Page 9 of Sealed By Fire (The Nature Hunters Academy 2)

The earth queen gave a single nod as she squeezed Tara’s hand in return and then released it. “It is hard. Unfortunately, so much time has passed that I do not remember a time when she wasn’t my adversary.”

Dhara walked toward the woman with the porcelin skin. “Now, let us finish the introductions. You’ve met Aviur.” She motioned to the fire king. “Now I shall introduce you to Nasima, empress of air.”

The air queen held out her hand, and Tara felt something wrap around her waist. Suddenly she was being pulled forward. Her feet slid uselessly across the floor until she was in front of Nasima. Tara didn’t have to turn around to know that Elias was standing directly behind her.

“Your soul bonded is safe here, Elias,” Dhara said gently.

“All the same, your majesty, I can’t protect her if I’m across the room,” Elias said in a deep voice that made goosebumps erupt on Tara’s skin.

“He is fine,” Nasima said in a voice that reminded Tara of the sound of wind chimes. “Welcome to Terra Academy. I have to wonder if your name is a coincidence or a warning to our enemies.”

Tara frowned. “A warning?”

The pale eyes sharpened as Nasima tilted her head slightly. “Names are powerful, Tara Thompson. Just because humans no longer acknowledge that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. You have a name that derives itself from a word that means earth. You are an earth elementalistand,” she added pointedly, “you are soul bonded. I don’t think any of that is mere happenstance.” Then the air queen turned her attention to Tara’s right. “Aston, your knowledge and power have grown since I saw you last.”

Tara turned her head to look back at the air elementalist. He was blushing, which gave his handsome good looks a boyish appearance.

“It would be alarming if I was less intelligent each time we met, your majesty,” Aston said and, though he didn’t glance away, his blush did spread a bit.

Nasima made a tinkling sound, and Tara realized she was laughing.

“You are correct. It would be most alarming.”

Dhara moved over to the last elemental, the one who had a dress made of flowing water and aquamarine skin. “And this is Kairi, the warden of water and queen over all water elementals and human elementalists.”

Kairi held out her hand and Tara took it. Immediately the girl felt the soft flow of liquid on her skin, but when she pulled away, her hand was completely dry.

“As much as we regret that you are here because of your circumstances,” Queen Kairi said, “we are very honored to have you join us in our battle.”

“Thank you,” Tara said, though she didn’t really know if she felt thankful or not. Overwhelmed? Definitely.

Tara felt Elias once again take her hand and pull her back until they were across the room from the elemental king and queens, standing next to Aston and Liam.

“Now,” Dhara said, “introductions have been made. Before you tell us why you have called us all together, we have news that each of us discovered this morning,” she said as she looked at Terrick and Iterra.

“Why do I have the feeling that you’re about to tell us the sky is falling?” Liam asked.

“Because, essentially, itis. Our mates are missing,” Dhara said.

There was a stunned silence in the room that caused Tara’s stomach to drop to her feet. She didn’t really understand this world she’d been thrown into, but just from the brief introduction of the royal elementals before her, she thought it seemed impossible that something could have happened to such powerful beings.

“How did they go missing?” Terrick asked.

“We’ve been taking turns hunting the royal dark elementals,” Aviur answered. “For the safety of each of our realms, one royal stays behind when the other is in the human realm. It was our mates’ turn to hunt. They were to be back yesterday, but they have not returned.”

“Do you think a dark elemental has captured them?” Iterra asked.

“Unlikely,” Dhara replied. “A dark elemental could not hold four royal light elementals captive, at least not one alone. Perhaps, if several of the most powerful dark elementals combined their power…”

“What about someone else? Who, other than the dark elementals, would want to capture them?” Zuri asked.

“Osiris?” Jax offered when none of the royals answered.

Dhara shook her head as her brow drew low. “Osiris deals in human souls. He has no reason to come after us.”

“That you know of,” Zuri added. “Never discount the ruler of hell. Light elementals steal souls from him every time you take a human into one of your academies.”

“She has a point,” Kairi, the water queen, said. “Just because he’s never seemed to be bothered by it before doesn’t mean he hasn’t decided to be bitter about it now.”

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