The Gray Tower Trilogy: Books 1-3

by Alesha Escobar

I could feel Christine release her alchemical symbols and hit the Black Wolves with a whirlwind of fire, which broke the magical shields they had erected around themselves. Master Lan raised his hand in a gesture, and three of the Black Wolves shook violently foaming at the mouth. Two of Lan’s wizards came forward and finished them off with swords, and the final Black Wolf flew up into the air through the gaping hole in the roof where Brande had earlier sent up his pillar of fire. Mehara motioned for the wizards to follow her, and they rushed through a nearby exit to go hunt down the Black Wolf before it got anywhere near innocent people in the city. Lan leaned against the wall for support, his body trembling from the amount of strength he had used against the Black Wolves. Christine rushed forward to help support him.

  Sadik, I reached out to him in my mind, take Cliff and go into the main storage room with Master Skye. He’s very weak.

  We can help here! he shot back.

  Just do as I say.

  The boys ran past me and through the entryway that Christine and I had come through.

  I turned my gaze toward Brande, up above in the loft, still battling with Lyov. The Cruenti had made a thrust with his eerie sword, but Brande deflected the blade with one of his daggers and sent the second dagger right in between Lyov’s right shoulder and neck. Lyov dropped to his knees with a grunt of pain and let his sword slip from his grasp.

  Just as Brande was about to make another strike, Nikon Praskovya came out of nowhere, stabbed Brande in the shoulder from behind, and threw him over the loft’s railing. The shock felt like a blow to my stomach, and I shifted my Circadian Circle toward Brande so that his fall slowed to a snail’s pace. I saw Praskovya grab her father’s enchanted sword and, with her face screwed up in rage, she brought it down on Lyov, cleaving his upper torso in half.

  I ran toward Brande and stood just beneath him, ready to help ease him to the ground once he came into reach. Suddenly, my vision distorted, and I felt ill to my stomach. A dark presence behind me made me double over and heave. No...please, not now... I felt Ammon right behind me. He had finally loosened the protective binding I threw onto him, and his fury burned as strongly as the pleasure he took in my abject fear. If I shifted my Circle off Brande and his slow descent in order to turn it against Ammon--I didn’t know if Brande could survive the fall.

  Ammon circled a shade-like arm around my waist and dug his fingers into the soft part of my neck, just beneath my chin. With a triumphant laugh, he flew with me through the large hole in the roof, the same one that the Black Wolf had escaped through. I flailed my arms and screamed, kicking and writhing with all my strength as Ammon flew over the warehouse with me. I had no clue where he wanted to take me, and I didn’t want to find out. I sent forth a burst of Fire from my center, and Ammon screeched and threw me down as if I were a poisonous snake.

  I fell onto a parked car just outside the warehouse gate, rolled to my side, and fell a second time, onto the pavement. My entire body burned with pain, and my heart pounded in my chest as I realized I had lost concentration on my Circle over Brande. I propped myself up and was about to rise to my feet when Ammon flew toward me, knocking me onto my back. He pinned me to the ground. The only thing distinguishing him from the darkness was his flaring red eyes.

  He grasped my head between his hands, his grip squeezing so tightly that I thought he intended to crush my skull. He lowered his head and placed his mouth over mine, and I felt a cool sensation spread down my throat and through my heart, lungs, and stomach. I cried a muffled objection and tried to throw a protective shield up, but my head was on fire with pain and my entire body trembled from fatigue. A voice nearby cried out, and I heard footsteps. Ammon lifted his head and roared like a lion before shrinking back and taking off into the air.

  “Isabella...”

  Tears streamed down my face as I slowly sat up and saw a figure approach. “Wh-what are you doing here?”

  Gregory came into view, holding a crucifix in his hand and scanning the area, as if expecting Ammon to fly at us again. When he was satisfied that the demon had gone, he slipped the crucifix into his pocket and helped me to my feet. “Remember, you asked me to meet you at Mala Kuca tonight, but you weren’t there. Some of the women there told me you were out this way.”

  I wiped the tears from my cheeks. “Thank you, Gregory.”

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “My friends are in the warehouse.” I limped back toward the gateway.

  “I’ll come with you.”

  When we made it back inside, it was eerily quiet. Gregory walked to my right and erected a protective shield around us. We went into the main storage area, where I had left Master Skye and the boys. When I saw that the area was empty, I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach and wondered where they could’ve gone.

  I heard a snarl come from the direction of the left hall, and Gregory eyed me with an anxious expression. We went for the hallway, now dimmed with only a broken light flickering on and off. I had to fight against my own body and force it to walk down the hall--the stench of iron-rich blood was almost too overwhelming. We saw the outline of a man standing against the wall halfway into the hall, and I readied a spell in my mind.

  “Master Lan?” I asked, squinting to confirm. I moved closer.

  “Wait,” Gregory said, gesturing for me to get behind him, while he went ahead and approached the other man. He touched Master Lan’s neck and then turned to face me. “He’s dead.”

  “No...” I drew closer and saw why he was expired in a standing position. Someone had impaled him with a dagger, straight through his chest. My eyes stung with tears, and my limbs felt weak with dread.

  Gregory whispered a prayer and ran his right hand over Lan’s open eyes in order to close them. “He died of poison.”

  “Poison?” I glared at Gregory and wanted to ask whether or not he saw the dagger in Lan’s chest.

  “Look,” he said, pointing to Lan’s parted lips. “Here, in the corner of his mouth. I can smell it on him--it’s caladium extract.”

  “If he was poisoned, then why do this to him?” I placed my hand against Lan’s cheek. The slight warmth that still clung there felt like a torturous taunt. There was nothing I could do to revive him or bring him back.

  “I feel the presence of another Cruenti here--a very strong one. This wizard probably took the caladium himself. Otherwise, he would’ve been drained.”

  I felt a lump in my throat as I remembered how Lan had originally volunteered to turn himself in. I wondered if we had let him come alone, if it was his plan all along to take the caladium and rob Lyov of the chance to drink his blood and steal his powers. With reluctance, I pulled away with blurry eyes and an aching chest. I moved forward.

  When I saw another body at the very end, where the hallway ended and opened up into the next storage area, I gasped and stumbled forward. “Christine,” I said, approaching and kneeling over her. I pushed her brown hair back from her face with a trembling hand. Her blank eyes stared into nothingness, and her skin was cold and pale. I let out a sob as I noticed the puncture wounds on her neck. With revulsion tugging at my insides, I rearranged her torn clothing, covering the immodest state she was left in.

  Gregory pulled me to my feet, gripping my arm to steady my trembling, and urging me forward. When we entered the next storage area, we saw Skye, still in the form of a dragon, perched in the second-story loft with Cliff and Sadik standing next to him. Brande and Nikon Praskovya were nowhere to be seen, and my heart fell in my chest. Lyov stood on the floor beneath the loft with his reclaimed sword in his hand, wearing a smirk on his face. I couldn’t believe he was standing there like that, after nearly being cut in half. I had seen Cruenti regenerate from many things, but I had never seen one regenerate that well from such a blow.

  The Black Dragon eyed Lyov and shifted forward, extending his neck and attempting to seize the Cruenti between his teeth. Lyov spun out of the dragon’s reach, then stepped forward. He opened his mouth to catch drops of the drag
on’s blood that fell from the loft. Lyov let them splatter onto his mouth and chin, and the dragon snarled in response.

  “The Black Dragon won’t be able to protect you boys much longer,” Lyov said in his Russian accent. His skin grew brighter and he seemed to stand taller, stronger. “Take down your shield, boy,” he said, gesturing to Sadik. “Why stay here and die with them?”

  Sadik quivered, but kept feeding his energy into a psychic shield that kept Lyov from getting into the loft with them. Cliff drew a pistol and aimed it in Lyov’s direction.

  Lyov snorted. “Save your last bullet for yourself. It’ll do you much better than aiming at me.”

  Cliff muttered something and then raised his aim a hairsbreadth. He pulled the trigger and the bullet flew over Lyov, ricocheted, and smashed into the back of the Cruenti’s skull. Lyov staggered as blood flew from his mouth, and he quickly counteracted the injury to his head.

  Gregory and I moved forward, but before we could launch an attack, the dragon flew from his perch in the loft and landed in front of Lyov, knocking the sword out of the Cruenti’s grasp and slamming him onto the ground. His black talons dug into Lyov’s chest, pinning him to the floor. Just when the dragon extended his neck and bared his teeth right in Lyov’s face, he suddenly paused. The dragon pressed his nose into Lyov’s face, then lifted his head, seemingly confused.

  Lyov coughed up blood in a chuckle. “You can’t do it, can you?” He ignored the dragon’s indignant snarl. “You’re not going to kill me because you sense the same thing I do--we have the same sire. You’re tainted with Lord Octavian’s blood.”

  The dragon let out a piercing shriek and released Lyov, making bizarre movements with his head and limbs. The dragon staggered sideways, as if a blast of wind had hit him, and I couldn’t help but feel that Master Skye was slipping away with each second. I motioned for Gregory to help Cliff and Sadik, while I slinked forward and snatched the Cruenti’s sword. Lyov rolled out of the way of the Black Dragon, who foamed at the mouth, still fighting against an invisible enemy.

  I raised my arms and began casting a Circadian Circle. Through pure desperation, I fought through the physical, mental, and magical fatigue weighing me down. Before I could steady it and lay hold of Lyov, the Black Dragon suddenly launched himself into the air and crashed into the loft, where Gregory had just reached Cliff and Sadik. With a screech, the dragon began snapping at the three, baring his teeth and extending his tongue.

  “Master Skye, stop!” I shouted. What was he doing? He should’ve been attacking Lyov, not Gregory and the boys.

  “He is lost to you,” Lyov said, standing across from me and slowly closing the gap. “He no longer recognizes you as friends. Now he will seek to devour any Tower Slave he can lay hold of.”

  I immediately used Zaman’s Fire to enclose myself in a protective shield. I turned my gaze back toward the dragon. “Master Skye! Change back!”

  Gregory and the boys scrambled down the steps, on the right side of the loft, and made it to the ground floor. The dragon moved so quickly that the three didn’t even have time to make it over to me--they were forced to run through the exit and into the hallway I had just come down. The dragon followed on their heels, screeching and snapping, bent on devouring them.

  “Octavian is looking for you,” Lyov said, extending his hand. “Perhaps...if you agree to come with me, I can manage to steer the Black Dragon away from your friends.”

  I sneered. “I don’t think so.”

  Suddenly, a gunshot rang out, quickly followed by two more. Lyov jolted with each shot and groaned when he saw his wounds corrode and drip with blackened blood. He tilted his chin upward and flew straight through the roof.

  “Isabella, are you all right?” Mehara approached from the opposite side, where the east exit was. She held her shimmering pistol ready.

  I extinguished the shield of fire surrounding me. “Yes, have you seen Brande?”

  She shook her head. “Where are the others?”

  The back of my mouth ached, and I felt ill again. “Master Lan and Christine are dead. And Master Skye...that taint you told me about, it’s gotten worse. We have to find him before he does something he’ll regret.”

  “Wait.” Her breathing paused. “I think I hear him.”

  We both turned to face the west exit, which led over to the main storage area. The Black Dragon emerged from the hallway, with a slow beleaguered gait. He moaned in pain.

  “Master Skye,” I said in a clear voice. “You need to change back into a man. We can’t help you when you’re like this.”

  He held my gaze and dropped to the floor, moaning again. Mehara aimed her gun at him. “Stay clear, in case I need to shoot.”

  I took a step forward, but still gave Mehara the line of sight she needed. I hoped she wouldn’t have to pull the trigger. “Master Skye, please...let us help you. We were going to find a cure, remember?”

  A howl escaped his mouth, and I realized that he must’ve passed and recognized Master Lan’s corpse. He gazed at me in a silent question, asking me if he could ever be cured when his friend was now dead.

  Mehara let out a frustrated sigh. “He’s shutting out my mental communication and won’t listen. He must change back--it’s too dangerous for him to be like this.”

  The dragon bared his teeth and sent a roar mixed with a powerful blast of wind that hit Mehara and threw her backward against the opposite wall. She fell to the floor in a stunned daze. The dragon whipped his head around toward me and sneered.

  “Do you recognize me? Do you know who I am?” I held my hands up to show that I had no swords or guns, however, I was ready to bring forth my Fire and shield myself--or blast him, if needed.

  His breathing calmed and he lowered his head. He sniffed in my direction and observed me with his tortured eyes. With a quivering hand, I slowly reached out to him, hoping that my touch could help anchor him. He sniffed again, looking as if he recognized me, and, just when I took another step toward him, he lunged at me. I was knocked down, but not onto my back--a second force had hit me from the side and knocked me out of the dragon’s reach.

  I quickly got back onto my feet and saw Brande come in from the right side. The dragon snarled and opened his mouth, trying to take a bite out of Brande. His muscles strained as he deflected the dragon’s head and pivoted, hitting it with a blaze of fire. The dragon shrieked and backed away. He tried to seize Brande again, but he threw himself into a roll and hit the dragon with a whirlwind of fire. This time, the dragon couldn’t take it, and it reminded me of Skye’s story of being injured by Master Ovidio, who was an elemental like Brande. The dragon gave a frustrated wail before retreating and flying through the hole in the roof.

  I ran over to him and threw my arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace. “Thank goodness, you’re alive.” He hissed in pain, and I remembered his injured shoulder, no thanks to Nikon Praskovya.

  “We need to leave the warehouse.” His deep voice was laced with grief.

  We helped Mehara to her feet and she walked with us down the hallway. I forced myself not to look at either Christine or Master Lan, promising them that I’d find Lyov and destroy him for what he had done. With a heavy heart, I rushed toward Cliff and Sadik. They stood near the front entrance with Gregory. I embraced both of them, and I knew they felt the same pain and sorrow at losing more wizards. Again.

  We stepped over the threshold and into the cool night air. I didn’t even notice Nikon Praskovya, at first, sitting at the foot of the steps, bloodied with her hands bound. Her blonde hair was matted with dirt and blood, and she wore a most dissatisfied look on her face.

  Brande nodded in her direction. “When Lyov regenerated from her strike, she jumped the railing. I’ll give her credit for helping me land safely.”

  I narrowed my eyes. Credit or not, she was really starting to piss me off. When she saw my expression, she responded with a defiant look in her eye. “I know you’ve been waiting to do it anyway. Enact the heart-bind.” />
  I paused for a moment, balled my fists, walked over to her--and punched her square in the face, knocking her unconscious.

  57

  Trent, Italy

  Six hours.

  For six agonizing hours, we drove through the midnight roads of Croatia until we crossed the border into Italy. We stuck with Dani’s map and instructions, taking only the routes and checkpoints he had designated. Brande drove while I sat in the passenger seat, nodding at him with a blank stare whenever he asked me if I was okay. Izsak, Cliff, and Sadik sat in the backseat. Mehara had taken a second car with Gregory and Praskovya.

  No one said anything during the last hour of the car ride, and the silence felt like a deep pressure on my chest that I couldn’t shake off. I looked out the window, to my right, and saw the tall shadowed trees lining the road. They took on jagged shapes that reminded me of gnarled limbs or menacing shadow figures. Whenever I saw a dark cluster of trees revealing patches of sky, I imagined mocking eyes and gaping mouths frozen in laughter at me--at my failure. I was supposed to lead everyone, and now there was almost no one left.

  I couldn’t help but think of Christine and Master Lan. I thought of all the others who had decided to take a chance and trust me. Of the entire group from Lan’s side, only four had survived--and after what had happened at the warehouse, they chose to head out on their own. Whether or not they would meet us in Switzerland was yet to be seen. While we had managed to wipe out Lyov’s soldiers and warlocks, I didn’t feel victorious. Lyov had escaped, and Master Skye was probably still flying around as the Black Dragon. Could he have returned to his human form yet? Was he mourning Master Lan? Or, what if he had followed Lyov, drawn by the scent of his blood, and was finally pushed over the edge? I thought I saw something move amongst the shadowy trees and felt a slight tremor of magic. It went away, and then I felt nothing.

  We finally pulled up to a large estate near the Adige River. With aching limbs and pained faces, we knocked on the door, asking for Signor Alighieri. The housekeeper ushered us in, asking us why we had come so early in the morning. It was 6 a.m., and the sun was just beginning to rise. Luckily, the Signor was already up with coffee and newspaper in hand, sitting in his dining room. His impeccable white smile contrasted with his sparse white hair and wrinkled eyes.