VOICE RAISED IN a resonant battle cry, Tiwaz stepped between the crazed, misshapen beast and Alimar, shoving it back towards the open space. She lunged with a downward swing at it, catching its leg as it tried to dodge her. The beast lumbered after, roaring its rage.

Alimar stood by his workbench, arms crossed as he watched the battle without emotion. A disembodied voice whispered. Do not keep putting me off, human. We have an agreement. Give her to me.

The sorcerer looked towards the mirror hanging near him on the wall. Within its black depths, the face of a true demon appeared. Heavy horns spiraled until the points aligned with his squared chin. His heavy brow lowered over eyes glowing like hot embers in displeasure. “Our contract detailed many things, but it did not include you specifying exactly who I tithed to you. The agreement about her, which exists only as a favor to you, was until I broke her spirit, Kragen, not before then. She is particularly resilient.”

The demon snarled, eyes flashed briefly. Do not think I do not know what you are doing. You deliberately use ineffective means of breaking her to delay my possession. Your other offerings have been inadequate to my desires.

Alimar dismissed the demon with a casual wave. “I cannot help if you do not appreciate what I have provided you to sate your hunger.” He frowned when several jars crashed to the floor when the maddened beast shoved Tiwaz against a set of shelves. “Careful! Those substances are valuable!” She nodded once, panting as she focused on the creature. The sorcerer returned to his conversation. “She is useful to me and she is unbroken. You will get her when she is neither.”

Have you forgotten I gave you everything that made you what you are? Do not think that it cannot be taken away just as easily. Alimar smirked at the demon. You have been warned, human. Give her to me.

“And what will you do if I do not, Kragen? You cannot come into this world unless called, and I need not call you. I have made certain to adhere to every detail of our contract, so you cannot raise a finger against me without breaking it yourself. And I have ensured I am the only one who knows your name, so you cannot even use someone else against me because none can call you.” He laughed. “No one but I knows you even exist!”

Alimar flicked at the glass in the mirror. The demon scowled at the blatant display of insult. “I know your limits, Kragen. No matter your impatience, so long as I follow our contract to the letter, you can do naught to me. There is nothing that allows you to demand specific individuals be tithed to you.”

Kragen’s eyes shifted from Alimar to Tiwaz as she turned her sword point downward and gave the deformed creature a merciful death blow. She looked up to her master and the demon, expression unreadable. You are immortal, but you are no wiser now than you were thousands of years ago, human. Your arrogance will one day be your doom. With those final words, the face in the mirror vanished.

“It is dead, Master,” Tiwaz stated, cleaning the long sword and sheathing it.

“Return to your pen. I am done with my experiments for today and have no further need of your presence.” He waved in dismissal. “Prepare for the games tomorrow.”

The six-foot tall woman did not move, her eyes flashing with restrained anger. “I will not kill Tambek! He has done no wrong to you. He serves you well.”

Alimar smirked as he paused by the door leading to his tower chambers. “Every month for the last year, you have said you will not kill your friends. Each time, you have failed to save them. You will fail again.” The sorcerer turned his back, telling her as he pulled the door shut, “Send my apprentice in to clean up the mess.”

Fists clenched, Tiwaz turned on her heel and stalked out of the laboratory. As she passed the slightly shorter Gilhadnar, she said in clipped tones, “Clean the laboratory. Master’s orders.”

Gilhadnar scowled and grabbed her from behind, throwing her into the wall and putting his hand around her throat. “You think to order me?” She barely blinked, meeting his glare with impassivity. “You better show respect to your betters, slave,” he seethed.

Without missing a beat, she gave him a blunt response. “I do.” She winced when he squeezed her throat and grabbed his wrist. The gladiator squeezed hard until his hand went numb, temporarily paralyzed, then shoved him back. “Do you really believe he teaches you anything, Gilhadnar? You clean up broken glass, spilled potions, and dead bodies. We are both tools in his eyes, but you are less valuable to him than I am.”

She did not flinch when he grabbed her breast. “Go ahead. Prove how much of a man you aren’t. Rape me. Kill me.” She sneered at him in defiance. “I would love to hear you explain how your pride was more important than Master’s orders.”

With an inarticulate curse, he released her, shoving her the way she had been heading before he stalked towards the laboratory, slamming the door behind him. Her amusement at goading her master’s apprentice faded, her expression impassive as she strode out. She ignored the silent acknowledgments of those she passed, their expressions filled with blends of admiration, respect, envy, and pity.

Zuneer looked up when the outer arena gates opened. Tiwaz strode across the sands towards the archway leading into the inner areas of the structure. He pressed his lips together when she passed by her fellow gladiators without a hint of greeting.

One man tossed his weapon to his training opponent and approached the gladiator trainer. “Permission to—”

“Go, Tambek,” the arena master dismissed without inflection. The rest looked away from the condemned man going to talk with his unwilling executioner.

“Tiwaz,” Tambek called, jogging to catch up to her. He grabbed her arm to stop her. She froze, neither looking at him nor attacking him. He moved to stand in front of her, touching her cheek tenderly. “Tomorrow isn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself for Master choosing me to face you, okay?” He turned her face back towards his. “I just regret we won’t have more time together.”

“It is my fault,” she whispered, her voice harsh. “I have been weak. I must be stronger.” She would have continued, but he put his calloused fingers over her lips to silence her. “Tambek…” He kissed her gently, then pulled her against him. Her arms wrapped around him as she returned his affection, the two stumbling until the wall stopped them. He took her by the hand and led her into one of the empty stalls. She followed without saying a word.