C.B. Lyall

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Bookshop.org
Audible
Signed Copy

Published by: Hazel Publishing Company
Release Date: April 25, 2022
Pages: 249
ISBN13: 978-1736002759
View on Goodreads

 
OVERVIEW

Wilf Gilvary is a slave to the magic he hates…

Magic’s hold over Wilf is increasing. If only he could tap into his magic’s full potential, then perhaps he could find a way to free himself.

When finding a piece of the shattered Mages Crystal plunges Wilf into the mysteries and power struggles of an ancient realm he starts to question whether he can ever break free. He even starts to doubt that his affection for Katryna is real.

Wilf is left facing impossible choices: forever abandon his dreams of life as a Normal in Hong Kong, or allow magic, the ancient realm of Mulkulth and Katryna to perish.

---

PRAISE

"C.B. Lyall is not only a phenomenal writer for her flawless ability to capture her reader's attention, but she is also a great writer for her descriptive words and characterization of characters which will hook her readers. Lyall is an author who throughout the course of her series, has proven time and time again what a wonderful author she is. Lyall's flawless literature and mesmerizing literature enthralls you and makes you have such an enjoyable reading experience that you won't be able to forget; that is just one of the many wonderful things about her penmanship!

As The Vassal of Magic is a sensational, thrilling as well as moving story that will provoke your thoughts as well as entertain you, I have no choice but to award this stellar read five stars. If you are a reader who loves fantasy novels, then this book is for you so do not miss out on the chance of reading it, you won't regret it!"
–Redheadedbooklover.com

"The Vassal of Magic is a very intense and mesmerizing story with lots of twists and turns that keep the pages turning. The Vassal of Magic will have you in its clutches from beginning to end with not a dull moment in between. There is action right up until the end. I love this world as it gets better and better with each turn of the page.

I fell in love with The Virus of Beauty Series with the first book The Virus of Beauty. I also loved reading each and every book in The Virus of Beauty Series and seeing the story through different characters’ eyes. I liked getting to know each character and seeing the world through their eyes. Each book drew me in more and more as I was drawn deeper and deeper into their world. I loved the world that was created for The Vassal of Magic.

Wilf is still dealing with who he is and what he wants out of life. He is still struggling with not being able to be a normal teen. He wants more than anything to play soccer. Wilf is afraid that his magic will be so strong that he can’t control it and end up causing more harm than good. Besides playing soccer, the only other thing Wilf wants is to keep his girlfriend Katryna safe.

Wilf has the world sitting on his shoulders at the moment. The world of magic is in trouble and Wilf is just maybe the only one who can save it, but he is afraid. Can Wilf overcome his fear? Can Wilf save the world of magic? Wilf has a long hard road ahead of him. A road that is not going to be easy. There are some hard, tough battles ahead for Wilf, Myra, and Katryna as they work to save the Magic Realm.

I would recommend The Vassal of Magic to all fantasy and magical fans out there! Grab your copy of The Vassal of Magic today! I do recommend starting with the first book The Virus of Beauty and then onto book two, The Veil of Corruption before reading the third book The Vassal of Magic for a better understanding of what is going on with the Magical Realm."
–Nancy (The Avid Reader)

"... If you're a fan of spellbinding adventures and unique urban fantasy, The Vassal of Magic is a must-read. As the thrilling conclusion to the Virus of Beauty trilogy, this book took me on an incredible journey that I'll remember for a long time."
–Goodreads Review

Also in this series:

---

EXCERPT

Chapter One - Gilvary Gift Store, Hong Kong

A sphere of magical energy grew in Wilf’s palm. He sent it floating toward the ceiling, where it hovered for several seconds and then burst, changing the white ceiling to red.

Ermentrude let out a deep sigh, causing another few chin bristles to sprout and the dark shadows under her eyes to deepen, but otherwise ignored him. Her doughy face, with its enormous wart on the end of her long beaked nose, had been in a permanent scowl since Hywel had vanished with their daughter.

He couldn’t take another day cooped up inside the basement workshop. It felt like weeks since Katryna had disappeared, but, in fact, it had only been two days. He missed her. Ermentrude might think she had broken the bond between him and Katryna, but Wilf knew better. He cared about her; he just wasn’t sure how much was real, or if it was some lingering effect of the bonding ritual they’d performed.

This inactivity was driving him insane. Even kicking a soccer ball around with Jayden earlier hadn’t helped. Jayden kept using magic to correct the ball’s trajectory until Wilf pointed out this was considered cheating. It had made his stomach knot as he echoed the words Katryna and Enzo had spoken to him when they accused Wilf of using his magical power to win matches. Wilf hadn’t known, but Enzo didn’t believe him. His best friend had told him not to come to practice anymore—the team didn’t need Wilf’s skills to win.

A scraping noise brought him out of his thoughts as chairs and tables moved out of Ermentrude’s way as she paced. Small clouds of dust rose and then resettled with each step. Catcus, her cat, gave an angry yowl and jumped up onto a chair out of her path.
The knot in Ermentrude’s hair bun tightened. Her lips disappeared into a thin line, and her brow developed extra furrows with each turn of the room. Etched into her every move was their lack of progress in discovering any clue about Katryna’s whereabouts.
Wilf swung his chair onto its back legs. It banged into the bookcase behind him, and he let his eyes half close. Another day of Ermentrude and Captain Ingells grappling for control of a hopeless situation. Their tempers simmered, ready to boil over at any moment.

Ermentrude stopped at her chair and collapsed into it. Her blackened fingernails tapped a table’s wooden surface. Sparks flashed with each gnarly rap as her nails dug smoldering grooves into the wood.

“Ermentrude! You’re going to set the place on fire.” Captain Ingells sat at the other end of the table. His Wizard Guard jacket hung over the back of his chair. The gray stubble on his chin was out of character with his usual clean-cut image and military bearing.
“What?” Ermentrude held her hand in mid-air and glanced down at the table. She let out a loud huff, pushed the chair back, and resumed pacing.
The captain had quickly discovered that Ermentrude wasn’t going to be a soldier in his army. He’d tried to take command, but Ermentrude had shut him down immediately, making sure he knew no wizard would ever control her.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Captain Ingells crossed his arms. “There must be some clue. Every wizard and witch can’t disappear into thin air without some kind of trace for us to follow.”

“You think I don’t know that? If you remember, one of those witches is my own daughter.” Ermentrude stopped next to the captain’s chair.

He raised his palms. “I hadn’t forgotten.”

Wilf folded his arms. He’d stopped taking part in their little spats. They didn’t want to hear from him. The only people who really listened to him had all left. Katryna hadn’t had any choice since Hywel had kidnapped her. Myra had left with Malik—the bracelet she wore gave her no choice. And Enzo wanted nothing to do with a wizard. Wilf took a deep breath. He knew exactly how Enzo felt. If he could, Wilf wouldn’t have had anything to do with magic, either.

A stabbing pain in his thigh caused him to swing the chair legs back to the floor. He reached into his pocket and adjusted the shard of crystal he’d found that morning.

It had been strange how the light from the small transom window above the shop door had hit the shard, sending a rainbow of light dancing up the wall when Wilf stepped into the store this morning. He’d kicked aside the plinth that had once held the Mages Crystal, revealing a single shard. It had rolled toward him. Odd that anything remained. But he had put it in his pocket, where it had disappeared, along with every other object he tossed in there. His flat pockets should bulge with everything inside them.