The Alien Gladiator by Magda Rhodes

He was the Empire’s fiercest warrior. Now he’s a slave. But not even the promise of freedom tempts him away from me.

Zelda: My advisors say that the gladiator kills in my name. After each victory in the arena, he pledges his life to me. He dares to propose marriage. Such audacity! It is unheard of, for a slave to seek the hand of a noblewoman. Yet, he has not lost a single trial by combat. He is a huge specimen… and, I admit, once my secret lover. The people want their queen to acknowledge him. Do they mock me, or do they know my secret? Or, worst of all, do they actually believe us to be a match? If the priests say it is so… no, impossible. And with the rebellion growing in the east, I cannot afford to waste time on such matters. He will live or die by his sword.

Traxan: My queen is everything to me. I was raised like all Vogdian boys to love her. My love is what drove me to survive the orphan training camp. It drove me to become an elite warrior and slay enemies in her name. It does not matter that I am a slave; my duty to protect her remains. The rebellion is stronger than anyone knows. When the time comes, I will escape and steal her away to safety.