Page 14 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

There was a growling noise and a curse. “That can’t be hellfire burning the girl. Hellfire cannot burn me.” The voice was silent for a moment then said, “Ahh … an elemental fire then. Fire from the upworld.”

Upworld? What did that mean?Am I hallucinating?

“Looks like I’m going to have to go topside, mortal. No one gets into hell for free. Which means someone owes me a payment.” The gravelly voice sounded way too pleased at the prospect of someone owing him. And did he say hell?

Was she in the actual hell, as in Hades, as in gnashing of teeth and burning for all eternity hell? It would explain the burning, that was for sure. But how did she die? And did she not even get to plead her case? Shelly knew she wasn’t perfect, but she’d only been alive for eighteen years. She hadn’t had enough time to make up for her wrongdoings. It must have been for all the times she’d lied to her mom and told her the vegetable soup was good but then flushed it down the toilet when she wasn’t looking. But was it a bad lie if she was just saying it to keep from hurting her mother’s feelings?

Then again, it could have been because of the flaming bag of dog feces she’d left inside Robert Busch’s car after school sophomore year. Granted, the guy deserved it. But Shelly was pretty sure it wouldn’t be considered a good deed.

There were no more talking, hissing, or growling voices to distract her. And now she had new information to worry her …orpossible auditory hallucinations containing ideas she’d made up. Regardless, either was cause for worry.Hells bells.Shelly sighed to herself.Why was that even a saying? If this was hell, there were definitely no bells.

The burning continued, and Shelly wished she could cry. A good cry didn’t fix things, but it sure as heck made things clearer, washing away the haze caused by the anxiety. Alas, there were no tears, not that she could feel anyway. There was nothing but the burning and the growling voice on repeat in her mind saying “into hell.”She was pretty sure it was not a good sign to be burning alive while someone mentioned hell at the same time. Shelly had never wanted to hallucinate before, but she dearly hoped she was hallucinating now. Maybe she was in a coma in some hospital, and this was all just in her head. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? When you’re weighing your odds against hell, she was pretty sure any other circumstance would be an improvement.

* * *

Ra was tired.No, he was beyond tired. He was bone-deep exhausted. Everything felt heavy, even his limbs. The only thing greater than his exhaustion was his thirst. He might just kill for a drink of water. When he’d reached the fourth level of the underworld, he’d found it was pitch black. He couldn’t even see his own hand a foot in front of his face. It was as if his eyesight had been ripped away. He took a step forward, letting his feet drag on the ground, hoping he wasn’t about to walk off a cliff. When he didn’t feel the edge of a ledge, he moved forward again. Then again and again. After ten steps, he started to walk without dragging his feet but kept his steps slow.

“A little help would be appreciated,” he muttered. This time, there was no internal response from his ancestor.

The darkness didn’t abate. Ra kept moving, but he had no idea if he was walking in a circle or actually making progress toward the pathway to the next level. He started counting, trying to keep track of time. Ten minutes passed. Then he began to hear whispers. At first, the noise sounded like hissing, but it gradually grew louder. Eventually, he began to make out words.

“Welcome, brother,” a voice said, and it sounded so close to his ear that Ra lashed out with the dagger in his hand. There was nothing but air.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” another voice said, this time in his other ear. Ra swung his sword around, but again there was nothing. The voices laughed. It sounded as if there were dozens around him.

“Do you think those weapons will help you?”

“Mortal weapons have no power here, little king.”

“You are home now. You can join your ancestors.”

“Welcome to hell!” They all yelled as one. Ra took off running. The voices followed, shouting jabs at him. He was panting hard, and his heart felt as though it were going to pound up out of his throat.

“Run, mortal,” the voices yelled. “Run like the prey you are, and we will chase. We will hunt you for all eternity. You will tire, but there will be no rest. You will beg for something to drink, but there will be nothing to quench your thirst.”

Ra sheathed his weapons and pushed his palms against his ears. No matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t outrun the voices. As they continued to call out to him, his fear grew. He slowed to a fast walk. Suddenly, something pushed him hard from behind. He stumbled forward but caught himself before he fell. Again, he pulled his sword and lashed out. Still, he felt nothing.

“We can taste your fear. We love it!” The voices roared. “Youshouldbe afraid, mortal. You should bow at our feet and tremble. Nothing can save you from us. Your ancestors lifted Osiris high and devoted themselves to him. And like them, you belong to us.”

Ra was shaking his head. He raised his sword and turned in a slow circle. He listened intently, trying to determine the location of his enemy so he might anticipate the next blow.

It came from his right, shoving him hard. Before he could hit the ground though, he was pushed from his left, throwing him back in the opposite direction. Then something plowed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He tried to suck in air, but his lungs didn’t cooperate. Ra forced himself to hold his weapons because he knew if he dropped them, he would be helpless.

As if his attackers could read his mind, one spoke. “You are helpless without those toys.”

Something hissed right in front of his face. Like lightning, Ra slashed forward with his dagger. This time, he felt the satisfying pressure of flesh against his blade, which was followed by an equally satisfying violent scream. Ra brought his arm back down for a second blow, but the thing had already retreated. The smell of putrid, burning flesh hit Ra’s nose, and he gagged.Definitely a demon. Ra’s mind began to clear as his fear was pushed back by the confidence that hecouldfight back. He wasn’t helpless as the demon claimed.

“You are nothing!” A demon screeched at him, but it lacked the conviction he heard earlier when they were taunting him. “All you will ever know is darkness and torture. We will keep you here, tormenting you for all time.”

“Darkness,” he mumbled to himself. There was something wrong about that. What was he not remembering, and when had he forgotten? It’s almost as if he’d forgotten everything but his name.

“Your fear feeds us, stupid mortal. We will rip your entrails from your body and, still, you will not die. We shall cut off your limbs, one by one, and you will bleed, but there will be no oblivion to take you under.”

Ra wasn’t really listening anymore. He was too focused on the fact that he’d forgotten everything, and there was something wrong with the darkness. His fear fed them. Was that how they got their power?

“Hear me!” The demon bellowed.

“Shh,” Ra said. “I’m thinking.”

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