Weapons Master Galactic Gladia - Anna Hackett Page 0,1

different. He slammed a door in his mind shut on those thoughts.

Bellamy was the final woman from the crew of the Helios ship from Earth who needed to be recovered. The ship had been attacked by Thraxian slavers, and they’d been sold to the Edull here on the desert planet of Carthago.

Other humans had been taken from a space station, and been rescued by the gladiators of the House of Galen. But Magnus had taken the lead on the Helios survivors.

Quinn was now mated to Jax and had become an invaluable member of the House of Rone. Jayna, Sage, Simone, and her daughter, Grace, were now all part of the House as well.

Only Bellamy remained a prisoner.

“The Edull value Bellamy’s skills,” Magnus said. “They won’t kill her. We’ll get her back.”

The woman was a mechanic, and good with her hands. She’d gained the Edull’s trust, but then she’d tried to escape and help the House of Rone. So, while they might not kill her, there was every chance they’d hurt her.

“As soon as we get intel on exactly where in the arena she is, we’ll infiltrate,” Magnus said.

Maxon grunted.

He didn’t like people much. His fellow cyborgs were fine, but people—overrun with wild emotions—couldn’t be trusted. They were generally aggravating.

Once, before he’d had his internal cyborg parts added, he’d been more social, he’d wanted…

Well, it didn’t matter what he’d wanted.

Right now, he had a driving need that he didn’t understand. All he knew was that he wanted Bellamy Walsh rescued.

After that, he wanted to get back to his weapons workshop, back to being the meticulous Weapons Master of the House of Rone, and to be left alone.

“Let go of me, you raspy-breathing asshole, or I’ll break your arm into tiny little pieces.”

Her captor dragged her across the ground, ignoring her threats.

Asshole.

As her captor pulled her out of the tunnel and into the stands of the battle arena, Bellamy Walsh heard revving engines. She winced at the bright lights. They’d kept her locked up alone in the dark for the last few days, thanks to her “uncooperative” behavior.

She hated the motherfucking Edull with every cell in her body.

She was dragged between some benches—thank God she kept cutting her hair short so they couldn’t drag her by that—and tossed to the ground in front of a group of Edull.

She saw black robes step in front of her and her stomach clenched. She looked up.

Fucking Vossol.

He was the Edull in charge of the battle arena. He was smart and cruel, and wore a red mask, unlike the other Edull, who had black ones. The pricks couldn’t breathe the air on the planet of Carthago. She wished she could rip all their stupid masks off.

“Vossol, the Earth slave does excellent work for us,” another Edull murmured. “She’s fixed several inoperable engines, added parts to bots.”

Ignoring them, Bellamy looked at the track. They were conducting a training run. Three huge battle bots were speeding around the track.

No one would die today, but on race night…

She looked back at Vossol and glared. She’d seen too many innocent people lose their lives in this place.

“She has become a little…disruptive of late,” the Edull finished.

“Well,” Bellamy drawled. “When you abduct and enslave people against their will, is it so surprising that they get pissed?”

The Edull kicked out at her, but she dodged.

Incandescent fury unfurled, churning inside her. In the beginning, she’d toed the line when she’d first come to the battle arena, gained their trust, and helped other captives when she could.

She’d seen so many die. Her hands clenched into fists. So many she hadn’t been able to help.

Then just a few days ago, a fellow Helios crewmember, Simone, had come to rescue her. Along with the House of Rone.

Cyborgs. They’d been amazing and fierce. Bellamy had fought alongside them, with a gorgeous, surly beast of a man.

Then the Edull had snatched her back.

The House of Rone would come for her again. She was sure. But months of captivity had worn the edges of her hope pretty ragged.

“She’s become too problematic,” Vossol rasped.

She hated that deep, hoarse voice. She glared at him again. He hadn’t seen problematic yet, but she could show it to him.

“The word is that the House of Rone want her, and to destroy what’s ours.” The silver pupils in Vossol’s dark eyes burned. “Our agents in Kor Magna have gone missing.”

Bellamy fought back a smile. If there was one thing she’d learned about the Edull, it was that they liked power. They never took on