Read Online Fencer by Viola Grace - Free Book Online

wanted, and when she left the lav, she had a clean, shiny face and tidy hair that still contained pearls and braids.
    She felt a little more awake as she tried to pick out an outfit for the day. Her favourite came to hand as did a silky set of underwear.
    Once she was dressed, she turned to him and smiled. “Ready.”
    He was sitting at his desk and doing some work on a data pad. “You really are not a morning person, are you?”
    She shook her head. “I was engaged in a stressful situation yesterday, and my unfortunate reaction to stress is to take a nap.” Kebril got to his feet and walked toward her.
    He grinned and held out his hand.
    She slid her fingers against his and blushed.
    “Good morning, Kebril.”
    “Good morning, Meena.”
    He kissed her hand and led her through the halls. Bots were zipping around with items in their little mechanical arms but everything was business as usual as they entered the courtyard for fencing practice.
    The Saluth blades seemed light, but Meena faced off against her husband as she prepared for her workout. They were both surprised by what happened.
    At first, he disarmed her, and she was accustomed to it, so she didn’t remark on it, but there was a gleam in his eyes.
    She picked her blades up and flexed her fingers around the hilts. Her recovery was much faster today.
    “Again.” Kebril faced off against her.
    To her surprise, she got him to back up a few steps in her volley of blade strikes. The world around her slowed, and she moved at her top speed, striking toward him, and to her shock, her blade passed through his wrist, causing him to jerk.
    Her distraction cost her, and he disarmed her again. It was a pattern that repeated until they were interrupted in their morning exercise by a shuttle landing and disgorging, not only Rhoda and Drehl, but also Hawk, Under and two older Genarans.
    Rhoda rushed up to her and gave her a hug.
    “So, I hear you took the plunge.”
    “I got stabbed in the wrist and now I can see a fly’s wings beat. Is that the same thing?” Meena laughed.
    “Pretty close. Meena, this is your mother-in-law, Elian Yaghin.”
    Elian scowled. “I wanted my eldest to be wed in a proper ceremony.”
    “Waiting would have taken me off Yacaro in the clutches of a very unappealing Yinshin.” Elian paused. “Then, I am glad you joined, though I can be wistful about the lack of ceremony. Now, we are having your reception in an hour, show me your clothing so that I can help you dress appropriately.”
    The implied insult slid off Meena’s back. She would have worn plain bodysuits each day if Kebril would let her get away with it. He wouldn’t, so she didn’t.
    They walked to the master bedroom, and she opened the door with her eyes squinted half closed. She wasn’t sure if it took both of them to get into the bedroom or not.
    The bots had made the bed and her wardrobe was closed, but as she opened it for Elian, a new gown in burnished gold and black was hanging from the interior door.
    Elian chuckled. “It seems that he guessed about my demands. Well, daughter. Let’s get you into the shower. We have fifty minutes before the party.”
    Rhoda was chortling, and she ushered Meena into the lav. “Don’t fight it. Just be quick.”
    Meena took a shower and fixed her hair again.
    A light flick with her new control over her body and she was dry and ready for her party.
    She paused and stared in the mirror. The mask was gone. She vaguely remembered being woken in the early morning by Kebril licking at her skin once again. The gold was gone from her flesh, so it had either been him or her.
    Meena wrapped herself in a towel and asked Elian, “Does Kebril sleep?”
    Her new mother-in-law stopped picking out shoes and smiled, “Not much. He never did, but exams told us that his body was repairing itself at such a rate that if he did sleep too much, there may be complications. He burns off the energy he needs to burn off.”
    She laughed. “That explains a