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Chapter Nine

T he mood on his borrowed spaceship was unsettled, although morale had improved once they got past the Outlier border without incident and the pass worked as promised.

Kyden stood in the shuttle bay in his full gladiator regalia, although without weapons, which didn’t make him happy but the imperial palace had confirmed his appointment today and added a caveat there were to be no arms carried.

He looked at Talinn by his side, also in the theatrical arena garb right down to the swirling red cape and grinned.

“They don’t know we carry our own weapons,” he said, flashing his talons.

“Tell me again why we’re dressed like this?” Talinn asked, adjusting his gleaming breastplate. “Are we expecting to face a combat challenge before we can free Benet?”

“I don’t think so. I was advised” —by Prince Pargen, although he chose not to state this—“ to pile on the accouterments of what we do.” He fingered the huge, gem encrusted Key to the House of Badari, which Pargen had also told him to wear.

It was gaudy and he felt like all kinds of fool wearing the damn thing, but apparently it was going to be impressive to the Outliers and reinforce his position as a Man to be Reckoned With.

After checking he had the necessary papers of ownership in the black leather folder Elara had gifted him, with the crest of the House emblazoned in gold on the cover, he entered the shuttle waiting to fly the two of them to the surface.

The flight was fairly short, although they got stuck in a holding pattern above the spaceport, which the pilot advised him was bullshit as no one else was in the landing area. Kyden steeled himself again to deal with whatever the Outliers threw at him with aplomb and diplomacy.

Up to a point.

Two things puzzled him. He was getting the mental indicators of being near to another Badari, which seemed highly unlikely but his attempts to reach out and communicate with the mind he sensed were unsuccessful. “Are you detecting another brother in this place?” he asked Talinn.

Tilting his head and closing his eyes, the gladiator concentrated. “Maybe, at the edges of my reach. How can that be? Surely we’d have heard if there was a Badari here?”

I’d expect Pargen to have told me at the very least but maybe he didn’t know.

Out loud Kyden said, “It does explain a bit more about why this duke sent a team to the Five Systems to abduct one of my gladiators. If he knew of our capabilities because he’d seen a Badari in action then the plot makes more sense, in an insane manner. ”

The other thing puzzling him, which he didn’t mention to Talinn was a faint echo as if there was another person here who was Badari in an unknown fashion.

Could the first Badari have had a child?

Kyden couldn’t reach whoever the second person was telepathically either, which frustrated him.

He didn’t like mysteries where his brothers were concerned.

Right now wasn’t the time to try to resolve the issue, however, not with the all important meeting with the minister within the next hour.

Once he was on the Vasclavian ship, in his quarters, he’d try again and pour his Alpha power into the effort.

A sleek limousine was waiting for them once the shuttle was finally allowed to land in a remote portion of the spaceport.

Maintaining his game face, Kyden entered the fancy groundcar with no hesitation and Talinn followed his example.

They didn’t talk either verbally or telepathically during the ride to the imperial palace, which proved to be a huge compound of buildings behind elaborate wrought iron fencing and more practical force barriers.

Waiting on the steps to receive them was a stone faced flunky and a small squad of guards.

Kyden took satisfaction in the astonishment which animated the face of the waiting group when he and Talinn stepped out of the groundcar and strode to the stairs.

Two Badari in the ritual uniforms of the arena were intimidating all right.

“I hope your trip here was pleasant,” the woman said, retreating a bit as the two Badari loomed over her. “The Minister has cleared his schedule and is waiting in his office.”

“I appreciate him seeing me right away,” Kyden said, determined to be polite up till the moment he had to summon his inner beast. This minor bureaucrat in front of him hadn’t played any part in Benet’s kidnapping so he wasn’t going to vent his anger at her.

“If you’ll follow me,” she replied.

Once he entered the palace, Kyden was amazed at the aura of sheer age permeating the place.

The floors were intricately laid parquetry, with wood of all colors arranged in dazzling patterns.

Huge portraits and pastoral scenes were hung on the walls, broken up by occasional groupings of religious icons.

And this is only one wing where the admin offices are , he thought as they passed door after gilded door with gold nameplates and titles. What must the Empress’s rooms be like?

The minister’s office was at the end of the hallway and the space was huge, filled with heavy wooden furniture and all kinds of priceless artifacts. Kyden didn’t spare the surroundings more than a brief glance as the man he’d traveled all this way to see advanced, hand outstretched.

“It’s an honor to meet you,” the minister said as they shook.

“I appreciate your help in resolving this matter,” Kyden replied. “My associate Talinn.”

The minister nodded at Talinn but didn’t offer his hand.

He was obviously trying not to gawk at the massive Key hanging from its gold chain around Kyden’s neck.

“Her Majesty has taken a personal interest in the issue at hand and is conducting business today in the small throne room. Best not to keep her waiting, so if you’ll follow me.

” The Outlier rushed into the hall and Kyden followed as requested, Talinn at his back.

Amazed he was getting an audience with the empress so easily, Kyden reviewed his arguments as they walked.

The hallways became ever more gilded and grandiose, and crowded with people who stared at Kyden and Talinn in open mouthed amazement.

Both men put arena swagger in their steps and Kyden found it amusing to hear the gasps and exclamations as he passed.

His Death Dealer persona was imposing and of course he and Talinn towered over the courtiers and commoners.

If this is the small throne room, I’d hate to see the large one , he mused as guards swept open a set of golden double doors so massive they dwarfed even the Badari.

The floor here was a marvel of highly polished wood and the tapestries and paintings on the walls were sized to the room’s scale. Crystal and gold chandeliers hung overhead.

The throne at the other end of the room sat on a red carpeted dais and was a marvel of gold.

With his Badari eyesight Kyden could make out details from quite a distance and he was impressed by the detailed vignettes he could see on the arms and back of the throne.

The woman seated there was imposing in her own right, dressed in a sumptuous gown with ruffled panniers accented by bejeweled ribbons and gold thread.

Her hair was a confection of curls into which jeweled combs had been set, with a massive crown on her head.

Ropes of pearls swathed her neck and chest and her hands bore gigantic rings, each probably worth a solar system’s ransom.

It was her eyes which riveted Kyden. They were the coldest eyes he’d ever seen, more calculating and deadly than even those of the most diabolical Khagrish scientists.

Her face had cold, austere beauty, emphasized by skillfully applied cosmetics, but the eyes were those of an apex predator and his beast responded as if ready to do physical combat. He needed to walk carefully here.

Don’t let anything she says provoke you , he warned Talinn.

I plan to let you do all the talking.

“Death Dealer Kyden, Master of the House of Badari in the Five Systems, your majesty,” the Minister announced when they’d reached the throne. He went down on one knee. Kyden and Talinn contented themselves with deep bows.

Kyden figured she was supposed to speak first so he bided his time.

“We welcome you to Outlier,” she said after a moment of dead silence.

“It’s kind of your majesty to take time to discuss my claim,” Kyden replied.

“I’ve reviewed the documents and it is my decree this Benet is indeed your property and was taken from the Five Systems illegally,” she said, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. “He will be returned to you.”

Kyden heard the unsaid ‘but’ so he waited.

“My Games are about to begin,” she said, giving him a small nod, acknowledging his silence.

“It would displease and disappoint my people to have anything mar their enjoyment of the competitions. Your man has been much discussed and many wagers have been made with regard to his success or failure. His withdrawal at this late juncture would be unseemly.”

Kyden remembered Pargen’s advice to come to an agreement with Duke Nichevsky if possible.

“I appreciate your even handedness in this matter, restoring my property, yet of course wishing for the Games to go on as expected. I compete in the arena in my home system. I understand the way high level competition works. I would be happy to work out a short-term agreement for Benet to participate wearing the Nichevsky team crest as long as he goes with me after the Games conclude.”

She inclined her head gracefully and Kyden saw a gleam in her eye. He wasn’t ready to relax yet.

“Summon Duke Nichevsky,” she said to the minister.