Page 29 of Cleansed By Water (The Nature Hunters Academy 3)

That seemed to release some of the tension in the room, and Shelly felt like she could breathe again.

“I will protect her at all cost,” Ra said as he stepped up beside her and held out his hand to her dad. “This is not the way I would have chosen to meet you, but I am glad I have gotten to see the people who brought my remarkable mate into the world.”

Her mom seemed shocked by his admission as she stuttered, “Um, yes, well, th-thank you.”

“Please don’t make me regret this,” Shelly’s dad said as he shook Ra’s hand.

“You have my word.” Ra bowed his head.

“And what about you two?” Carol asked.

Shelly turned to look at her best friend, who was wrapped in Elias’s arms, her back pressed firmly to his chest.

“We are the same, but a little different,” Tara said. “Elias is my soul bonded. But, without the whole ‘he dies, I die’ thing.”

“I wouldn’t want to live without you,” Elias said softly, though loud enough that everyone heard it.

“And you love him?” Carol asked.

Tara nodded. “Very much.”

“She owns me,” Elias said, looking Tara’s foster mom in the eyes.

Carol finally nodded. “Okay then. There isn’t more I can ask for from the man Tara chooses.”

“We thank you for your hospitality, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Carol,” Aviur said as he looked at each of them. “And I am sorry to drop all of this news on you and then leave, but we have much that needs to be done if we want to keep the world from freezing and the human race from dying.”

“Wow. You just lay it out there, don’t you,” Carol said as she stood and motioned for Tara to come to her.

She took Tara’s hand and held it tightly. “I wish that this was not something you had to do. I wish your parents had not suffered the fate they did, but God’s plan is not thwarted by evil. I know you don’t necessarily believe what I do, but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t exist and that he isn’t watching over you. It also doesn’t mean he can’t use evil men to bring about his plans for this world, and his plans are always for the good of those who love him. When you are standing in the dark, and you can’t see a sliver of light, I want you to remember that. Can you do that for me?” she asked as a tear ran down her cheek.

Shelly’s eyes filled with tears at the love that filled Carol’s eyes.

Tara nodded. “I can do that. I love you, and this won’t be the last time you see me.”

Carol wrapped her in her arms. “I know it won’t. Your beau will bring you back to me.”

“You have my word,” Elias said in a solemn voice.

“I am going to open a portal,” Aviur told her. “Please do not pass out.”

Tara snorted. “Carol’s made of tougher stuff than passing out at the sight of a portal.”

Shelly glanced at her parents. “Y’all don’t pass out either.”

Aviur bowed his head to the older woman. “I have seen the evidence of that today.”

“Bye, Mrs. Carol,” Shelly said as she pushed Tara out of the way and hugged Carol tightly. “You don’t worry about us. We’ll be kicking ass and taking names. We can even send you a list if you’d like. Then you can hang it on your fridge like you used to do with our drawings.”

Tara sighed. “Good grief.”

Carol patted Shelly’s cheek. “Never change, Shelly Smith. Never, ever change.”

“What the…” Shelly’s father’s eyes widened as he looked at something behind her. Shelly turned and saw that the fire king had opened a portal.

She rolled her eyes. “Could you please at least warn the humans before you do something magical? We're trying not to put them into cardiac arrest.”

Aviur smiled. “Sorry. But I did warn them. I even told them not to pass out.”

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