"I was just touring the castle," she said lightly. "This place is very huge. I must have walked farther than I intended."
Azmed's concern eased. He smiled in return and the familiar warmth returned to his eyes.
"It is an impressive estate," he agreed. "I still get turned around in some of the older wings myself. The Duke has expanded it more times than I can count over the years."
He accepted her explanation without further question. Clara felt a small, sharp twist in her chest at how easily he believed her. For a brief moment the truth rose toward her tongue. She almost told him everything: the private meeting, the demonstration, the offer, the dangerous thoughts that had followed.
panggg panggg
Then her core throbbed.
