I will let neither a rebellious minotaur… nor a potentially volatile infant… destroy what I have worked centuries to build, he thought. The minotaur will die in the arena if necessary, and the female… my female… will remain my permanent guest. So it will be.

Thinking of the other, the one who was most important to his continued existence, the high priest decided it was time to visit again his secret guest. If the fools who followed his commands only knew what she was, they would have fled from the citadel in outright fear. Fortunately, even she did not truly understand the truth.

By the time she did, she would be his puppet. By then, Kaziganthi de-Orilg would also be his to control… or dead and burned, a memory of ashes soon to fade from the minds of his children.

However, there was one matter with which the hooded cleric still had to deal. He reached to his side and pulled an almost invisible cord. A few moments later, one of his chief acolytes appeared.

"Yes, Holiness?"

"Tell the emperor I wish to see him… now."

"Yes, Holiness."

The high priest ignored the acolyte's departure; his thoughts returned to the future. His future.

I will not let this opportunity escape me. The world is ripe for my picking… and the minotaur, if he will not obey, is expendable in the end.

Helati carried the infants outside and stared in the direction in which Kaz had ridden off so many days ago. She knew he would not suddenly come riding up to her, but the desire to see him was so strong that she could not help but continue to wait and hope. The twins were unusually quiet, as if they, too, watched for their father's return.

"Not back yet, is he?"

She had been so preoccupied that she had not even heard the newcomer. Turning, Helati shook her head and replied, "No, Brogan, but it's much too early. You know how long it takes to reach the empire, much less Nethosak. He will have just entered the city by this time."

"Which doesn't make us any less concerned about him." Brogan walked up next to her and leaned forward. His voice was steady. "Just say the word, Helati, and I'll gather the others. We'll ride to Nethosak and help him."

"I can't do that, because he wouldn't want me to do that. Kaz works best with little assistance from others."

"Then what about that kender? I still can't believe you'd tell that little thief where he is but not let us follow! What aid can one of those creatures give a minotaur?"

The twins began acting up. Helati hushed them. "You don't really know Delbin or you wouldn't ask that. He's a kender, true, but he's come to Kaz's rescue more than once."

Brogan snorted. "I find that hard to believe."

The conversation died abruptly as the sound of hoof-beats made both look up. Helati's heart pounded, but her wild hope that it was Kaz and her brother faded as she saw that the riders were unfamiliar. There were two, yes, but one was a male and the other a female. New additions to their community, they had a look to them she had come to recognize.

"May your ancestors watch over you," Helati said, approaching.

"And yours, you," replied the male. He glanced briefly at Brogan, then returned his gaze to Helati. "I am Zurgas, and this is my mate, Keeli. Is this the clan Kaziganthi? We were told we could find others like us here. Others… who have tired of the old ways."

Clan Kaziganthi. Helati glanced at Brogan, who, despite their conversation, could not repress a smile. Kaz's fame had grown more than either of them had realized if the settlement was already being called by such a title among the people.

"This is the place, friends," Brogan replied, "and you're welcome here."

The two riders looked relieved, but Helati, despite her forced smile, was not. If these minotaurs had come to call the settlement the clan of Kaziganthi, then so did others.

Soon, if not already, the emperor's people would hear of this new clan, one that did not acknowledge the power of the emperor, the circle, or the high priest.

What would happen if they heard of this while Kaz was still in Nethosak?

It was not until the next day that Kaz was reunited with Hecar.

An older minotaur with half his teeth missing chuckled as they were led into the prison section of the circus. He eyed Kaz with great joy.

"I heard they had you in their clutches! By Sargas! It'll be good to see you in the circus again, even if it's for a short time!"

"What's that, Molus?" asked one of the guards, curious at the jailer's remark. "Who's this supposed to be?"

"You're young. You would've been a child. This is Kaziganthi, of the clan Orilg!"

"I know who he is."

Molus shook his head. "You know a name. This is Kaz the Undefeatable! He fought his way to the rank of Supreme Champion! He was the greatest gladiator in all the empire! There's been none like him since!"

Kaz pretended indifference but, beside him, Ganth smiled.

The guards were all impressed, but the same one who had asked Molus the question persisted. "If he was supreme champion, why isn't he emperor or dead?" Those were the only two routes generally left to the supreme champion. He had to challenge the emperor and defeat him or die in the attempt. "What happened?"

Molus eyed Kaz with curiosity. "I don't know why, but he quit. He abandoned the circus, abandoned everything he'd fought for. He turned down commissions, rank benefits, and every sort of glory that should've been heaped on him. He went into the war just a simple warrior!"

The others, save for Ganth, looked at Kaz as if he had suddenly turned into something distasteful. The guards muttered among themselves, trying to understand so uncharacteristic an action. Any warrior who had made it to the most exalted rank of Supreme Champion was expected to seek the throne. It was insane to work so hard and rise so high otherwise.

"Just why did you quit?" Molus asked Kaz.

"I saw no good reason to continue."

"Maybe he turned coward," suggested a guard.

"Him?" The jailer laughed. "Not likely. But it doesn't matter. He'll be fighting in a day anyway. You boys should watch. It'll be a good battle, even if it's a little onesided." He turned away. "Bring them this way. They can share the cell with their friend."

Kaz and Ganth were dragged to the door of a dingy cell that contrasted greatly with the clean environment of Nethosak. Molus unlocked it, signaling the guards to put the prisoners inside.

The cell was dark, which was why they did not see Hecar at first. When the flames of one of the guards' torches finally revealed the other minotaur, Kaz and Ganth dropped their jaws at the pitiful sight.

"He was… more skilled… than he looked," Hecar muttered, forcing a smile onto his battered face. "I heard them… talking about you coming here. I'd like to say it's good to see you, Kaz, but-" Hecar glanced at the other minotaur and frowned. "Ganth?"

Hecar had lost a great deal of weight, and scars covered his chest, arms, and legs. Bandages were wrapped around both his left arm and his right leg. He was covered with the grit and grime of the arena, not to mention a layer of dried blood.

"This is no way to treat a minotaur," Kaz snarled at his captors, losing his temper for the first time since being led from the sanctum of the high priest. "By right of victory, even as a criminal, his wounds should be cared for and his body cleaned."

"By right of victory, he should be a.free warrior now," Ganth pointed out, eyeing Molus. To his credit, Molus lost some of his good humor and briefly looked even a little guilty. "He should once more be an honored member of the race."

"The orders come from the emperor and the high priest," the jailer mumbled. To the guards he commanded, "Chain these two up next to Hecar. He can entertain them with stories of what to expect."