I thumbed through the risqué novel with burning cheeks, glancing over my shoulder to ensure no one noticed what I was reading. The book, "Pleasure and Seduction," contained illustrations that made my heart race. One image showed a woman on her knees before a man, doing things I'd only recently learned about with Alaric.
The bookshop was quiet except for Clara's footsteps as she browsed shelves looking for Alistair's gift. I quickly closed the book and slid it back onto the shelf before anyone could see.
"Find anything interesting, Your Grace?" Cassian asked with a knowing smirk that told me he'd caught a glimpse of what I was reading.
I straightened my posture. "Just browsing, Cassian."
Reed, standing by the door, maintained a more professional demeanor, but I caught the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. These men had been with Alaric for years and had adapted to his direct manner. While they maintained proper respect, they were far less formal than most servants.
