The Gray Tower Trilogy: Books 1-3

by Alesha Escobar

  “Ready?” My father raised his hand, and the lights flared up.

  My chest tightened. “We’re ready.”

  Geez, was Moreau going to cling to me like a needy child? I tried slipping my hand from his grasp, but he held on even tighter. Just when my father triggered the teleportation, there was a rumble and an odd whoosh of magic. Moreau suddenly jerked me backward with an amount of physical strength that I didn’t think possible from him, and I saw Gregory running toward me, shouting a warning.

  There was a bright flash. Someone knocked into me, and I fell to the floor, face down. I heard a blood-chilling scream, and I nearly went numb when something wet sprayed and hit me. The scent of iron-rich blood wafted toward me. I let out a cry when I felt a searing pain spread from my back and down my legs, causing my body to shake uncontrollably. Though it hurt like hell, I raised my head and looked over to see who screamed, to see where the blood came from.

  The first thing I noticed was that my team had teleported without me--Father Gabriel, Mehara, Neal, Ekwueme, and Praskovya were gone. My heart froze in my chest when I saw Cliff and Sadik across from me, kneeling next to my father. He was on the ground with blood seeping from a wound in his torso. I nearly wept when I saw Izsak’s lifeless body crumpled at the table in the corner, and I couldn’t even tell if Joshua Morton was lying on the floor unconscious or dead.

  I glanced over to where I last saw Gregory and Moreau. I shrieked. “No...no!”

  Moreau raised his blood-drenched dagger to his lips, signaling for me to be quiet. He held Gregory by the crown of his hair, exposing the slit across his throat that opened further and poured blood.

  “Moreau!” I screamed.

  Moreau let Gregory’s body slump to the floor. He gazed into my eyes, and he smiled.

  70

  My head throbbed, and my ears rang. My gaze was glued to his bloodied hands and shirt. With a serene expression, he dropped his dagger and approached me. I wondered if I could hit him with a spell before he enacted the heart-bind, and I reached for my power, fighting through the pain in my limbs. Suddenly, Moreau did the last thing I expected--he knelt in front of me and began reaching out with his senses, probing me for serious injuries.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked.

  My throat constricted. “Why did you do this?”

  He framed my face with his hands, and my stomach churned at the sensation of his slick red hands. “Don’t you understand, Isabella? I couldn’t let one of the others place a heart-bind on you.” He began unbuttoning his shirt.

  I shook my head. “No...I don’t believe it.”

  He pulled his shirt open just enough to expose his chest--a black infinity symbol had been etched right over his heart. It was the same one I had seen on the warlock at Nuremberg and again on Praskovya. My limbs felt like they were on fire, but I pushed him away from me with a feral scream. I heard Cliff and Sadik charge Moreau from behind. He spun around, and a bright light emanated from his hand. The light formed into sharp jags and hit the boys, making them scream out in pain. An invisible force slammed the boys against the opposite wall--Sadik was stunned, but Cliff was knocked unconscious. I jumped to my feet and launched a Circadian Circle against Moreau just as he turned to face me. I quickly layered two at a time like I had done earlier. I sent tendrils of energy straight toward his chest, and I felt the burst of energy when I made the connection.

  Moreau attempted to erect a protective shield to push off my tendrils, but they crashed through his defenses and nailed him. He roared and fell back, lips quivering and eyes widened. I willed the tendrils to drain him, to disrupt his body’s natural circadian rhythm. A croak escaped Moreau’s throat as his face turned dark and leathery. Before my eyes, his skin shriveled until he looked like a dehydrated corpse.

  He let out a wail, and I pulled back the tendrils. I watched him collapse and hit the floor face first. I brought forth Zaman’s Fire in a subtle glow around my fingers, ready to unleash its deadly flames against him. I paused when I didn’t see him move or hear him scream. I approached and kicked him, and he jolted, raising himself on his hands and knees and turning his shriveled face toward me.

  I gazed down at him and fought the urge to just blast him away with my Fire. “Why did you do this to us?”

  I shuddered when he gave me that same cryptic smile. “I did it for you...and Octavian. This is your destiny.”

  I kicked his leathery hand away from me when he tried to reach for my foot. “And this whole time...have you been working for him?”

  He slowly nodded and let out a hacking cough. “The more...the more I studied about the Drifter, I began to believe what Octavian does about you...I refused to condemn you as the Tower had. Isn’t that what you want?”

  I shook my head in denial. I wanted people to believe in me, but not like this. I looked over to my right, at Gregory’s body and then at Izsak’s. I clenched my fists, and sparks began forming and crackling in mid-air. Just when I was about to direct the flames toward Moreau, I felt the moment his heart failed him. He let out a painful gasp before resting his head on the floor.

  My father called out to me. “Isabella...quickly.”

  I ran over and knelt next to him. He sat upright, but the way he doubled over told me that he had not completely healed himself with body magic. Cliff awoke, wincing and holding his hand to his head, while Sadik helped Joshua Morton to his feet.

  “Are you hurt badly?” I asked them.

  “What the hell was that?” Joshua grimaced, gazing at Moreau’s body.

  “I knew there was something weird about that guy.” Cliff winced again.

  I reached for my dad and felt his wound. The bleeding had stopped, but he looked to still be in pain. “Joshua, I’m going to need you to go upstairs and call the mansion down the street. It’s owned by one of the Order’s members. His name is Victor. He can help.” I gave him the telephone number and he repeated it, committing it to memory.

  “All right, then.” Joshua turned and left. I almost wanted to call him back when I saw a slight limp in his step.

  “Dad, you need to finish healing yourself. You’re still hurt.”

  He shook his head and shuddered. “Moreau nearly neutralized the teleportation spell with his attack. I managed to save just enough energy to hold on to the last of it. You can still slip through, Isabella. I can wait for help to arrive.”

  I felt the silky tendrils of energy spinning from my father’s center and clutching like a desperate hand around the faintly glowing talisman. “Dad...”

  “Everything we’ve worked toward will be lost if you don’t go now. It’s time to stop worrying about me. I love you.”

  I wrapped my arms around him and felt the energy of the talisman humming. “I love you too.”

  I accepted a silver alchemical knife he presented to me, and I rose to my feet. My legs shook and my heart was twisted in pain, but I stepped toward the light emanating from the talisman on the floor. I felt my chest clench again when I turned one last time to look at Izsak and Gregory. They were gone. Both Cliff and Sadik wore pained looks, but they gave me encouraging nods. I took a deep breath, stepped into the light, and felt a tug in my middle that told me I was being taken away to another place.

  71

  Everything was so bright that I was nearly blinded. Then, I was flying through darkness. My feet crashed against soggy earth, so that I stumbled and fell to my knees. The teleportation disoriented me, and it was hard for my eyes to adjust at first, but the mineral-rich taste and the smell of algae alerted me to the fact that I had landed near a riverbank.

  I gazed at the dotted lights from the town, nestled just a few miles ahead. I tilted my head toward the sky, observing the stars. I had no clue what country I was in, but if there was a river town nearby, then that meant there were ferries and fishermen. Once I found someone to talk to, I’d be able to figure out my location.

  Isabella, it’s Sadik.

  Is everything okay? How’s my father? I waited a few seconds
for his reply.

  The wizard from the mansion down the street just arrived. His name is Victor, and he brought his sister, a nature wizard. Her name’s Victoria. They’re twins--

  I grunted. You’re doing that thing again where you’re feeding me unwanted tidbits. How are my dad and the others?

  Oh. They’re okay. Your dad is reconstructing the spell so that you’ll be able to teleport back over. Victor’s helping too.

  Can you...take care of Gregory and Izsak? I think Chief Valentin can help with that.

  There was a pause. We will.

  My eyes moistened with tears, and I quickly wiped them away. I spotted a wharf a mile up. Lights shone from a few small boats in the water. The ferryboat at the wharf caught my eye, and I decided to try it first. Thank you, Sadik.

  What do you want us to do about Moreau?

  Burn him. Throw him to the dogs. I don’t give a damn.

  Okay...good luck, Isabella.

  I felt my face screw up in pain. I kept wishing I had saved Gregory and Izsak. And Moreau...that bastard. This whole time he had been smiling in my face, all the while serving some twisted version of what he thought I should be. He had said there were warlocks in Switzerland--what if, years ago, he had come across one who wore the infinity symbol? He probably thought he was studying those old books as an intellectual, or out of curiosity or excitement, but instead, they seduced him. The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how he was able to communicate with Octavian. It sounded like he had talked with the Cruenti Master.

  “Damn it!” I slipped on a patch of slimy mud and fell right onto my rear. I got up and silently cursed the nearby river with its gurgling rush of water. I moved forward, glancing around every few seconds and wondering how far my army had gotten. Were they in the town just ahead? Had they found the Den already? I hoped they didn’t think I had deceived or abandoned them.

  I made it to the edge of the wharf and paused. A dim light glowing from a window in the captain’s deck indicated that he stayed on board. The deck had a smoke stack, pilothouse, and four large ventilation funnels. I waited until the tide brought the ferryboat closer before jumping on board. I went up to the captain’s deck and knocked on the door, holding a spell ready in my mind.

  I had to knock a few more times before a man with a bushy beard and a bottle of liquor in his hand finally decided to answer. His mouth looked fixed to curse and complain--and he did so, in Romanian.

  Sadik! I’m right by the Danube River, in Romania. I waited a few seconds for his reply. The captain had finally finished cursing.

  I just told Cliff. He said that it would be killer diller if the Den were in Transylvania.

  I’m not in Transylvania. The Den should be nearby...

  Your father said that if you’re at the riverbank, you should probably take a boat downstream.

  What should I look for? I signaled for the captain to remain silent when he opened his mouth to speak again. He looked at me as if I were insane. Good, perhaps I could use that.

  Your father asked if there are mountains nearby.

  Yes, there are. The stars peeked out and revealed the impressive mounds of earth and rock rising high.

  Carson said the nearest place of interest would be the Iron Gates.

  That’s it! Thanks, Sadik.

  You’re welcome.

  I thought of the Colorado River running through the Grand Canyon in the U.S. The gorge known as the Iron Gates would be similar to that. From my spy missions in Europe, I had learned that the enemy would build entire secret facilities in caves beneath borders, so why not in the foothills or cliffs of a mountain? Also, being near a river had the advantage of easy transport of people and goods, and the terrain would conceal such a lair well.

  The captain stared at me and spoke. “Listen...I only have fifty lei on me. You can use the money for whatever you want.”

  “I don’t want to haunt you.” My Romanian wasn’t so good. “I...don’t want your money.”

  His eyes widened, and he spoke slowly. It was the same tone you’d use when trying to talk someone out of jumping off a ledge. “Are you in some kind of trouble, young lady? Do you need police?”

  I shook my head, trying to remember the word for boat. “I want to go down the river.” I made a waving movement with my hand, imitating the flow of the river.

  He nodded. “You got money?” He rubbed his fingers on one hand to indicate cash.

  My expression fell. I had no money, and no commodities. I let out a sigh. “This can’t be happening,” I said in English.

  “You speak English?” His eyebrows shot up. His accent was heavy, but I understood every word.

  I eyed him in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me you spoke English?”

  He shrugged. “You didn’t ask. You just started speaking to me in terrible Romanian.”

  “I’m looking for my friends. Have you seen a large group of people come this way?”

  He shook his head. “You’re the only person I’ve seen tonight. You just woke me up.”

  “I’m sorry, I don’t have any money, but I really need to get down the river to the Iron Gates.”

  His jaw tightened. “And why would you need to go around there this late at night?”

  “Please, I need to find my friends.”

  He stared at me for a good long minute. “You’re a wizard, aren’t you?”

  I nodded, and gave him one of my old codenames from my spying days. “My name is Emelie.”

  He grunted. “I don’t know why you want to go to the Iron Gates--and I don’t want to know. Just to warn you, dark creatures stir at night in those parts.”

  A tentative smile played around my lips. “Thank you. Thank you, sir.”

  He shook his head in a manner that told me I could keep my thanks. “Come on, then. I’ll take you over by the Iron Gates.”

  I stood in silence next to the captain as he steered the ferry. A strong breeze hit us, and I pulled his jacket around me. He peered at me from the corner of his eye and smirked. “Not used to being on boats?”

  He looked comfortable in his short-sleeved shirt and dark pants. He wore black suspenders and heavy boots. I crinkled my nose at the smell of must and liquor hanging around him.

  “I don’t usually travel like this.” I gazed down the river, waiting for the Iron Gates to come into view.

  “I can see that. You said you were looking for friends?”

  I turned and faced him. “Why did you decide to help me?”

  “Why, you ask?”

  “Why help me? I don’t have money.”

  He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small photograph. It was a picture of a young woman with dark hair and eyes. The shape of her face, her brows, and smile, all made her look similar to me.

  He gave a half-smile. “My daughter. She left to be a Practitioner at the Gray Tower last month. I’m sure she’ll contact me soon.”

  My heart fell in my chest. It reminded me of how many people were still suffering. People like Signor Alighieri and the ferry captain still clung to hope, waiting for their loved ones to come home or at least let them know they were alive. The painful image of dead bodies littering the Tower’s grounds flashed through my mind, and I felt the weight of their deaths on my shoulders. “She’s a very pretty girl. What’s your name, captain?” I handed him the photo.

  “I’m Serghei. My daughter’s name is Relia.” He quieted for a few moments before speaking again. “If your friends were going to the Iron Gates, then they would’ve gone over land. There’s a large forest at the top there, but most of the townsfolk from below know not to go there. It’s cursed.”

  “Would my friends have taken another boat?”

  “If they were a large group, as you said, then my ferry would be the only boat big enough to carry them all. They did not come my way.” He pointed toward a towel sitting nearby.

  “Did you need this?” I grabbed it and offered it to him.

  “It’s for you. You’ve got blood o
n your face.”

  My cheeks grew warm. I followed his instructions and found a water canteen. I saturated the towel and began wiping my face. “Thank you, Serghei.”

  The gushing water of the river splashed and swayed. Just ahead, I spotted the tall cliffs of the Iron Gates. I urged Serghei to turn off his navigation lights and the engine. When we drifted close enough to the wall, I went over to the starboard side. “This is as far as you take me. It looks like from here, I go up.”

  He looked worried. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded and gave him a peck on the cheek. His bushy beard tickled my chin. “I hope Relia returns soon. Goodbye, Serghei.”

  “Be safe.”

  I pulled out my silver knife and hissed as I etched a symbol into my right hand--a small triangle with a horizontal line going through the top: Air.

  A red triangle welled up on my hand, and I coaxed the raw energy from my blood, fusing it with the alchemical spell. I could’ve carved the Air symbol into an object, but the potency I needed in order to make it to the brink of the cliff required an extremely powerful wind--and I needed to be in absolute control of it.

  I drew in a long breath and activated the Air symbol. A howling gust of wind swept me off my feet and pushed me through the air. I flew parallel to the face of the cliff, shooting upward in a smooth motion. I mentally guided the wind, using it to send me up toward the brink. When the top finally came into view, I reached up with my hand to catch the edge and pull myself over--and I slipped. I let out a cry of shock as my fingers grabbed onto a stub of rock jutting out, and my body hugged the cliff’s face.

  My heart beat frantically in my chest as I looked down at the flowing river below. It was intimidating, looking at it from several hundred feet above while hanging off a ledge. The black waves below crashed against the cliffs, and, a few miles off, I saw the navigation lights of Serghei’s boat. He was headed back to the wharf.

  Just as I was about to cast another spell that would take me over the brink and onto the surface, the night air whipped up around me in an unnatural manner. When the wind carried ear-piercing shrieks through the gorge, I quickly realized what was coming my way. A throng of Black Wolves came swooping in from three different directions, draped in their black garb and silver hoods. Two of the Wolves, coming from below, crashed into me, taking me with them, straight into the air and above my target.