“Will you refrain from punishing Father Ivan?” Liliette asked.
Vlad’s broad back flinched as if she had caught him entertaining the very idea. The twitching of the giant wings folded against his back had given him away. Sitting beside her, he extended his right wing wide, shielding her from the harsh sunlight.
They were perched on a towering rock that jutted out like a cliff. From this high vantage point, they could see the encampment and the spiral mines below in a single sweeping glance.
The knights and soldiers working around the mine occasionally glanced up at them. Unlike the common folk, they were accustomed to their lord’s true form—one that was neither human nor monster. And everyone knew how much he despised that form. They had never imagined a day would come when he would reveal those black wings to his beloved wife.
