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could move it freely. "It will simply grow now, until it reaches normal size
in a few weeks," Maldek told him.
"So now what?" Bryen asked, looking from the hand up at Maldek. "I can't
believe you done this just for my sake."
"As a matter of fact, I didn't do it for you at all," Maldek explained. "Come
with me, Bryen. There is someone I want you to meet."
Zanos was with Torio in the courtyard, practicing with broadswords and winning
easily because Torio's attention was divided.
"What's the matter with you today?" the gladiator asked. "You're giving me no
more challenge than Gray could, trying to wield a sword with his teeth!"
At the mention of his name, Gray woofed and wagged his tail. The first time he
had seen Zanos apparently attack Torio he had come between them, growling and
threatening but Torio had finally made him understand that it was a game, so
now he sat and watched, waiting for his turn to play.
Knowing that Maldek and Melissa were bringing Bryen to the courtyard, Torio
let himself concentrate on the match and began to give Zanos a bit of
competition. The broadsword was a much better weapon for the gladiator's
strength than for Torio's speed, but Zanos insisted every man ought to know
how to fight with whatever weapon was at hand, so Torio swung and ducked, and
almost caught Zanos off guard with a feint, drawing a delighted laugh from the
gladiator.
"That's the way! But a good broadswordsman would " He came in under Torio's
guard but the younger man jumped back and pivoted, swinging sideways at Zanos'
exposed biceps.
The gladiator whirled just in time and took the bl blow on his heavy chest
padding, bringing him within reach of Torio's neck.
The practice sword merely stung, but Torio protested, "That move would work in
the arena, or any time you're wearing armor but if you weren't shielded, my
strike would have killed you."
"If I weren't shielded, I wouldn't have allowed you so close," Zanos replied.
"But I concede we hadn't defined whether we were supposedly wear-
Iing armor or not."
"I've never worn armor," said Torio. "You have two sets of reflexes, Zanos one
for arena-style combat and one for other fighting. How do you keep them
apart?"
"Reflexes aren't enough. You know that," laughed Zanos, with a stabbing blow
that Torio easily parried.
"You're thinking all the time, Torio but at the same time you act without
deliberating. You have a natural talent I could have made a gladiator out of
you!"
Zanos thrust. Torio deflected his sword and swung again but his arms were
growing tired after a long exercise with the weighted practice broadsword.
Zanos could probably go on all day.
He Read Zanos Read his fatigue and start to lay on, driving Torio back toward
the wall. The Reader retreated, merely keeping up his guard and trying to let
his muscles revive for
One last flurry of blows!
Zanos grinned as Torio turned on him. "Good! Very good! / would have you, with
my strength but unless you came up against another gladiator, you'd win with
that strategy, Torio." And he dropped the tip of his sword to the ground, as a
sign that the match was over.
"And what would you two do in an even match?" a voice asked, and Bryen strode
across the courtyard.
"Maldek, is this what you had to show me the perfect match for the victory
games?"
The gambler circled the two panting men, saying, "I want to see you with light
swords or do either of you know how to use a pikestaff? What about wrestling?
The local farmers like that they'll bet everything that's left from their last
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harvest!"
Zanos stared at the intruder. "Who are you?" he asked, a warning tone in his
voice.
Bryen ignored it. "They'll all bet on the big one, of course. You, son," he
said to Torio, "you one of
Maldek's servants? You got talent there quick moves. Think you can take this
big fellow with a lighter weapon?"
"I'm not a gladiator," Torio replied. "I'm a Reader," he added, thinking that
that unfair advantage would surely make him ineligible for whatever the
gambler had in mind.
"All the better! Inner sight against brute strength the crowd will love it!
Maldek, can I take these men with me, to supervise their training? There's
only a few days left I have to decide how to use them to best advantage before
I put out the word "
"Stop!" ordered Zanos. "I spent most of my life fighting in the arena and I'm
not going back to it to line the pockets of another gambler!"
"Oh, you'll be paid!" said Bryen. "Both of you you just do what I tell you,
and we'll line all our pockets!"
He started to turn back to Maldek, assuming that everything was settled with
Zanos and Torio, but
Zanos had fought too long for the right to control his own life. He grasped
the man's arm and pulled him back around, saying, "Maldek is not our master.
No man is. I told you I will never again kill as an exhibit for other people's
pleasure! Torio?"
"I certainly won't," the Reader said.
"So we are agreed," said Zanos, squeezing Bryen's arm for emphasis and lifting
it enough that his eyes fell on the half-grown hand.
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