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Nox didn’t have an answer for any of the many questions that were running though his mind. He just hoped he could keep control until this experience was over.
THIRTY
SELINE
It must have been later than she had thought—or else the Viridians and their women were all early risers—because the Punishment Room started filling up pretty quickly. Seline bit her lip as she saw Master Lendrex go among the assembled crowd of men with shiny, metallic scales and the women, all wearing the little bikini-type garments, and tap several on the shoulder. Were the ones he chose going to be her jury? And how could she defend herself when the circumstances she had been found in marked her as guilty?
Seline didn’t have any idea and she wasn’t sorry when Nox didn’t put her down. Instead, he stood in the center of the room, cradling her to his broad chest and glaring at anyone who dared to make eye contact. The unspoken message was clear—Touch her and die! It made her feel safe and protected to be in his arms, but she knew eventually he would have to put her down so she could take her punishment—whatever it might be.
“This crime and punishment session will now come to order,” Master Lendrex called, his voice echoing in the vaulted space. “We have among us guests who have enjoyed the hospitality of the Halls of Pain. We have given them food and shelter and yet this morning my thief-alarm went off and I found this female, Seline, in my office, attempting to steal from me!”
Seline felt hot all over—she hated to be accused of doing something wrong—it was so embarrassing! She wanted to defend herself but she knew that anything she said would be taken the wrong way. And really, she couldn’t prove she hadn’t been intending to steal the Far Box—it was her word against Master Lendrex’s and it was clear who was going to be believed here. The Lord and Master as he had called himself, definitely had the upper hand.
“Now—does the guilty party have anything to say in her defense?” Master Lendrex asked, turning to Seline.
Seline took a deep breath and lifted her chin.
“Nox, put me down,” she whispered.
“I do not want to,” he growled back.
“I know—but I need to stand on my own two feet for this. I won’t go far,” Seline promised.
Reluctantly, the big warrior set her on her feet, though Seline could still feel him, standing like a wall at her back. The feeling that her Protector was backing her up gave her the courage to speak.
“Yes, I do have something to say,” she said, wishing her voice wouldn’t shake so much. She was sure it made her sound guilty, but she forced herself to continue anyway.
“Look, I know I was caught with my hand ‘in the cookie jar’ so to speak,” she began. “I mean, I know the circumstances make me look guilty,” she amended, realizing these people probably wouldn’t understand that particular Earth saying. “But I promise you, I was only looking at the Far Box—the artifact in question. Nox—I mean, my Master Nox and I—have been searching for it because it’s very important to our people and I was excited to find it. I just wanted to look at it and make sure it was the real deal—the genuine artifact—you know?”
“And so you never even considered stealing the artifact you call ‘The Far Box’ from my shelf?” Master Lendrex demanded.
“Did the thought cross my mind? Yes, of course,” Seline admitted. “But I never would have acted on it. I—”
“There, you see—she admits she thought of stealing from me!” Master Lendrex thundered, interrupting her. “But I submit to you, my people, that this is not the only reason this female should be punished. She does not act like a proper pleasure slave at all. She speaks to males when she has not first been spoken to and she does not show the proper respect to her superiors!”
There were murmurs of disgust and outrage and it seemed to Seline that everyone was looking at her angrily.
“I’m sorry if you think I’m disrespectful,” she said, trying to keep her voice and face calm. “I’m not used to your ways. Please understand—whenever people of two cultures meet, there are bound to be some mistakes and misunderstandings. In fact—”
“And now she presumes to lecture us, as though she was a male who had every right to speak before the assembly of Masters!” Master Lendrex interrupted again.
“But—” Seline began, frustration filling her.
“Silence, female—you have had your say!” Master Lendrex thundered. He turned to the crowd of Viridians and their pleasure girls. “Those of you I selected to be on the Judging Panel, please step forward and pronounce your verdict of this female.”
Six people—four males and two females—stepped forward. One of them was Lovely, Seline saw. The other girl gave her a sympathetic look from her clear turquoise eyes and then glanced quickly away.
