Page 47 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“Because you need me and my contacts to open the gates to the underworld.”

Osiris stilled at Viscious’s statement. Ra didn’t think either of the powerful beings was breathing. He wasn’t entirely sure either of them actually needed to breathe.

“Did you say open the gates to the underworld?” Ra asked. He probably didn’t need to draw any attention to himself, but he couldn’t help but speak up.

Viscious turned and seemed to realize for the first time that Ra was even there. “Why, hello, Aviur’s little soldier,” he purred in a voice that made Ra want to draw his sword. “Why am I not surprised to see you here?”

“Probably because Aviur is always having to clean up your messes.” Ra’s jaw was clenched as he held the elemental’s gaze. Viscious was tall, though Ra was just as tall and bulkier in muscle. But that didn’t matter. If it came to a battle, they wouldn’t only fight strength against strength. They would fight fire magic against fire magic. And Viscious didn’t become the dark fire king by being weak. He’d probably forgotten more elemental magic than Ra had learned in his few years at the academy. Regardless, the underworld was not a place where he needed to battle the dark fire king.

“You would be wise to watch your tongue, young pharaoh,” the fire king growled. “I am not opposed to burning it out.”

“Now, now,” Osiris said. “There is no need for threats, here. Ra and I have just come to an agreement, and I’ve given my word to him.”

“An agreement about what?” Viscious asked, his voice full of suspicion and irritation.

“About the female.”

“You don’t want her?”

Osiris tsked. “I didn’t say that. But where is the fun in simply taking something that is served up to you on a silver platter? Ra wisely pointed out that the best things in life areearned.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m going to allow the female to choose if she would stay here with me.”

“You’re going to give her a choice?” The dark fire king sounded appalled.

Ra shook his head. “Is it so novel an idea to want a woman to choose to be with you rather than forcing her?”

“I just don’t see the point,” Viscious said. “He’s the lord of the underworld. He doesn’t ask when he can simply take.”

“Which makes him weak if all he does is take,” Ra said. “Anyone with power and strength can just take. But to be chosen, to earn something, or someone,thatis a true test of power.” Some of what Ra said, he actually believed. He didn’t necessarily believe the bit about being powerful if someone chose you, but he was parlaying with beings who only understand one thing, so he had to speak their language. In reality, Ra had learned from watching his parents’ relationship, that being chosen by someone did not make you powerful. It made you humble. To know that another person saw worth in you and would choose to give their time, affection, and emotions? Was there anything more humbling than that?

“What is the agreement then?” Viscious asked.

“The mortal female will choose which of us she wants to be with,” Osiris explained. “Ifshe chooses Ra, then I allow her to leave and return to the overworld. If she chooses me, then Ra must find his own way topside, and if he doesn’t make it…” Osiris shrugged. “No skin off my teeth. I will be too busy with my new bride to be concerned with a misplaced fire elementalist.” Osiris turned his eyes on Ra. “You know how it is with newlyweds. They can’t keep their hands off of each other.”

Ra didn’t rise to the bait. It sickened him to think of Osiris's dirty claws on Shelly, but that was what Osiris wanted: to get a reaction from Ra. He wasn’t going to give Osiris the satisfaction.

“And what about my proposal?” Viscious asked.

“You have my attention, fire king,” Osiris said. “And when my business is done with Ra, and I have my consort, we will discuss what you have planned.”

Viscious nodded, appearing pleased.

Osiris held out a hand and said, “Before you go. You need to remove the spell you put on the mortal. You know that elemental fire is not the same as hellfire. I do not control it.”

Ra didn’t miss the irritation in Osiris’s voice at the admission.

“Of course,” Viscious said and then disappeared. Moments later, he reappeared with an unconscious Shelly in his arms.

Ra took a step toward the dark fire king but stopped when Beast suddenly produced a sword and pushed the tip of it against Ra’s throat.

“There’s no need for that, Beast,” Osiris chided. “He’s hardly going to grab her and run. Where would he go?” The lord of the underworld waved his hand and a table appeared. A second later, a pillow and blanket materialized on the table. “Set her there,” Osiris said.

Viscious laid Shelly down and arranged her hands at her sides. When the dark fire king ran a finger down Shelly’s pale cheek, Ra wanted to cut the elemental’s hands off.

“She is quite the beauty, isn’t she?” Viscious asked.

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