Tales Of Lola The Black by A.J. Martinez Page B

limbo. Dougal got closer to the fire and sniffed it. The wolf then howls after having smelled the fire. “What is it?” Lola asked Dougal curious of the gray fire.
    “This fire is not of this world much like your black fire spell.” Dougal said gazing into the gray fire with his blue moon eyes.
    “Interesting.” Lola said. She then spun to Harris who had been standing behind her. As soon as she looks into his eyes, the man shakes as if he was eager to run away.
“Now listen Harris. This castle has many books. I have been told by someone who works with the king himself that there is a grimoire hidden somewhere in this castle. You are going to tell me where it is or else you will die.” Lola tries to strike even more fear into the cowardly man.
    “If that is what you are looking for then I rather die.”Harris said proudly. “I rather die with the secrets of this castle then to reveal the king’s treasures. It is my duty to protect the information of the Alexandrian dynasty. Go ahead and kill me but you will never know where the grimoire is located.”
    Lola grimaced and was angry at Harris’ sudden bravery. If I kill him I will never be able to find the grimoire. He won’t tell me no matter how much fear I strike in him.  Damn it! What can I do to convince this weakling? Lola mulled and stared back at Dougal.
    “What are you thinking about Lola?” Dougal asked. He knew when she was up to no good. “Don’t burn your mind. Although we are safe here there has to be a way to find out where the grimoire is located. Perhaps one of these books can tell us where it is.”
    “I won’t sit here and read books Dougal. As if we had all the time in the world.” Lola replied wishing things were much easier. She turned back to Harris looking at the bald man who could not make eye contact with her. He was her only way to find out how to find the grimoire. She could torture him and squeeze answers out of him. She was willing to do anything to get information out of the cowardly man. Anything besides ending his life.
    “I have a question” Dougal approached Harris. “Why is there a pentacle designed on the floor?”
    “How should I know why the masons who built this castle decided to draw a pentacle in this very room? Figure it out on your own.” Harris refused to tongue anything more about the castle.
    “Lola you know what a pentacle is used for. Don’t you?” Dougal asked the dark magus.
    “Many mages use it for invocations or at least that is the only use I have seen of the pentacle. It is a symbol of higher magic power. To summon entities from the limbo.” Lola stroked her hair with her fingertips as she mulled over the pentacle. “What could this mean?”
    “It means that this room is used for some kind of transfer.” Dougal concluded. “The pentacle is used to summon entities from the limbo. The pentacle is a portal between the human world and the limbo.” Dougal then turned to the gray flames between the two mage statues. It made sensed to him since he had a connection to the world of the dead he was able to sense the limbo as well. He was not sure if it was a portal to the limbo but he knew that it leads somewhere. His senses did not lie. Those flames had no scent but rather gave a vibe of the undead. A colorless mana of those who drifted in the twilight world. Dougal then turned to Harris and growled at the cowardly man. Harris stepped back whimpering.
    “What happens when you touch the gray flames? Tell me unless you want me to bite off your manhood.”
    Harris moaned in fear at Dougal’s threat. His pants were still wet and Lola laughed at him. “Yes I have been wondering. What do those pretty colorless flames do?” Lola said childishly.
    “As I said I rather be killed than to give away any information of the castle.” Harris said once more. “I will keep the oath I made to the Alexanders when they gave me the keys to their library.”
    “This is useless Dougal he won’t tell us.” Lola