Minder by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online

his mistress instead. I don’t know how he jogged the memory loose.”
    “Your Majesty, how did you manage to know that something was missing from your mind?”
    “Chancellor, it was the smell. She has a bright sweet smell, like sunlight and citrus. Vaiu has a muskier scent. It could not have been my leman.”
    “Ah. Very good. Did your memories come back?”
    “They did , Chancellor.”
    “Then the charge of her wiping memories is answered. Not guilty.”
    Aleyn drew a deep breath. She knew what was coming next.
    “Minder, on your first public exposure here on Hickom , you were attacked and you soothed the attacker’s anger with your talents. Could that have been avoided?”
    “No , sir. I was caught by surprise. It was a reflex that I should have sensed the attack to avoid it.”
    “Why did you not know it was coming?”
    “I was not using my powers to scan the crowd. I did not feel it was necessary.”
    “Very well.” He looked to the other three chancellors and then back at her, “On that charge, not guilty. Now, for the final charge. Using your training to kill. We saw it first hand this morning. For this charge, in front of witnesses, you will have to serve a sentence term.”
    Baileez sat up and slammed his hand down on the nearest piece of wood. “No. You cannot take her from me.”
    “We can. We are the Citadel and she is a Minder of the Citadel.” A woman on the end was smug.
    Baileez debated whether she should or should not be sent anywhere.
    She held up her hand and stood. “I will not be going anywhere. Today, I became Queen of Hickom and as queen , I am allowed to defend my body and my offspring by whatever means necessary. If that means is by mental attack , I will do it and not think twice.”
    “You cannot! As a Minder of the Citadel…”
    Aleyn held up her hand. “I was retired forcibly from the Citadel for this very reason before I left. I am now simply a mentally educated citizen of the Alliance, as are thousands of others over the worlds. I cannot be punished by you because you no longer have any right to my or the fruits of my work.”
    She turned to the tribunal and addressed them all, feeling Baileez’s hand engulf her own. “Each patient that I took on, each mind that I healed , I had to match before I could help to take the fear, hate and madness. I officially retired two months ago, there is a signed witness statement in the Archive. They only existing hold on my contract was lack of an offspring and Bai has taken care of that. There is nothing to create a hold over me, but I let you speak your piece. You are now done. This is concluded. I need to get into the rhythm of being Queen of Hickom. They are a tricky race you know. But lots of fun and I love them all.”
    The tribunal nodded and stiffly left the room.
    “So you knew they couldn’t take you.”
    “Yep.”
    “And you were going to share this information with me when?”
    “Uh, now?”
    “I am so going to paddle your ass until you can’t sit.”
    “Brave words from a guy who needs a flea dip.” She made the mistake of looking into his eyes and he was deadly serious. “No way, you can’t spank me. I outgrew spankings years ago.”
    He scooped her into his arms and strode to their private rooms. She thought he was kidding until he sat on the chest at the foot of their bed and laid her face down in his lap.
    The slow drag of the gauzy fabric up her calves and thighs had her hoping for a different outcome, but as soon as he had wedged her wrap so that her buttocks were clear for his hand, he pounced. Smack. She exhaled heavily and braced herself for the next one, but he had a detour in mind. He reached between her thighs to slide two fingers into her. He grunted and then his hand fell again and again. The smacks took on a sharp rhythm and every now and then, when she was braced for it, he would slide two digits into her. She knew what he was finding, wet heat. It had started about a minute after he did. He kept