It is always night, in this part of the Darkness.
A long grey line cuts through the countryside.
That line is a road.
It’s unlike any road or trail I’ve seen—it’s as straight as a sword and wider than needed for two carriages to pass. In the far distance, mountains protrude on the horizon, and I blink to confirm what I see. “Are theredragonshere in the Darkness?” Something is flying around the mountains.
No,Zogar answers, his voice laced with anger.All of my people helped build the veil. Most of the flying creatures you see there are wyvern. Perhaps a few gryphons—maybe demons.
“Oh!” I’ve seen illustrations of other creatures of Darkness able to fly. “Do gryphons and wyvern take human form, too?”
Wyvern can shift to human form, but they lack magic. Gryphons exist only in one form. To you, they would appear part eagle, part lion. Gryphons have little magic, although they’re very strong and very long lived.
“And demons?”
Some can mimic human shapes.
As I watch the creatures fly, a group of wyverns break away from the others. Are they flying toward us? The creatures look similar to dragons, but more snake-like and far less beautiful. Perhaps I am biased.
Prepare yourself to land,Zogar says.If we fly too close to the city, we’ll draw more unwanted attention. We’ll travel the rest of the way on foot.
Descending, Zogar slowly circles the field, as if he’s giving me more time to study this dark world, and I can’t stop staring at the city in the distance. Many of the structures have what almost look like signs, either atop them or affixed to their sides. But they’re like no signs I’ve seen before. I can’t imagine who painted such large placards. The letters are massive and brightly lit, like they’re made of light.
Taken as a whole, the entire city shines and twinkles with bright colors. I expected the Darkness to be ominous and ugly, but it’s beautiful.
The true ugliness lies deeper.Zogar lands gently, quickly digs in his wing’s claw and releases me from his knot.
Excited, I pull forward off his pommel and dismount, and the moment my feet touch the ground, I bend to touch the grass. There’s nothing unusual about the foliage, and as my eyes grow accustomed to the strange light, the various greens and yellows and browns of the plants no longer seem at all black.
Zogar stalks away from the spot where we landed. Crouching his powerful legs, he folds his wings so that they nearly cover his head, tucking himself into a ball.
I blink and then widen my eyes as his shape transforms before me. As he shrinks, shiny scales become smooth, tanned skin, and powerful muscles change their dimensions and configuration. The entire process takes less than five seconds and carries no sound.
This is the first time Zogar’s let me see him shift forms. I expected to hear bones crunching, perhaps moans of pain.
He straightens, and although I have seen his human form before, I’m again awed, not only by his size but also his astounding male beauty. In the shadows cast by the strange red sky, Zogar’s features seem even more menacing, but also more striking. My husband is the most captivating creature in existence, and as my gaze expands to take in his rod and balls, my mouth turns dry. All the moisture formerly wetting my lips and tongue has shifted to pool between my legs.
“Remove your clothes,” Zogar says.
I suck in a shuddering breath, and my cunny throbs as if his deep voice commanded the pulsing. I press my hand low against my belly. Can he tell I’m aroused? Anticipation builds for what I assume he plans, given he’s asked me to disrobe. Did he use too much of his magic breaking through the shield? Does he need me again so soon?
A big part of me remains angry with him, yet my body is ready to do whatever he wants.
“Do you need me?” My voice is breathy.
Chuckling, Zogar steps forward. He cups my face in one hand, and my husband’s heat and scent fill every sense I’m aware of, perhaps others I’m not. Given everything new I’ve seen of late, I wouldn’t be shocked to discover I possess more than five senses.
“Need you?” His gaze captures mine. “I alwaysdesireyou, my queen, and while I look forward to the next time I’m inside you, at this very moment, no, I do not require your help to replenish my powers.” He smiles. “Assuming that’s what you meant byneed?”
Mouth fully dry now, I nod my answer, hoping the red-tinged light isn’t amplifying the roses I’m certain have bloomed on my cheeks. I regain my senses and then my voice. “Why did you ask me to undress?”
“In the city, your riding uniform will call attention.”
I tip my head to the side. “But you can replace my clothing without me undressing.” Unless magic works differently here in the Darkness?
He takes a step back from me. “Many, perhaps most, inhabitants of the City of Darkness can see through magical illusions.” He frowns. “In the Darkness, illusions are most useful when used on mortals.”
“Am I to enter the citynaked?” I cross my arms over my chest. I have no shame about my body, but walking naked amongst strangers goes against every rule I grew up with. I always wore a shift, even while Nurse bathed me.
