Page 8 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

“Yes,” she said and swallowed down the remnant of trepidation she’d felt over the secrets Elias had kept from her.

Tara hadn’t wanted to trust Zuri, Jax, or even Elias, for that matter, after hearing they’d all known what had happened to her parents and hadn’t told her. It didn't matter that they weren’t involved. For so long she had wondered about her parent’s deaths … when all these strangers had known. But there was no point in holding a grudge. It wouldn’t solve anything, and she understood that Elias couldn’t have just blurted everything out when they’d met. She’d have thought he was crazy.

“C’mon Tara.” Elias took her hand and tugged her through the door and out into the hall. Her awe of the fact that she was in a mountain that was an …academyhadn’t diminished in any way.Tara had never given any thought to what a magical academy for elementalists would look like. Because she’d never thought such a thing existed. But if she had, she probably wouldn’t have pictured it built into a gigantic snowcapped mountain. They walked down the corridor and turned left when they reached its end, instead of right, which would have led to the massive room with the waterfall.

The corridor ended at another set of double doors, which appeared to be made of solid stone. As Elias and Tara approached them, the giant stone doors slowly opened. Eventually, they revealed a cavernous room. Iterra and her mate, Terrick, stood amongst Zuri, Jax, and Professor Fernis, along with several other people Tara didn’t recognize … and they, even the headmaster and headmistress, all dropped to one knee.

“It’s okay,” Elias murmured next to her.

“What’s oka—” Tara’s words abruptly caught in her throat when she saw what could only be described as a miniature tornado appear directly in the stone wall across from her and then blow itself into the room. The cyclone came through the wall and rotated in one spot, thunder and lightning booming within. Despite the rotation of the raging winds, Tara couldn’t detect the slightest breeze in the room. Eventually, the whirlwind dissipated, leaving a woman standing in the spot where it had been.

The woman’s gown appeared to have been pieced together in long, flowing strips, and they still blew gently as if she were standing out in a gentle breeze. Her hair was as white as snow and moved as if it had a life of its own. Her porcelain skin was flawless, and her eyes were the palest blue Tara ever seen.

But Tara didn't have time to study the woman further. No sooner had the cyclone disappeared then the wall to Tara’s left began to shimmer like asphalt in the desert. Soon, the stones appeared to glow red hot. They continued to glow until they appeared as a wall of red hot lava. Then a burning man stepped through the wall.

As soon as the man’s feet touched the ground, the wall behind him began to return to its previous state of cool, polished stone. Slowly, the flames enveloping the man receded, and gradually they absorbed into his body, leaving a devilishly handsome man with a smile that would cause a nun to renounce her vows. His hair was black as pitch, his eyes red with a spark of flame that danced within them. His lips were thin and created to tempt.

Elias growled and shifted his body so Tara couldn’t see the darkly handsome male. He needn’t have bothered because Tara’s gaze was drawn to the wall on her right, which had just transformed into a cascading waterfall. Stepping through the spray came a being made entirely of water. Like the first being, it had the appearance of a woman. It paused and looked around. Much like the flames engulfing the man had receded, the water within the newcomer appeared to evaporate, leaving a woman with the appearance of flesh and blood. She had striking blue hair that rippled like a gentle stream flowing over pebbles. Her skin was pale and showed a distinct aquamarine tint.

Tara jumped as the room began to rumble. She spun in place and saw vines rapidly growing through the wall behind her. They started as small shoots emerging through the cracks in the stone and sprouted vivid green leaves as they grew. But soon they were as large as a man’s arm, and the entire wall was covered in dense foliage. The vines parted like a curtain, and a woman strode confidently into the room.

The woman was tall with skin the color of rich chocolate. Her long dark hair hung in dreads that had vines and leaves woven into them. Her eyes were the color of green moss and held a warmth Tara could feel in her chest. The woman wore a dress made of shiny leaves that constantly changed color from green, to gold, to red, to orange, and back again. As the woman shifted, Tara noticed that her skin wasn’t just smooth brown but was actually composed of very light brown swirls that Tara realized were actually living vines themselves.

“Are these people who I think they are?” Tara whispered to Elias.

It was Liam who answered as he dropped to a knee. “These are the Royal Elementals. Well, half of them.”

Aston was next to kneel and then Elias took her hand and gently pulled her down as he lowered to the ground.

Tara couldn’t take her eyes from the four elementals. She was probably supposed to bow her head or lower her eyes or something, but all she could do was stare.

“You must be new,” said the man who had been made of fire. He looked directly at Tara.

Tara’s mouth dropped open, but she had no idea what to say so she snapped it closed again.

“You’re a pretty little thing,” he said. His smile grew a tad more wicked, and the flames in his eyes appeared to spark. It seemed to Tara that she saw in his eyes a raging inferno, and the man was having trouble controlling it.

Elias tensed next to her.

“Come now, Aviur,” a female voice chided. Tara glanced toward the voice and saw that it was the dark-skinned woman adorned in the leaf dress. “Do not provoke her mate just because you’re bored. Introduce yourself and be done.”

Aviur bowed his head slightly as he looked at her. “Forgive me. It is rude of me to tease your male. He is so very protective of you. I am Aviur, the Pharaoh of flames, baron of blazes, sultan of sparks, and the king of all fire elementals and human elementalists.”

“He also has a tendency toward self-aggrandization,” said the woman in the leaf dress.

Tara cleared her throat and forced herself to speak. “Nice to meet you?” It came out as a question.

“And you are?” Aviur asked.

“Tara, just a … just a human.”

“Please, everyone, stand,” the leaf woman spoke again.

As everyone stood, the woman looked at Tara. “Tara, I am Dhara, the empress of earth, the light queen of all earth elementals and human elementalists, and the sponsor of Terra Academy.” Dhara walked toward Tara. The leaves of Dhara’s dress rustled, and the vines in her hair shifted as if they were alive. When the queen was standing a foot away from Tara, she reached out her hand and took the hand Elias wasn’t holding.

Tara felt warmth radiating up her arm as the deep green eyes stared into hers. “I am so sorry for your loss,” the earth queen said. “I would have much rather you not be here and instead be with your family. But they were ripped away from you by my sister. She has given herself to the darkness.”

Tara squeezed Dhara’s hand gently. “And I am sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how it must hurt to have your sister as your enemy.”

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