Richmond slashed at Ryan with his knife, forcing the one-eyed man to back away. When a few yards separated them, the sec man reached behind his back and produced a second knife. For a moment it seemed he might toss it to Ryan to make it a fair fight, but it soon became apparent he had no intention of doing anything of the sort. He came at Ryan with both knives leading the way.
Ryan backpedaled from the slashing steel, then tripped on something on the ground and fell onto his back.
A groan of disappointment washed over the crowd as it looked as if Ryan would be chilled, but the one-eyed man grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it at the face of the approaching sec man, just as the sec man had done to him scant minutes before. Richmond stopped in his tracks and did his best to clear his eyes of the grit, but it was no use. He couldn’t open his eyes, and even if he could, he’d still be unable to see.
Ryan sprung up to his feet, ran around to Richmond’s side and rammed his heel into the sec man’s knee. Richmond’s leg bent backward, toppling him to the ground like a felled tree, and forcing him to drop one of his knives and use a free hand to try to clear the dirt from his eyes.
Ryan reached into his back pocket and pulled out the brass knuckles he’d been given earlier in the day. He hadn’t planned on using the weapon, but since Richmond had set the tone for the fight, he had no problem slipping the heavy metal rings over the knuckles of his right hand.
Reaching back and cocking his arm, Ryan threw his fist forward, catching the downed sec man in the back of the head. The brass rings broke through Richmond’s skull, allowing Ryan’s knuckles to put a fist-sized hole in the man’s head.
He was chilled instantly.
But Ryan wanted to make sure and threw four more punches before climbing off the body. He rose to the sounds of a rousing cheer.
Grundwold chose that moment to ring the bell, allowing everyone, including the crowd, a chance to rest, and giving the mutant Hambly an even chance of recovering from his wounds.
Ryan picked up his panga, then sat to catch his breath. He checked the pant leg that had been cut open and found the skin beneath unbroken.
“Are you hurt?” Mildred asked, handing Ryan a bottle of water.
Ryan upended the bottle and gulped down the water.
“I don’t like the odds in this next round,” Brody muttered.
“What do you mean?” Mildred asked. “There’s only four of them.” She cracked a smile for Ryan and winked at Brody. “I know what you’re saying. I don’t trust the four of them to fight fair.”
“Who’s been fighting fairly?” Ryan asked.
Mildred let out a small disgusted laugh, then excused herself. “Sorry to run, but I’ve got a dying mutie the baron wants mended. Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Ryan said, passing the water bottle to Brody.
Mildred took a few steps, then suddenly turned back. “Almost forgot. Krysty sends her love.”
Ryan looked up at the stage and saw Krysty sitting there at the baron’s side. The afternoon sun shone brightly against her hair, turning it the color of crimson fire. She waved at Ryan then, giving him a thumbs-up and blowing him a gentle kiss that was hidden from the view of the baron.
Ryan felt revitalized and decided that despite what Brody had said, the odds in the next round suited him just fine.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“How are you enjoying the contest, my pretty?” Baron Fox asked Krysty.
The titian-haired beauty looked away from her lover and said, “It’s very, very bloody…and violent.”
“Indeed it is. And exciting.”
Krysty shrugged. “I suppose it is, if you like that sort of thing…chilling people for no reason.”
“Do you find it exciting?” the baron asked.
“I’ve seen plenty of men chilled in my life. Some deserved it, some didn’t, but it’s almost always a waste of life.”
That seemed to excite the baron further. “I bet you have seen plenty of dead men, even chilled a few of them yourself, hey?”