Page 61 of Tamed By Air (The Nature Hunters Academy 4)

“You can and you will, now.”

Rory held up her hand and turned it palm down toward the scales. Then white light—thin and blade-like—hit the scales and, to Rory’s surprise, judging by her wide eyes, sliced directly through them. The dragon visibly tensed and made a growling sound in its throat. A moment later, dark red blood poured out of the beast.

“The sacrifice has been made,” Kimba said.

“For you,” Osiris challenged.

Ra immediately took the blade in his hand and ran it across his palm. Then he grabbed Shelly’s hand and whispered, “I’m sorry, beloved.” And he sliced her palm as well. She hissed at the pain but otherwise showed no outward sign of discomfort. But inside, she swore—mother trucker, son of a biscuit—and clenched her throbbing hand.

Osiris’s face took on a color of red that matched the fire burning in his domain, and his jaw clenched tightly. “Dammit,” he yelled and slammed his foot into the ground, right next to the massive crack. Shelly had the urge to give him a little nudge.Oops, did I just push the psycho imposter lord of the underworld into the pit of hell? My bad.She glared at the man who’d kept her from her soul mate. The room shook again, causing Osiris to stumble, but unfortunately, it was in the wrong direction.Dammit.She echoed his sentiment. “Fine, we will go. But”—he turned to look at her and Ra—“I keep my promises, little one. You chose wrong.” Then he lifted his hand and snapped his fingers.

One second they were in the throne room of the underworld, and the next they were in the clearing that Shelly recognized as the Devil’s Heart. Her eyes immediately found her friends, who were currently in the fight of their lives against a horde of demons. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire,” she muttered.

The dragon held out a wing, and Ra helped her down.

“Thank you,” he said to the dragon. “Your kindness will not be forgotten.” The beast inclined his head and then lifted into the air, flying over the demons. Shelly nearly gagged as she watched the dragon open his huge muzzle and fly down, scooping several small demons into his mouth. Loud crunching and squelching sounds burst forth when the dragon slammed its maw shut.

“Stay beside me, Mery.” Ra grabbed her hand and headed toward the group of students and elemental royalty.

She watched the royal elementals using their powers to fight as well. It didn’t seem they were making much more progress than the students. How many demons were in hell, anyway? Surely the flood of imps would wane at some point. But even if it did, there were plenty topside to keep everyone busy.

Shelly stumbled when the ground beneath her shuddered violently and then rolled like the waves of the ocean. Her eyes caught sight of Elias and Tara. They stood shoulder to shoulder, their hands focused on the ground, using their power to manipulate the earth. The tallest point of the crest hit the demons just as they exited the gate. Several demons went stumbling in different directions, losing their focus long enough that the dragons and royals could pick them off.

Ra joined the fight, placing Shelly’s hand against his back. “Don’t let go,” he told her.

She nodded and then felt power and heat race through him. Shelly allowed her own magic—bestowed upon her by the royal fire king—to flow into Ra, giving his own power a boost. As he focused on dealing with more of the demons, Shelly looked around, searching for Osiris. Her eyes darted across the clearing until they finally landed on the bastard. He took long strides toward the entrance, ignoring the battle, and seemingly unafraid of injury by elementalist magic, demon claws, or dragon fire.

When he reached the gate, Osiris stepped directly in front of it. The instant he blocked the way, not another demon passed through. He held out his hand and gradually the split in the rock started to close.

“Are you serious?” Shelly heard Gabby’s voice. “We’ve been out here fighting these psychotic beasts, and all he had to do is wave his hand and,poof, the gate closes?”

When the rock was completely sealed, Osiris turned to face the group. The elementalists reined in their power, but none of the royals or Shelly’s friends lowered their hands. The dragons, too, looked alert, coiling their long necks as if ready to strike.

Osiris cleared his throat and straightened his suit jacket. Then he looked around at the group in the field. “Would one of you unintelligent beings like to tell me why the hell you opened the gate?”

“I ordered it.” A massive red dragon stepped closer to the lord of the underworld.

“Sepheron.” Osiris narrowed his eyes at the beast. “Why did you do this? You knew the consequences.”

“You took that which did not belong to you, Osiris,” Sepheron said. “You abused your power. Power that never should have been yours. You have no memory of this, but at one point in time, you did not fight on the side of darkness. You were not a part of the underworld. But your time there has corrupted you, perhaps beyond our help. Regardless, a choice is now laid before you. You can either leave the underworld, and we try to cleanse you of the darkness that has infested you, or you stay there and become a servant of the underworld’s true ruler.”

“What are you talking about, Sepheron?” Aviur dropped his hands and marched toward the dragon. “If Osiris is not the lord of the underworld, then who is?”

“Lucifer,” Sepheron answered. “Bearer of light, he who has fallen into the darkness because of his pride and greed. He is evil incarnate. And he will destroy every one of you.”

“Then who is this guy?” Gabby pointed at Osiris. “I mean, other than the asshole who stole Ra’s girl.”

“He is a royal elemental,” Kimba said.

“Um, no,” Dhara said. “The four elements are represented by royals already, both light and dark. Each element can only have one king and queen. And he is definitely not one of us.”

The dragon nodded. “True enough. Fire, water, air, and earth. The kings and queens of the light and dark elements are established. And he is not one of you. But there is a fifth element which you have forgotten, and he is the royal that bears its power.”

* * *

“Kimba, what the ever-loving heck?”Rory stomped toward the dragon. Aston walked beside her, his hand grasping hers. She was pretty sure he was never going to let her take off after a runaway dragon again, especially not one storming through the gates of hell. The way he’d wrapped her in his arms as soon as she’d slid off Kimba’s wings told her he might not even let her out of his sight ever again. He spoke into her mind.“Never again. I can only be that selfless once, my wild Rory. Don’t ask that of me, please.”

“I won’t.”She turned on Kimba. “Don’t you know anything about the BFF code?” Rory snapped at the dragon. “I’m pretty sure not telling your best friend that there’s fifth element, and that you know all about it, including that Osiris is one of the royals, GOES AGAINST THE CODE!”

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