That made Essery smile way too brightly, obviously pleased and not at all shy about showing that. That he'd take the time to even think about reading her books was... well, ridiculous, really, because it wasn't like her books were academic in any sense of the word. But it also made her feel... special, somehow, and she hadn't been prepared for that.
"I'll see what I can do," she said, looking away from him to the board just to have something else to focus on. It took her a few moments to have enough presence of mind to make a move.