Arena 13 by Joseph Delaney

Author:Joseph Delaney [Delaney, Joseph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448195343
Publisher: RHCP
Published: 2015-06-04T04:00:00+00:00

16

The Cowardice of Math

Those who take the first steps rarely take the last.

Amabramsum: the Genthai Book of Wisdom

‘How did you find out?’ I asked.

‘I suspected it the second time we met,’ said Tyron, crossing the room to refill his glass from the decanter. ‘It wasn’t just the way you caught the blade I threw at you. It was the way you bowed afterwards – the set of your body; the moment’s hesitation before the bow; then the dipping of your left shoulder slightly before the right. Do that in the arena, and anyone who saw your father fight will recognize you as his son.’

He returned to his seat and, after sipping wine from his glass, continued. ‘It was exactly the same when you slid your blade into the throat-socket of the practice lac. You bowed afterwards. You have the same arrogance; the same self-belief. Both are vital qualities if you wish to achieve success in Arena 13.

‘And, of course, if I look closely, I can see his face in yours. Once you know, it’s clear enough. I wanted to be sure, so I sent someone to Mypocine to find out the truth. He talked to the farmer you worked for. He came back five days ago and confirmed what I’d suspected.’

My mind worked backwards. ‘That’s why you gave me another chance . . .’

‘Yes. But that chance depends on you telling me the truth now.’

To tell the truth wasn’t easy. I’d never told anybody the whole story before – I’d never even given a hint to anyone in this city. It was hard to force the words out, but it had to be done. My future with Tyron, my hope of fighting in Arena 13, depended upon it.

‘Hob murdered my mother,’ I told him. ‘And my father just stood back and let it happen. Then he killed himself.’

‘That’s just the bones of the story. Either cover them with flesh or find yourself another artificer!’ Tyron snapped, eyes hard as flint.

‘My father didn’t go back to his people – or if he did, he didn’t stay long. He bought a small farm south of Mypocine. Soon afterwards he met my mother, Shola. She wasn’t Genthai. I was born two years later. I was their only child.’

In spite of the bitterness I now felt, I couldn’t help but smile at the memory of my childhood. My father had enjoyed farming, and I knew how much he loved me and my mother. We were happy; really happy. I often thought I’d never be as happy again.

Tyron pulled me back from my musings. ‘And it was from him that you learned some steps from the Trig? He didn’t keep his past a secret from you?’

‘Yes and no. He showed me his blades with the wolf’s-head handles, but he never talked much about his time fighting there. He never told me what you just have. I never dreamed he was so good until I saw the painting over Palm’s bed and he told me it was of Math.

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