It began to pour, massive waves of water coming from the sky. Thunder boomed, and lightning cracked.
“Eve, I think—”
Grey’s words were cut off by a blast of power that blew him back from me. I remained standing as the dark magic washed over me in a mushroom cloud, rolling out from the wall. As it passed by, the force of the power shriveled the words in my throat.
I staggered, my vision going blind.
The screaming wind reached a terrible crescendo, then died. The rain stopped. The wind ceased.
Gasping, I blinked.
My vision returned, and I realized that I was staring straight up at the sky.
I was lying on the ground.
Holy hell, I’d fallen over and not even noticed. My muscles ached as I dragged myself upright, the gravel biting into my palms.
Blearily, I took stock of my situation. My back was to the wall. Across the courtyard, I spotted Mac and Seraphia, both collapsed on the bench. The others lay scattered between them and me.
Panic flared. I scrambled to my feet and raced toward my friends, fear screaming inside me.
I fell to my knees beside them, anxiously searching them for signs of life.
“Mac! Seraphia!” I shook their shoulders. “Are you okay?”
Mac coughed and sat up, her face pale and her eyes shadowed. “I’m fine.”
Slowly, Seraphia joined her. She rubbed her face with a shaking hand, her gaze meeting mine. “Is it done?”
“I think so. Do you feel better?”
“Um…not really?”
Mac looked over my shoulder, her gaze widening. “Holy fates. Look at that.”
A chill raced over me as I turned.
The wall was gone.
In its place stood a ramshackle tower. The building was ancient and beautiful, though in ill repair. Large glass windows overlooked the abandoned courtyard, and the stone was a fine, pale gray.
“That’s been there all along.” Awe filled me as I stood. “Just hidden.”
“Look at Councilor Rasla.” Mac’s voice was soft.
I turned to find his statue glowing with a faint light.
“Right before the wave of magic hit us, some of it rushed into him,” Mac said.
I stared at the statue, but my attention was dragged back to the building. It called to me so fiercely that I couldn’t resist it. My skin vibrated with awareness as I walked toward it, curiosity pulling me.
Mac joined me, her steps slow. She wasn’t better yet. I could feel that as well as I could feel the pull from the tower. Seraphia joined us.
I stopped about five meters away from it. “What’s going on here?”
“I have no idea,” Mac said. “But it pulls at me.”
“Me, too,” Seraphia said.