Page 45 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

“The scroll says the connection grows stronger the more you are with each other. Perhaps I should take over watching Tara until it’s time for her to come to the academy and we can sort all of this out from the safety of the mountain. I’m not sure about the whole ‘all-consuming’ part. I’m hoping that doesn’t mean you’re going to become a raging lunatic if you can’t be with her. Which you know you can’t be. Not yet. The protection spell she has will shatter the minute she learns about the supernatural world. She’s too vulnerable to be beyond the academy walls withoutit.”

That sounded like a completely reasonable course of action, and Elias knew he couldn’t allow anything to happen between them that might reveal the supernatural world. That didn’t stop him from responding to Jax’s suggestion with a growl. “I’m not leaving without her, you wanker.” Apparently raging lunatic was definitely part of thebond.

“Okay, that escalated quickly. Let’s try again. In three days, I have a hunt I need you to join. We believe there are some dark water sirens at work in a fishing town off the coast of Maine. So, you’ve got three days to prepare your soul to be away fromher.”

“Bloody hell, that sounds weird,” he said as he looked over to the school. Students were milling about carrying lunch sacks. Like a heat-seeking missile, Elias zeroed in on Tara in a matter of seconds. Was that his soul? Was it able to find her because she was his match? So many questions. But in that moment, the only one that mattered was how much trouble would he get in with the school if he got out of his car, walked across the street and over to the bench where Tara sat, and broke the hand that Tucker had placed on hershoulder?

“Are you going to be all right?” Jaxasked.

“Don’t worry about me, mate,” Elias said, his eyes still on Tara. “I’ll keep an eye on her, but I’ll keep my distance.” He did not promise to keep his distance from Tucker. The acolyte might not be hurting Tara, but he was near her, and that was reason enough for Elias to want to killhim.

“I can’t imagine how difficult this has to be. What that scroll described sounded more like a curse than ablessing.”

“Your positive input is overwhelming. Please dial it back a notch,” Elias saiddryly.

Jax chuckled. “All right. I had planned to stay with you, but Zuri gave me some disturbing news while I was at the academy. Apparently Tucker and the dark acolytes hanging around aren’t alone. There have been more than a dozen sightings in the states surroundingKentucky.”

“Not a coincidence,” Elias said. He wondered if there were more of the soul-torn humans out there needing their own soul bond and destined to become evil if their souls didn’t find oneanother.

“Evil doesn’t just wander around aimlessly hoping for a weak soul. It schemes, it watches, and when it finally attacks, it’s not an explosion. It’s a subtle poison that gets you sickslowly.”

“Mate, all you had to do was say, ‘Right, not a coincidence,’” Eliassaid.

“My apologies. I forgot that your mind has been blown. Keep me apprised on things. Zuri will take over for you on day three. She’ll also kick your ass if you give her any problems when she comes to relieve you.” Jax ended the call on that lovelynote.

“Great. Not only do I get to pine after a girl who doesn’t like me, but I will also have the pleasure of having my arse handed to me when my soul and magic try to make me stay near her.” Elias probably shouldn't pretend that it was only his soul and magic that wanted to stay with Tara. It was a lie. His heart and mind were every bit as bound to her as the otherparts.

* * *

Tara satin the passenger seat of Shelly’s car staring down at the poem that Mrs. Thortonhad returned to her. She’d gotten an A. There was a sticky note attached to it that read, “Well done. My mind is blown. I hope you are able to let go of your past. The future is only as bright as we choose to makeit.”

If that were the case, then Tara’s future was about as bright as a flashlight with nearly deadbatteries.

“Have you gotten another text from Your Cat?” Shelly asked, pulling Tara from her thoughts. Tara folded the paper and shoved it into her backpack. She was too emotionally worn out to walk home today, so she was allowing Shelly to drive her. Which meant she was going to have to come forth with some deets about Elias. Tara grinned at her best friend’s question. Shelly had taken to calling Elias “Your Cat,” “The Cat,” or Tara’s favorite, “Ass Cat,” because she told her about the question she’d asked him and the answer he’d given. Shelly had said that he needed to be reminded what curiosity did to a cat … and so he’d become the three different types of cats that were destined to die from curiosity. Or Shelly’s wrath, whichever came first.Her BFFF had been so indignant on her behalf that Tara had had to talk her down from slashing Elias’s tires and throat punching him. Of course, those things could only happen if they ever saw himagain.

“He texted me when the final bell rang,” Tara admitted. She didn’t mention she’d nearly ripped off a fingernail trying to get the phone out of her back pocket because she wanted it to be a text from him so badly. She was like a dry sponge, and every text was a drop ofwater.

“Did it say anything different than ‘I’m a git’, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you’, or ‘Can we please talk’?” Shellyasked.

When they pulled into Carol’s driveway, Tara handed Shelly her phone so she could read the textherself.

Shelly read it outloud.

Curiosity:One that arouses interest especially for uncommon or exotic characteristics.There is nothing that is common about you, and my interest is more than aroused. I am truly sorry that my thoughtless words hurtyou.

“Oh, wow, he’s good,”Shelly said, dropping her voice deeper and drawing out the last word. She read the nexttext.

Have fun on your date,luv. But not too muchfun.

“And he’s funny.”

WouldI be an arse if I said I’d like for you not to have any fun atall?

After reading the last text,Shelly sighed like a lovesickfool.

“What are you going todo?”

Tara shrugged. “What is there to do? It’s not like we’re in a relationship. We met a week ago, for crap’ssake.”

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