The Trailokya Trilogy, Book One: The Shadow Soul

Chapter 28

Maiel regained her feet, glancing at the purple spark. Morgentus sneered, surprised by her actions. Lena held her breath, waiting for what would come next. The expression Maiel wore reminded her of a nightmare she'd once had, but the object of the captain's hate wasn't to be taken lightly either. These two enemies would tear each other apart, along with anyone who got between them.

"Get her!" Morgentus ordered, slamming his fist on the floor.

Segrius and his companion tried to leave the guardianship of the wolves, but they were well-tempered by the four-legged warriors. Maiel rushed back to the doors, giving them a hard kick. They swung back with a snap and hung crookedly on their broken hinges. The wolves charged after her, leaving Lena alone with the demons.

Lena held her breath, waiting for one of them to find her hiding there. Morgentus got to his feet, pausing as though he sensed her presence. Instead, he ordered his inept minions to give chase. The demon sauntered after his quarry. His steps stopped at the door. He turned his head and looked in her direction. Lena pressed herself back behind the table. The stone shuddered, then pushed against her, and slid across the floor to the wall beyond the door she entered through. The stone pressed against her until it could go no further. She held her tongue, though she was painfully entombed by the mammoth slab.

"Sit tight, akha. I'll be back," Morgentus said, leaving the atman where it fell.

Morgentus retreated.

Counting to five, Lena waited to be sure the baron had abandoned the room. She pried herself free and crawled across the marble floor. Looking around, she saw that the table had been moved to block the door. The panel suddenly pulled back and Dominic stared down at her. His eyes glowed, but the red was nearly gone from them. He looked more himself.

"Where are they?" Dominic asked, as he jumped over the table, holding the candelabra for a weapon.

Lena hesitated to answer the question or to follow. The others must have been just behind, because no one else could have warded those doors with such force. She'd be safer to wait for them. The change in Dominic scared her and she had her instructions to abandon him if this came to pass. Her focus now was Maiel. They'd made it clear that when he gave into the flame, he would try to feed from her. She stepped back, keeping her distance. Her eyes slipped to the doors through which Maiel escaped when she was pursued by the shadowalkers.

Dominic ran in the direction Lena indicated by her glance. The green door slammed and rattled as it swung closed behind the girl. The force startled Lena, doing so again as it was instantly torn open once more, granting a wide view of the city and river below. The wind whipped around her. Thick clouds rolled with flashes of light. Lena shivered. The door closed with a slam. She looked around, still alone in the flickering light. The flashes in the windows overhead reminded her of a promise she made to someone very important. Lena scurried across the room and snatched up the atman Morgentus had tried to steal. She stared at the light within and gave a soft smile and nod. A kind voice assured her that she would be safe, and that her friends needed her. Pocketing the crystal, she chased after her assign. No one was safe with Dominic, but she had a mission to complete. Maiel would have done no less. She couldn't fail her now, not when her friend faced destruction.

Lena ran through the passage, emerging back in the nave. She looked to either side, but saw no one. Carefully picking her way to the aisle, she observed the wreckage scattered throughout the vast room, making the trek difficult. A sulfurous odor lingered. Lena quickened her pace, searching the pews as she passed. Her path led to the arches and the arcade beyond. The sound of metal dropping on the stone floor pulled her attention aside. She saw a shadow pass in the doorway. She chased after it, finding a small chamber with a spiral staircase and a door that opened to the outside. Through the open door, the base of the bell tower, a small garden and a wood blocked the view of the city. Lights twinkled between the branches and leaves as the wind wildly swayed the trees. Wolves howled behind her. Shee and Argus dashed out, disappearing in a streak of light. Lena called to them, but they were gone.