nodded. “Ah, that makes more sense. But I still don’t know what has made you so worked up.”

“Everyone there could feel it in the air. Only thing I can equate it to is when I was standing next to one of the wizards as they raised the coliseum’s magical dome for protection. Except this time, my hair was standing on end even more than then. There was something that passed between you two, but you have always been straight with me as far as I know, so I will take your word for it. But you might want to search your memories. I know you told me that you don’t have any memories before you were captured in the quarry, but it couldn’t be that you just came into being at that very moment,” Saber said.

After that, he had the guards escort Kyle back to his cell with the warning that he needed to think long and hard on it before tomorrow. When they arrived back at his cell, Kyle’s head was still spinning, but he was pulled out of his thoughts by the fact that a visitor was waiting for him. Standing right next to the entrance down into his cell was Nyda. Her hands were rubbing each other nervously and she seemed tense, but it only made her appear that much cuter to him.

“Do you think I could have a private word with this fighter before he is put down into his cell?” the elf asked of the guards.

“Our orders are…” one of them began, before the other elbowed him and pointed to the blood covering Kyle’s front. A knowing look passed between the two guards as they looked first at Kyle’s massive frame, then to the delicate Nyda and back again. “Err… I suppose that would be fine. But only a quick word. No time for deeper conversations, if you follow my meaning. At least not right now.”

After Nyda stared at the guards for a few seconds, they both got the idea and moved just out of earshot. Then she looked at Kyle and said, “What you did earlier today was very brave. I’m sorry that you were hurt so badly protecting me, but I owe you my life. Were it up to me, I would be willing to repay your kindness in the way that a man appreciates, but I am still a slave. I hope you understand.”

Kyle’s head was spinning. First there had been Hilde wanting him to part the void for a bootie call, then the noblewomen, and now Nyda more or less offering herself. He didn’t know what to make of it. After all, it was a woman who felt scorned that had shot him, leading to him being here at all. At least that was the way that he remembered it. Still, he felt hot inside just looking at her perfect face. The delicate beauty that she was deserved to be protected and loved.

“I didn’t do it for any special reward. I did it because I care about you. You have been kind to me here. I won’t deny that you are beautiful, and that you draw my attention in that way. But I did it because I wanted to protect you. You will not come to harm in my presence as long as I have strength in my body,” Kyle promised.

He felt a warm weight settle upon him as he spoke, and the air between them almost seemed to glow as a brief rush of energy flowed out of him. Nyda’s eyes got very wide suddenly and she gasped. Her skin grew flushed, and she suddenly turned and ran away.

No sooner had he reached the bottom of the ladder than Kyle heard Hilde yelling at him. There was a water bowl and towels set out for him to clean the blood from him, but his mind was as cluttered as he was dirty. He didn’t know what he had done that caused Nyda to run from him, or why everyone seemed so upset about the encounter he had with Marie, or Lash as Saber had called her.

Now Hilde was snapping at him, and he still didn’t know what he had done to upset any of these women. The simple interest in Meeka’s gaze or the wanton desire from the cougars was more refreshing than this emotional complexity. Kyle was reminded in this moment why he had spurned relationships in preference for winning.

“Do you know what you have done?” the celestial asked again.

“Obviously not, or you wouldn’t be barking at me like this,” Kyle responded, his frustration coming through in the tone of his thoughts, if thoughts had a tone. Then he said, “Wait, I don’t know what’s going on here. Don’t get mad at me for something I don’t understand. First, tell me what was going on earlier.”

Hilde paused for a moment. “Fine. You are undoubtedly right, but are you telling me that you didn’t feel the connection between you and Marie?”

“At first, I just noticed that she was a strikingly beautiful woman, but then as I looked into her eyes, I felt something within her. Is it because she uses War Essence? Because it was sort of like I had shouted, and my words were echoing around inside of her.”

“Of course she uses War Essence. Saber was correct; she was one of Krig’s weapon