Page 10 of Benet

Finally Dmitri declared him ready to begin the obstacle course and that morning they hiked to a different part of the estate’s grounds. Benet marveled at how much the Grand Duke had to be spending with all his efforts to field the winning team at the Games, not even counting what it must have cost to hire mercenaries to kidnap a Badari from the Five Systems.

Unfortunately the team had grabbed the wrong gladiator and gotten a superbly physically fit, well-trained fighter and former soldier who was not a Badari. Not even close. Dmitri was adamant Benet must never reveal the screwup.

“He’s a pompous proud man and will have you killed immediately if he learns of his mistake,” the Badari warned. “I’ve claimed you as my brother and who here would doubt my word.”

“I don’t like you putting yourself at risk to do so,” Benet said.

“I belong to the Empress, not to him. She would find the whole thing amusing, knowing her.” Dmitri was unconcerned.

Benet had a hard time controlling his amusement when he saw the obstacle course. After the dangerous metal maze he’d been expecting another high tech risky situation but when he reached the site, he found a few walls to scale, a tightrope or two and a lot of running.

Dmitri wagged his finger under Benet’s nose. “No so fast, my friend. Today we’ll do the bare course but we’ll gradually build up to the full effects.”

“Full effects?” Dmitri and Marushka were obviously in possession of a few facts he was missing and probably wasn’t going to like. “What are those exactly?”

She shuddered. “Flames, acid pits, sharp toothed predators—many an unwary competitor meets his or her end on the actual course during the games. It’s all so barbaric—I’m ashamed of my people when it comes to this truthfully. But the games were established so long ago and have become unalterable tradition.”

“And people wager on the results,” Dmitri added.

Benet threw back his head and laughed. “Now I feel at home. Betting is huge in the Five Systems, with bookies taking bets on every aspect of what happens in the arena, including whether anyone’s underwear will fall off, which has happened to rookies on occasion. Or they don’t wear any and when their kilts fly up the crowd gets an extra X rated thrill.”

Marushka and her two dogs established themselves in the shade where she’d have a good view of the course and Dmitri and Benet walked through the layout. As he went and listened to Dmitri explaining the lethality of each feature of the obstacles, Benet was astonished at the pure evil of the design.

“It’s a damn good thing I have perfect balance,” he said. “So many of these challenges seem to require it.”

“Remember speed through the course is also a big factor,” Dmitri reminded him.

“What was your best time?”

Raising an eyebrow, Dmitri smirked. “You’ll never beat it, not being a true Badari, brother.”

“Maybe, maybe not, but I like to know what target I’m aiming for.”

The Badari told him but the number was pretty meaningless right now, until Benet had the complete set of functioning barriers to surmount. He tucked the time away in his head for later. If he had to do this dumbass, dangerous stunt because he’d been kidnapped and brought here, then he was going to do his best.

His first trip through the course was at a leisurely speed, getting a feel for the order of the obstacles.

“These walls will be vibrating,” Dmitri said, indicating a stretch of the course. And plates rise up from the floor at random intervals, trying to force the runner off balance and throw him into a shock barrier or worse.”

“Nice. We can try that tomorrow.”

Truth be told as the week wore on, Benet enjoyed the obstacle course. The metal maze was intense and stressful but he liked the challenge and physicality of overcoming the barriers. Each day Dmitri added a few more of the live elements he’d be facing, or simulations of them, as there was no need to risk an acid bath or a pit full of long snouted, razor-sharp toothed reptiles, or a fall into a nest of angry vipers. By the end of the week Benet was running the course in times near to Dmitri’s and the Badari—and Marushka—were properly impressed. He hadn’t been kidding when he claimed his balance was impeccable and even the barrier which was a greasy one inch pipe stretching over an acid pit with swinging weights coming at him from either side didn’t faze him.

“We’re cutting practice short today,” Dmitri said on the fifth day. “Tonight we go and fulfill our duty as bodyguards.”

Benet poured a bottle of water over his head because he was hot and sweaty. “I don’t remember the duke saying anything about me working as a bodyguard.”

“I told you before, I’ve taken over since I claimed you as a true Badari, may the goddess forgive me. The duke has no say in what I decide as long as you’re ready for the games.”

“So are we guarding Marushka?” Benet asked. He’d wondered about her absence today. Usually she joined them at breakfast and spent the entire day with them. He’d missed her and hoped she wasn’t getting sick.

“Of course. That’s my assignment from the current empress. She’s going to a party at her fiancé’s estate.”

“You’d think she’d be safe there,” Benet said.

“No one of the imperial blood is ever truly safe anywhere on Throne Planet,” Dmitri replied soberly. “Assassination is a political tool for advancement here and often approved of by those in power at the highest ranks. Outlier is a snake pit. But tonight Marushka’s greatest danger will be the son of a bitch prince she’s engaged to.”

“Tell me how you really feel. So it’s not a love match?”

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