She put her hand in his and stood—just as a threatening click sounded from behind them.
“What are you doing on my land?”
~ ~ ~
Davien turned to face the intruder, to find a man pointing a musket at them, while the lad from earlier stood beside him. As Davien feared, he’d run off to alert his uncle of the lady in his abandoned hunting cabin. It was obvious by his wide eyes that he hadn’t counted on her having a companion.
“He wasn’t here before,” the boy whispered, although the words carried with ominous intent.
Davien held up a hand, his other still holding onto Cosette. “My wife and I were just passing through,” he said in perfect French.
The uncle didn’t lower his weapon. “Intruders aren’t welcome here. They’re usually bad news.”
“S’il vous plait.” Cosette held up her hands, and continued in French, “We don’t mean any harm.”
The man didn’t appear to be impressed by her plea. Instead, his eyes narrowed. “There are some people looking for a couple that fit your description.” He spat at the ground. “I may have to escort you into the village.”
Davien sighed. He’d hoped this confrontation wouldn’t have to get nasty. “I’m afraid that’s impossible.”
His opponent grinned widely. “Is that so?”
“Indeed,” Davien said smoothly.
“In that case.” The man kept his gaze fixated on Davien, but he spoke to the lad. “Go fetch the magistrate.”
As the boy nodded and ran off, Davien decided it was time to act. The man only had one shot, so all he needed to do was protect Cosette from the line of fire. He summoned his wings and spread them out behind him. The man’s eyes instantly widened, the temporary distraction causing his weapon to waver. But it was enough.
Davien pulled Cosette into the circle of his arms and shot into the sky.
~ ~ ~
Cosette held her breath as they flew high into the cover of the clouds. She clung to Blackburn as he soared overhead, catching only glimpses of the earth below them. Mile after mile slowly receded into the distance with each mighty flap of those large wings. She knew that he had to be growing tired, but he didn’t stop. Even when she saw the sparkling water of the sea that separated France and England, he continued on.
It wasn’t until she spied the white cliffs around Dover did Davien finally land. His wings vanished, as he collapsed against the stone wall surrounding them.
Cosette slowly wandered to the edge of the battlement and looked out across the section of land that had been called ‘the key to England,’ and the largest medieval castle to ever be built on English soil. She never thought she would ever see Dover Castle, let alone stand on top of the Great Tower.
The sky was free of clouds here, and as she looked out across the sea, she thought she could, indeed, catch a glimpse of the country they had just fled. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. “It’s as if you can touch the heavens, just by standing here.”
Davien came to stand beside her, having fully recovered. “It is rather remarkable.”
She turned to him. “So are you.”
He lifted a lazy brow. “Why, dear Cosette, you wouldn’t be flirting with me, would you?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “You’ll have to figure it out.”
His dark eyes were dancing with merriment, the beast inside content. “Shall we explore the rest?” He didn’t wait for her to agree, just took her hand.
One minute, they were standing on the top of the battlement and the next they were inside the Great Tower.
“Should we be in here?” she asked, taking in the stone walls and arched hallways.
“Why not? No one has lived here since the time of Henry II. It’s used primarily as a fortress now.”
Excitement began to course through Cosette’s veins. “Lead the way, Your Grace.”
A slight rumble grew from his chest. “You’ll regret that later, my dear, Cosette.”
