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engaged in anything lewd. In fact, even his kisses seemed more amused than anything else. He was kissing her because he could.
    “Fine. I surrender. Show me how to defend against that kind of strike.”
    He sighed and released her. “Spoilsport.” She grinned. He had been counting on her pride to get in the way. She was far too used to the instructors in the Alliance who demanded acquiescence until you could defeat them. A master instructor was a Master. It was that simple.
    Meena spent a pleasant morning with Kebril, and by the time they stopped for a meal, every muscle in her body ached. She groaned and massaged her neck while the bots set up their breakfast.
    Kebril frowned. “Did we do too much?” She grinned and shook her head. “No. It felt good to work beyond my normal capabilities. I think my reaction time was even increasing toward the end. Either that or I was hallucinating.”
    He poured tea for them both and held her cup out to her. She took it with a hand that trembled slightly.
    He scowled. “We did too much.” Meena carefully used both hands on the cup to steady it. “No, we did just enough. There is no learning without some difficulty. To find what you seek sometimes requires pain.” Kebril raised his eyebrows. “Quoting the Masters of Dhema?”
    She grinned. “One of my first instructors was of Dhema. He stressed flexibility of the mind as well as a healthy attitude toward pain. A little pain is good, a lot tells you you are screwing up. Avoid a lot of pain and welcome the little.”
    He served her breakfast, and when her hands were still trembling too much to eat, he grabbed her hands and she felt an electric shock run from his body to hers.
    A glow moved up her hands and across her body in thirty seconds. The pain faded and the muscle fatigue stopped jerking and twitching her body.
    “That is cheating.”
    Kebril stroked her cheek. “I don’t like seeing you in pain, however minor.”
    She got out of her chair and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. “Thank you.”
    He smiled softly and gestured for her to eat her meal. “It was my pleasure.”
    After breakfast, she returned to the Guardian base with a promise to return the next morning for more lessons. Kebril had business in the capital, so he was busy for the rest of the day.
    The Saluth blades were fun to work with, but she definitely needed a break. She hadn’t worked that hard since the first days of training in the Alliance.
    As perverse as it was, she looked forward to doing it again the next day.

Chapter Seven
    T he routine was set. Every morning, she climbed into the pod and it flew her to Kebril’s to get her ass handed to her. He hadn’t tried to seduce her since that first time. He seemed far more interested in her growing skills with the blade.
    She was wearing the first outfit she had chosen, the wide trousers and wrap shirt. As she stepped out of the pod, there were no blades in attendance and Kebril had a pensive expression.
    “Meena, I have a request to make of you.” She stood in front of him and inclined her head.
    “After the help you have given me, ask and it is yours.”
    He smiled and took her hands. “Accompany me to an event this evening?”
    “That’s it?”
    “Well, it is a formal-dress affair, and I have been unable to decide on your formal wear, so will you stand for a fitting?”
    “Of course. Will Drehl and Rhoda be there?”
    “If Charm is not required elsewhere for the evening.” He took her into the palace to a room she hadn’t seen before.
    “What is this?”
    He ran a hand through his hair, and his grey skin darkened. “My workroom.”
    She looked around, and a number of dressmaker’s dummies were standing with gowns in multiple stages of completion. “You…”
    “Have learned to make clothing with the hope that one day I would be outfitting my own mate. These are all yours by the way.” Meena walked up to a deep blue gown that she knew would look amazing on her. “It’s wonderful. I