Page 35 of Eternal Light (Fated in the Stars #5)

A Pillar Stands Bright (Leo)

If Leo has to drive this CR-V one more inch, he’s going to give someone, somewhere, a piece of his ever-lovin’ mind.

The morning that had started so perfectly had gone to shit—over and over, repeatedly, all day long.

He stops with the side of the small SUV almost pressed up against the brick of the small cottage in the heart of The Guild’s land. Yup, they were right back to where they started almost twelve hours ago.

Finn sighs beside him, and they both sit there quietly, letting the crazy day settle over them. Finn is the perfect companion for quiet contemplation (and for other things, too, obviously).

Long fingers trace his wrist and then slide underneath the cuff of his shirt over his pulse before coming to rest over his hand on the gear shift.

Leo is still clutching it, as if anticipating he’s going to have to reverse out of the lane and head back into battle.

Lying on his furry belly in the backseat, Rowan-wolf has his nose down on his paws. He hasn’t changed back since he’d been with Winnie and Ansel, adamantly ignoring Jay’s request as they’d separated for the drive to the last place in Florida Withers could track them.

Lauren’s contacts had run dry.

They’d been through every safe house in Clearwater except for the Island Estates place, which was a little too close for comfort to Carnell’s mansion on the beach.

Leo imagines him swooping down like a vulture to pick the remains of their unsuspecting bones. Unsurprisingly, his mother had been concerned for his mental health when he’d said as much out loud.

Her pause and uncharacteristically cautious inquiry about whether he was eating enough had made Leo’s mates titter with suppressed giggles.

And while he hadn’t said so to her, the answer to that question was: no, he hadn’t been eating enough.

But he’d placated her, relieved when Grayson had saved the day (and him).

The alpha had reassured her that he had a plan and produced the small piece of lined notebook paper with the phone number Ignatius had pressed into Grayson’s hand as they’d left The Guild in a hurry, promises of aid in whatever way his fellow Fire Affinity might need following their hasty exit.

Turns out the little cottage at the edge of the property was empty, and as long as they didn’t mind a tight fit, it was a roof over their heads and a port in the storm.

Leo sighs again, turning his palm over so he can squeeze Finn’s hand.

It’s the early hours of the morning, and there are lights on inside the cottage. He wonders if Rowan would move over and if he could just lie down where he is and let the thumping in his head subside.

“Come on. You can’t sleep out here.” Finn opens his door, and the rest of the pack is already standing uncertainly on the small walkway.

There’s a light rain already soaking them to the bone as they dawdle.

Gideon has an exhausted, dozing Luca in his arms like a baby koala, while Jay is being supported by Grayson on one side and Nix on the other. The five of them had driven from the hospital in the Buick to deal with the still-receding BBS and bruised hearts.

Poking his head back in the CR-V, Leo tries to succeed where better men had failed.

“Rowan, you gotta come out. I’m not leaving you in the car, and I can’t crack a window right now without wrecking the upholstery.”

Rowan still manages an epic side-eye when Leo opens the back door so he can jump out, clearly unhappy despite his compliance.

“Glad you see it my way.”

The front door of the stone cottage opens, revealing the Master of Novices—resplendent in a red felt fedora and what looks like a threadbare, plaid velvet dressing gown in purple and gold, flung hastily over his orange pajamas, which are covered in witches, cauldrons, and black cats.

Seems Ignatius has a sense of humor that leans toward the ironic.

“Come in! Come in. So glad you called.”

The cottage is easily two hundred years old, possibly a groundskeeper’s home during The Guild’s earliest days. There is a big hearth with a burning fire, warming the small space.

If Leo had worried about where they all might bed down, he need not have been concerned, as there is a five-foot-high stack of mattresses that rivals the one from The Princess and the Pea fairytale.

There are also piles of clean clothing folded in baskets on the floor and a big pot of something delicious on the stove.

Seems their host has thought of everything.

After a few minor social niceties, Leo can fill his belly and be still for more than five minutes.

It falls to Grayson to make the introductions, and despite his still-pale face and obvious fatigue, he takes Jay’s hand to make the appropriate introductions.

“Jay, this is Master of Novices, Ignatius Parvolio. Sir, this is my Pack Alpha and mate, Jay Rhodes.”

Jay offers his right hand to shake, even though his shoulder has stiffened up. Their leader would show no weakness to the magic user, as Were protocol demands that Jay appear strong to Grayson’s teacher.

Ignatius smiles and accepts the offered hand for a hearty and enthusiastic shake. “My pleasure, of course, of course. A pleasure to make your acquaintance and to see you again, Novice Grayson. Thank you for trusting me with your family’s safety.”

The older man bows, clearly having done some research about Were customs. He shouldn’t address anyone else in Jay’s pack until Jay allows it, despite the brief aside to Grayson.

Jay is obviously pleased, his scent pine-fresh, and the alpha noticeably relaxes a bit.

Anyone who cares enough to learn the sometimes-finicky culture that values manners and respect—just in case he might have the opportunity to work with an exceptional student—has Jay’s blooming respect…and Leo’s.

Stepping in close, Leo offers subtle support, showing a united front. Given that Gideon quite literally has his hands full, it falls to Leo to take up that space. The others huddle together near the fire. It’s a tight fit for nine men and the mattresses, even if one of them is currently a wolf.

“This is the rest of my pack, Master Parvolio. Gideon, Leo, Luca, Nix, and…Rowan.”

He adds Rowan with hesitation, as revealing his shapeshifting mate to strangers hadn’t been something Jay planned for. Rowan has crept up behind the magic Master to sit as close as he dares.

It’s not threatening, though it certainly could have been, given Rowan’s usual suspicions about strangers around Nix and the babies.

No, this time he’s sitting pretty, looking for Ignatius’s attention.

Like a good boy.

“Oh! My goodness, a dog? Well, aren’t you handsome,” Ignatius coos, before his eyebrows disappear into that red fedora perched askew atop his frizzy, wild hair. The older man’s eyes turn bleary before he startles.

“Well! This is a first. You’re not a dog at all! A wolf. The Wolf. So very interesting. Grayson, your family is so enchanting!”

He grins, slapping Grayson’s shoulder.

Nix slips his hand into Grayson’s before asking, “You can see he’s not a real dog?”

Ignatius jerks again, mouth dropping open when he sees Nix.

To his credit, Ignatius shakes it off before exclaiming, “Your soulmate! Nix, right? Well, I have a fairly healthy Zoelexis Talent. This means that animals like me and I like them. I can tell he’s not entirely an animal, but also he is certainly more…

uh…in touch with his animal side than you are—which is already more than could be said for me. ”

His voice fades for a minute while he appears to be considering the magic of it all before he snaps back to the present with a clap of his hands. “So very interesting. The entire lot of you. Yes, indeed.”

His eyes catch on Leo, and he grins. “And you must be Leo Costas.”

Leo smiles cautiously, not sure where the older man is going with this direct attention.

“My dear partner was very interested in you, Leo. You met her this morning, yes?”

Elysia Noctis was memorable in her mysterious demeanor and with her bi-colored eyes. When Ignatius had said she could see the nature of someone’s soul, it left an impression.

“I mentioned that she sees the good and bad in someone, yes? Most people are a mix of both. Most are more good than bad, I assure you. But we all carry the weight of our decisions, of our trials…of our intentions. They can taint our souls. Pinpricks of stain.”

“That sounds awful,” Leo says, letting his disbelief color his tone. “You can’t tell me the people I love have stains on their souls.”

Not the honorable Jay, or pure-sunshine Nix.

Not Gideon, who sacrifices his personal wants for their family every day.

Not Finn, who saves lives even to his own detriment.

Not gentle Grayson, whose art shows the nature of his heart made visual.

Not Rowan, who is driven by the simplest of desires.

Not sweet, gentle Luca, who Leo has known to be pure of soul from the moment they met so long ago, from childhood until this moment.

“I don’t believe it.”

Ignatius nods. “It’s not that people are bad, Leo.

Not at all. It’s that we are all a mixture of life’s hardships, and sometimes, these experiences can leave their mark over time.

Like imperfections that make us human. Or, in your case, Were.

Elysia says Were souls shine brighter than the sun, powered by both your animal and human side. ”

Rowan huffs—since it looks like he’s not going to get an ear rub from the older man—before making his way to the kitchen, already losing interest in the philosophical discussion about souls.

“But you, Leo, your soul shines very, very bright. In much the same way young children do. It’s a powerful thing, a soul like yours.”

Say what now?

That’s crazy.

Leo has known sadness and hardship.

He’s thought about being angry or unkind before.

In fact, he left a smaller tip for the server at Common Grounds when she had been rude to his Mama-Frankie two months ago. Well, he left a smaller tip at the time and then went back and fixed it. But the original intent had been the same.