Page 4 of Transfiguration
“As it is with you?” Hart asked.
Sam growled. But Hart wasn’t wrong.
“He worries more for his kids now, as he should,” Hart continued. “It may be the leverage we need.”
“Controlling the Pillar is your aim?” Sam wondered.
“Keeping the Pillarssafeis my objective. Rou and Harding are the most powerful Pillars in centuries. Something bigger is coming. A rise of the other Pillars, perhaps? Those equal to the power of the current earth and water? I don’t know for certain, but it seems to be building, don’t you think?”
Sam frowned, and Luca knew what he was thinking without asking. Sam was damn near as powerful as both Rou and Harding. His siphon powers added to vampire strength with his fire element. Hecouldbecome the Pillar of Fire. He would have to either have the role given to him by the current pillar, or the current pillar would have to die and the element itself choose Sam.
“I’m not vying to be Pillar,” Sam said. “It’s a Dominion thing, anyway, right? No point without them?”
“Is Rou’s position as Pillar any less powerful without the Dominion?” Hart wondered. “Do the elements care about mortal politics? Magic has a will of its own, does it not?”
“Fuck,” Sam muttered. They all knew that power was an alignment with the element itself, not just some made up title.
“Where is the Pillar of Fire?” Luca asked. He did not know who she was. It was always a female until Rou had shifted things, and many chosen by the Dominion were little more than titles as the elements didn’t accept them as true scions.
“Unknown,” Hart said. “In fact, none of the other current Pillars’ whereabouts are currently known. The Dominion should have records, but their database has their last known locations, months, or even years old. All no longer valid, as I’ve had the addresses checked.”
Luca’s heart flipped over. If a fire spell aimed at Rou had backlashed, could it have killed a fire witch chosen as Pillar? He tightened his grip on Sam’s hand. If the Pillar of Fire was already dead, then fire would look for a new scion. That would add another target to Sam’s back.
“Can you understand my request for caution and mobility?” Hart put his hand on Luca’s shoulder, his gaze intense.
“Yes,” Luca said. “Con should be back soon. It will be fine. We will figure it out together.” But the words felt hollow. Something was wrong, and it scared Hart. Not much scared the king of vampires. Sam becoming Pillar? Probably not. Sam was smart and grounded, part having Luca and Con at his side, but also his friendship with Rou, and affection for Rou’s family. But Luca didn’t push for more answers. He’d discuss it with his guys when they were all home and settled. It was how they worked best. And Con was fucking amazing at putting together a puzzle with hundreds of missing pieces to paint a clear picture.
Hart’s gaze fell on the urn on the shelf behind him but said nothing else.
Page opened the door for them and Luca wondered what he knew that wasn’t being shared with them. This had all started with a golem Page had created. First true summoner in centuries, and that meant a lot more than most people knew. Luca walked out with Sam and frowned as the door closed behind them.
“It’s fine,” Sam said instantly.
“That was freaky as fuck. He’s not telling us something.”
“I’ve seen worse.”
“From Hart?”
Sam paused. “You know him better than I do. What did you see?”
“Other than him being worried as shit? More than you being Pillar.”
“I don’t want to be Pillar. Do you know how much the earth tries to control Seiran? Kelly says his isn’t as bad, but he’s also not near the ocean at all. The entire reason they stay here, him and Jamie and Link, is because it’s easier to resist the siren call of water. If they were ocean side or even lakeside, he might not be as solid.”
“Okay, we won’t move anywhere there might be active volcanos,” Luca joked, tugging Sam down the hall. He wanted them home. He also wanted to talk to Con and hear his voice.
“It’s not just me I’m worried about,” Sam said. “Luca, do you realize how powerful Con is? I mean, I know we all tiptoe around it. But he is wind. Have you ever met a wind witch more powerful?”
Luca blinked, his heart flipping over with added anxiety. “I need to call him.”
“We need him home. Something is brewing. Like a fucking hurricane on the horizon, and I can’t see or predict which direction it’s coming from, but the pressure is building.”
“Magic?” Luca wondered. He wished he was a witch sometimes, rather than part vampire. His senses didn’t really catch much magic, not like the others did. Sometimes he’d feel a pull of something, but never defined enough to follow it.
“Yeah. And I’d rather we face it together than strewn across the country waiting for it to hit us first.”
THREE