Page 67 of Bound By Earth (The Nature Hunters Academy 1)

Ra smirked and Astonchuckled.

“You had me at hello, Elias, you really did,” Liam went on. “And you’re the wind beneath mywings.”

“When you let it get to you, it only encourages him to do it more,” Ra pointedout.

Elias sighed and ignored Liam’s ridiculous quips.No matter how quickly they got the job done, it was still going to take too bloodylong.

Chapter 18

Okay, what did you and Elias do on this so-called hike?” Shelly asked from the other end of the phone. “It must have been something amazing because you sound almost cheery. It’s creeping me out and throwing my world off its axis. And I thought you said he was crazy. What happened tothat?”

“We hiked and talked. I realized he wasn’t crazy, that’s it,” Tara said. “I just really like being with him. It’s weird. He’s…” She paused when her phone chimed. “Hold on, I’ve got atext.”

“Let me know which of your boy toys is wooing you,” Shellysaid.

Tara rolled her eyes as she opened up her text messages. It was fromElias.

Jax called.I’ve been pulled away for a work emergency. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. This is NOT goodbye. I’ll be intouch.

She readthe text several times. Why? She didn’t know. It’s not like that was going to make it change. And why was she so upset about it? He’d already told her he was leaving in two days. She’d known he wasn’t staying, but that was before she’d spent the day with him. That was before she’d laughed with him and realized how easy it was to be with him. Now, he was gone, and she had no idea when he’d beback.

“Tara-bear?” she heard Shelly say through thephone.

Tara put the phone back to her ear. “Yeah, I’mhere.”

“Whoa, why do you sound like a kid who just found out Santa Claus isdead?”

“He’s not real. Not real means he can’t be dead,” she pointed out. Her voice sounded lifeless even toherself.

“Actually, St. Nicholas was a real person and spawned the legend of Santa Claus. Real person, real dead.” There was the faint sound of someone else’s voice in the background and then Shelly said, “Of course, I did my homework, Mother. I’ve been sequestered away in my room, all alone, working hard on my assignments that are due next week.” After another bout of a voice in the background and then a door shutting, Shelly returned her attention to Tara. “I totally haven’t done myhomework.”

“I’mshocked.”

“As much as I love to talk about me,” her friend said, “I’m feeling selfless at the moment and want to talk about you. Who sent you a text that caused you to start acting like a sadrobot?”

Tara laid back on her bed and pressed a hand to her forehead. She could feel a headache coming on. She sighed. “It was from Elias. He’sgone.”

“Gone?” Shelly asked, her voice perking up. “Since he sent you a text, I’m going to surmise you don’t mean gone like over the rainbow bridgegone.”

“He’s not adog.”

“You haven’t known him long enough to determine if that’s a true statement or not. Don’t be hasty in ruling out possible insults,” Shellysaid.

“He said he got called away on an emergency with Jax, and he didn’t know when he would be back. It’s not a big deal, and I knew he wasn’t going to be here for much longer.” Tara knew Shelly would understand that she was saying these things to convince herself and not her best friend. “He said he would be intouch.”

“Awe, Tara. I’m sorry. That sucks dragon testicles. You were so excited. I never see you excited. It was a shock to my system but a good shock.” Shelly sounded as forlorn as Tarafelt.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Tara said as she rolled to her side and propped herself up on anelbow.

“Psh, of course it’s not. You still have me. Speaking of me, I’m coming over. I’m bored and my mom is driving me nuts. Dad’s out of town so she doesn’t have him to drive nuts. I’m getting all her excess nut-drivingefforts.”

“You’re parents adore each other,” Tara saidabsently.

“That doesn’t mean my mother doesn’t drive my father nuts. It just means he has the ability to love a crazy woman. I’ll see you in a few,” Shelly said. “I’m going to stop and get ice cream so we can drown your sorrow init.”

“It’s not like we broke up. We aren’t even dating,” Tara whined, and she loathed herself for it. Whining from anyone, even herself, wasabhorrent.

“I’m not arguing with you when you’re in this kind of mood. You’ve got no fight. It’s not even fun. See you soon, you paidconcubine.”

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