Page 22 of Tamed By Air (The Nature Hunters Academy 4)

“I’m hunting wood pixies. I heard there was an abundance of them in this part of the world, and I’m fascinated by them.”

Rory opened her hands and muttered a spell under her breath. She felt heat in her palms. “Nowthat”—she pointed at him—“is getting closer to the truth, though I don’t think wood pixies are what you’re after. This isn’t a place you should be hunting anything, Tucker. Not unless you want to be roasted and then served up like fried chicken.”

He slipped his hands into his pockets, and his shoulders dropped forward. Rory got the odd feeling that he was trying to come across as nonchalant. “I’m not looking for the dragons, if that’s what you think.”

“I don’t know what to think,” she said. “I just came out of the portal to the dragon realm, which is in a remote part of the world. A few minutes later, a human male suddenly materializes out of the forest. He clearly knows this is the location of the portal into the dragon realm, which means he knows about the existence of the supernatural world. And yet, you’renotlooking for the dragons? I find that a bit hard to believe.”

“Okay.” He dropped his chin. “When you put it like that, it sounds suspicious.”

“You think?” She stared at him, waiting to see what bullcrap he’d come up with next. Meanwhile, she continued to deal with the metaphorical devil on her right shoulder while desperately hoping for an angel to show up on her left.

“The truth is,” Tucker began, then paused and clenched his jaw, his face taking on a pained look, “I came on behalf of Aston.”

Rory felt as if she’d been sucker punched. It took her a minute to recover before she could ask, “How do you know Aston?”

“I was at the Devil's Heart battle,” he answered. “I’m a water elementalist.”

“What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?”

“I saw the dragon you were on take Aston from the battle,” he continued. “We all did. We didn’t know what you wanted with him.”

Rory thought back to that moment. She couldn’t remember seeing Tucker during the battle. Kimba had hovered over a group of elementalists that had been fighting alongside Aston. Things were chaotic, and her focus had been mostly on Aston. It’s not a surprise she wouldn’t remember him, but still … something felt off. “You weren’t there. I saw who fought with Aston, and you weren’t among them.”

“I wasn’t standing with the group at that moment. I was a little busy trying not to be killed by the bad guys,” Tucker said. Rory heard defensiveness in his voice. “But it’s hard to miss a dragon that snatches up a human and flies off with him.”

Rory continued to pour magic into her hands in case she need to use a spell on Tucker. “None of that explains how you know Aston.”

“I go to school with him.”

“Hmm. Aston isn’t a water elementalist.” Rory knew this didn’t exactly mean that this man didn’t attend Aston’s academy. Aston had shared with her how the different academies were divided by element, and how each taught students of their own respective affinities. But he’d also mentioned they’d recently begun training different elemental students together so as to grow stronger and gain synergy fighting alongside one another.

“That doesn’t mean we don’t know one another. We train together.”

“Why did he sendyou?” Aston had talked about his three best friends and how inseparable they were. He’d never once mentioned some guy named Tucker.

“I’m not soul bonded. The other guys are. It’s painful for them to be separated from their mates.” Tucker's explanation made sense, and that pissed her off. She was experiencing firsthand what it felt like to be apart from her soul bonded. It wasn’t something she’d ever willingly do again once she and Aston were back together.Ifshe and Aston were ever back together.

Rory shook her head, forcing that thought away. She had to think positively. She couldn’t let herself entertain the idea that she wouldn’t find him, or that he wouldn’t be willing to work out their issues. If she didn’t, then the darkness would grow that much faster. She wouldn’t let that happen. She would get back to him before the darkness destroyed her completely.

“Look.” Tucker slipped his hands from his pockets and held them up again, as if showing her he had no weapons. “I mean no ill will toward you. I was sent here to wait and see if you’d come out of the dragon realm. If you did, I was to bring you to Aston. That’s all.”

Rory bit her lip and attempted to get her crap together before she asked her next question. When she wasalmostcertain she wouldn’t cry like a baby, she asked, “Why didn’t Aston come himself?”

Tucker’s face fell, and Rory saw pain fill his eyes. “He’s not doing good.” The boy seemed to study her, but Rory couldn’t figure out what he was looking for, and she didn’t ask. Then he continued. “Being separated from his soul bonded has made him … sick.”

Rory’s muscles went taut. Something in Tucker’s tone was off. His statement sounded more like a question, as if he wasn’t sure about the truth of his own words.Why would he be unsure about Aston being sick?Or is he unsure that I’m Aston’s soul bonded?If Tucker knew Aston, and had seen him recently, then he wouldknowthat Rory was Aston’s soul bonded. Another thought filled her mind, and it nearly made Rory vomit. What if Aston hadn’t told Tucker she was his soul bonded? What if he truly believed what he’d said to her when they’d fought? If that was true, then why would Aston send Tucker to wait for her?

“So, you’re supposed to take me to Aston? Right now?” Rory wasn’t sure what Tucker’s actual intentions were, but she knew she could protect herself if he turned out to be the enemy. Regardless, if he was an elementalist, then he’d be able to open a portal, which would make travel a heck of a lot faster.

“Yes.” Tucker reached out beside him and rotated his hand. A portal swirled into view. On the other side of it, Rory saw a quiet neighborhood.

“That doesn’t look like a school.” Despite her reservations, Rory took a step toward it.

“He didn’t go back to the school,” Tucker explained. “Aston knew once he got back on academy grounds, they wouldn’t let him leave again. He didn’t want to take that chance with you still in the dragon realm.”

Rory had no way of knowing if Tucker was being honest, but she’d already made her decision. If there was the slightest chance this man could lead her to Aston, then she had to go with him. If he was lying, she was going to turn him into a toad. Rory was a witch, after all. She might as well do a classic witch move. And toads were decidedly classic. Rory smirked as she thought of what Kimba would say to that. It would be hilarious, she was sure. “Fine.” Rory walked straight past Tucker to the portal. “For the record, if you’re lying, I have no qualms about doing unsavory things to you until you cry for your mother.” Okay, so apparently turning him into a toad was enough for her, but it wasn’t enough for her dark side.

“Noted.” Tucker said and followed her through the portal.

---