The carriage of the Jade Serpent Merchant Guild was less of a vehicle and more of a moving palace, a testament to the obscene wealth that flowed through the veins of the Celestial Dragon Empire. The wheels were enchanted with silencing runes and stabilization matrices so potent that the ride felt like floating on a cloud, completely divorced from the rough, dirt roads beneath them. Inside, the air smelled of crushed jasmine, expensive incense, and the heavy, musky scent of arousal.
The interior was a single, massive chamber dominated by a bed wide enough to accommodate a small army, draped in silks the color of blood and gold.
Alaric lay in the center of this nest, his head resting comfortably on a very soft, very specific pillow.
"Is my dear student comfortable?" Professor Lilliana whispered, her voice a husky purr that vibrated against his ear.
Alaric looked up. The view was spectacular.
