A Liturgy of Stone

To the Council, he was a protector. To the captives, he was a jailer. To the dragon, he is an instrument.

Laurent is a vassal. His apprenticeship in the Council requires him to guard the statues in the catacombs of Saint-Moren to prevent the escape of the demons trapped within the stonc. Serving with devotion, he is convinced that his watchful eye is all that stands between his world and ruin.

Laurent is a dupe. When one of the creatures is freed, he finds himself face-to-face with a woman--not one of the dragon's minions, but a frightened fugitive who proclaims her innocence and demands justice for her centuries of enslavement.

Laurent is a monster. To find the truth, he must forsake the Council he once served--but the cost of rebellion is an inextricable link to the dragon. Infected by forbidden ash, he must fight not only his fellow men but also the dark hunger growing within him.

Caught between ancient hatreds, Laurent must find a way to save the gargoyles from annihilation, shield the very men who betrayed him, and destroy the rising power of the dragon. But can the vassal, the dupe, and the monster become a savior?