Here’s the link to the Weekend Writing Warriors central page, so you can visit all the participants sharing excerpts today…a fun way to sample new books and find new authors! (Also welcome to the Sunday Snippet visitors!)

May be edited a bit from published version.

I’m switching to my new release KYDEN: BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK ONE.

The excerpt, from the beginning of the book, after Kyden went to investigate an outcry in the gladiators’ assembly room and found two women who say their presence is a mistake. He takes the girls to his cell. As the top gladiator in the Five Systems, he has more of a room than most and a private bathroom. The younger girl is quite ill. I’ve skipped ahead a bit.

He sat at his desk, in the one chair, which was sized for his massive seven foot, three hundred pound frame and drummed his talons on the desk, pondering what to do next. The medics were off duty at night and didn’t tend to Big Lorena’s women anyway although he supposed he could bribe his friend Macuse to come. But did he want an arena medic touching a Senator’s daughter? Best to wait and see.

The two women made a slow re-entry into the main room and the senior sister basically carried the other to the bed, which was neatly made, Kyden watched as the thin, wan girl laid down on top of his navy blue blanket, as if not caring where she was. At least she’d stopped weeping. The older sister was clearly uncomfortable.

“I gave you my word,” Kyden said, guessing more reassurance was needed. For all her outward calm, this woman was badly shaken as well. “I’ll not touch either of you. I would like to know who you are and how you got into this mess.” He studied her as she tucked her sister in under the fur throw he’d purchased on a whim once, enjoying the way she took such good care of the other, who seemed to be an older teenager.

“I’m Lady Elara Vasclavian and this is my foolish sister Diandre.” She smoothed the hair away from the girl’s face and sat on the end of the bed. “Thank you for rescuing us from those awful men. I don’t suppose you’ll simply let us leave?”

VS: And what will Kyden say? But it’s never that simple…more next week.

KYDEN: BADARI GLADIATORS SERIES BOOK ONE by Veronica Scott

Kyden is the top ranked gladiator in the Five Systems but he’s hardly there by choice. Unscrupulous guards faked his death in the lab where he was created and sold him into slavery in the galaxy’s hinterlands. He has no idea where his home is or how many years have passed since he was condemned to a life of endless combat. Kill or be killed is the rule and a Badari never gives up. He’ll fight to stay alive until the Badari goddess sees fit to decree his death.

Elara Vasclavian is the daughter of a senator, as far removed from the life of a gladiator as a noblewoman can be until through the machinations of a political enemy, she ends up in terrible jeopardy. Abducted and given to a group of drunken gladiators for their amusement the night before the games, Elara vows to put up a fight but there’s no real hope of saving herself. Until Kyden steps in, responding to the goddess’s commandment to protect those who are smaller and weaker. And discovers she’s his fated mate.

Rescued, Elara returns to her life of privilege but she can’t forget the man who saved her life. The gulf between their places in the Five Systems is unbridgeable, no matter how much Kyden longs for even a glimpse of her in the arena audience. No matter how much she feels the pull to be by his side. As matters stand, they cannot be together…Or can they?

KYDEN is the first book in a new series, spun off from my ongoing Badari Warriors series. Kyden is a Generation Five Badari whereas the main characters in the long running series are from a later time and are Generation Eight. This new series stands alone and you don’t have to have read any of the other books to enjoy this one. I couldn’t resist the temptation to tell a few other Badari stories, set in the galaxy’s Hinterlands, and who can resist gladiators?

Amazon     Apple Books      Kobo      Nook      GooglePlay