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She was sleepy. It had been a very long day.
    “Can the testing wait until tomorrow?”
    Ysyr put his arm around her waist. “It is better to have it done while you are tired. Your mind will be more open to her touch.”
    “Fine, make it quick, I am crashing fast.” She yawned again.
    Turnari looked from Ysyr to Col and back again, “So I am guessing that you…”
    Col glared at him. “We what? If it has escaped you, any part of me that would be involved in that kind of procedure is currently fused to my suit.”
    He winced. “Apologies. I forgot.”
    Ysyr’s shoulders started to quiver and she realized that he was fighting a laugh. “I am glad that my mate’s body was not in your mind, Turnari. It might have caused a problem.”
    The head administrator of the Citadel Morganti darkened slightly. His face shaded from crimson to dark burgundy.
    He kept his mouth shut and when they were in front of an unlabelled door, he left them with a sense of relief.
    “I haven’t seen him that embarrassed in all my time here.” Ysyr was still chortling.
    “Well, he should keep his mind off my genitals.”
    When the door opened, Ysyr was doubled over laughing and Colah was left to smile at the deep lavender woman who was looking at her. “May I help you, miss?”
    Col inclined her head. “I have been sent here to get an assessment to my talent. Pardon him, he is having an emotional day.”
    Col moved past Ysyr when the woman opened her door, and Col tried to close it on him, but he gripped the edge and wedged it open.
    “Not polite, Col.” He murmured it quietly.
    “Neither is your incessant cackling, Ysyr.” She grumbled.
    “Master Ysyr, who is your fascinating companion?”
    “Assessment officer, Haveera, this is the newest recruit to the Citadel, Colah Geering.”
    Haveera raised her hand and smiled. “Don’t tell me anymore. The more I discover on my own, the more accurate my assessment will be. Please, have a seat, Colah.”
    There were two chairs placed close together, so Col took the one on the left.
    Haveera blinked and smiled. “Unusual choice.”
    Col blushed, “You are left handed, so I assumed that you would want the other chair to keep your arm free.”
    “Observant. Will you extend your hands to me?”
    Col did as she was asked and Haveera took her hands, turning the palms upward and then back down again.
    She announced, “You were a chef.”
    “You are correct.” Col knew that her hands bore the marks of heat and blades. It was why she preferred the idea of desserts. There was far less chance of slicing one’s hand open while skinning a fruit than a fish.
    Col felt a pressure on her mind. It was a gentle stroking touch, far more subtle than when Ysyr had pressed his mind to hers.
    “Master Ysyr is not designed for this. I am.” Haveera’s voice came to her from a great distance.
    In her mind, she saw herself flying and lifting others with her in an invisible net. She jerked, “I don’t have that ability.”
    Haveera blinked to reset her mind back in her own skull. “You will. It will only be a matter of time and training. You have a destiny here with the Citadel, Colah. That much is certain.”
    Ysyr came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Send the report to Turnari, Haveera. Col needs to have something to eat and then get some sleep.”
    He was shepherding her out of the room when Haveera called his name.
    The woman looked up and him and grinned, “She will be great, Master Ysyr. I hope you can keep up.”

     Chapter Nine
    Col woke in a huge bed with sunlight streaming across her form. She felt marginally better than she had when Ysyr had determined that she was too tired to be assigned her own quarters and he brought her to his.
    A blinking light on a wall panel caught her attention. She wandered up to it and pressed the button underneath.
    “Col, I am sorry that I had to leave you this morning, but I was needed in a meeting with Relay of the Sector Guard. The