The reading lessons started with The Knight's Conquest, the first book in the series that Bo was already three books deep in. The cover, faded and torn, depicted a man in vaguely medieval clothing, his massively muscular chest bared and shining, and his armor only starting on the lower half of his body. A woman, just barely swathed in what looked like a sheet, seemed to be propelled by some inevitable and irresistible force toward him. They were locked in a passionate embrace, tilted over the armrest of a velvet throne in front of a fantasy castle. The cover, though accurately depicting the many scenes spent kissing and pining, failed to convey the intriguing plot of intrigue and murder that Sir Sterling battled in order to avenge his falsely imprisoned brother.
But, still, there was an awful lot of kissing in the book.
Bo found it particularly hilarious that the bloodthirsty alien that kept her captive would be learning to read from a book about a knight and his lady love making out on every surface in the castle. She nearly crackled with spiteful glee as she slammed down the flimsy volume in front of the Beast. He looked at it warily, noting the scrolling font on the front cover and the heavy use of reds and pinks.
"What is that?" he asked, his nose crinkling.
"It's the beginning of your lessons," she said, flopping down on the seat to his side and flicking open the cover to the title page. "Okay, we're going to start out with the first sentence," she said, pointing to the text that described Sir Sterling embracing the "supple" milk maid. Of course, at this point he didn't know Lady Wastrel, so Bo could find it in herself to forgive him. Though she still hated seeing him acting so gross in the first few chapters.
The Beast stared at the English words, his arms crossed over his chest. "Remind me why I'm learning to read your choppy language again?"
"Because it's ridiculous that you've been surrounded by all these words for years and you've never been able to read them," Bo said. "And it's not choppy, thanks."
The Beast sighed.
"All right," Bo said, tapping the first word. "I'm going to tell you what each letter is, and you're going to trace it with your finger. Then I'll tell you what those letters make."
She proceeded to do as she'd said, and the Beast reluctantly traced the letters on the page. He frowned the whole time, shifting in his chair. His fingers looked massive against the page, and Bo noticed just how tiny her own hand looked next to his.
"This is ridiculous," he finally said, frowning at the scribbles on the paper before him. His letters were shaking and crooked, taking on more of the shape of the alien alphabet than anything Bo could recognize. She stood up, coming to his side and leaning forward.
"Look, it has to be more angular," she said, grabbing his hand and placing the pencil back in it. She wrapped her own hand around his, guiding his fingers into a proper grip on the base of the pencil. With his hand still in hers, she traced the letters a few times. "See? Isn't that easier?"
She glanced down to where his face was just a few inches from hers. Suddenly she became aware of the warmth of his hand in hers, and the way his breath stirred on her arm and through the tendrils of hair around her temple. Blinking rapidly, she released his hand and took a step back.
The Beast, seemingly not as bothered as she was, just grimaced at the pencil. "Can't we learn some other way?"
Bo cleared her throat and shook her head. It had been nothing, she told herself.
"Look, if I have you memorize the alphabet you'll be bored within a few seconds. This way you can at least keep some of your sanity," she said.
The Beast frowned, but eventually began to trace the letters again, haltingly repeating after her the words as he traced them out.
About an hour later and they both were worn out after finishing the scene where Sir Sterling attempted to daringly catch the Count Bane, who just so happened to be both the reason his brother was falsely imprisoned as well as Lady Wastrel's beloved uncle.
Bo leaned back and stretched her back while the Beast stretched his fingers.
"I didn't realize books could have such stories inside them," he said.
Bo grinned. "That's why I like them. You get to see worlds you can't even dream of out there in the dust fields. It's as if the war never even happened when you're reading about these characters' lives."
"I did not know so much about your human history," the Beast said. "It was interesting to learn that at one time you did not have the technology we've had back on the home planet for centuries."
"Yeah, but we're fast learners," Bo said. "We got up to speed pretty fast."
The Beast gave her look. "I wouldn't quite say that."
"Hey, but we still stood our own and beat your sorry butts."
The Beast didn't answer and Bo smirked and stuck out her tongue at him.
Ignoring her, he flipped to one of the illustrations that book had sprinkled throughout. This one was of Sir Sterling wooing a bar wench right before he met Lady Wastrel. They were kissing passionately while she poured him a beer.
"Was this common back then? All the... affection?"
Bo snorted. "I have no idea, but I doubt it. I think the hygiene levels alone probably kept most people at a reasonable distance from each other."
"Then why is this book filled with so much touching?"
"It's a romance series. It's meant to get your heart fluttering from the passion."
The Beast raised an eyebrow. "Seems a strange purpose for a book."
"It's just fun. Once Sir Sterling and Lady Wastrel realize they love each other, you won't be able to put the book down. It's so good. They're the ultimate doomed couple."
"Why would you want to read something where the lovers are doomed?" the Beast asked.
Bo shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's just thrilling that it's hard for them to be together. It's fun to try and figure out how they can possibly stay with each other when everything is lined up against them."
The Beast's lips pressed thin and he looked sharply away. "That's enough for today," he said.
Bo was too wrapped up in the excitement of reliving the first book again to care much about the Beast's always changing mood. "All right. Good work," she said. "Tomorrow we'll go again." She pushed away from the table and strode toward the door. As she pulled it open, she glanced behind her to see the Beast flipping through the book again, his fingers tracing the words as his eyebrows drew together over the puzzle of the English alphabet.
Bo smiled before she realized it, and then stepped out of the room before the Beast could see it.