“He will be fine,” Itterra said. “He is a very good warrior.”

  “Is Shelly really alive?” Tara asked.

  “She must be for the very reason Elias gave,” the headmistress answered. “Tucker is hoping to use her as a bargaining chip to get you.”

  “What if he dies? What then?”

  “Then the elemental who Tucker served will continue with Tucker’s plan and attempt to get you using Shelly.”

  “Why do they want me?”

  “Because you are a soul bonded. If you do not complete the bond and do not join your soul with Elias, the darkness will consume you, and you will be a very powerful acolyte for the dark elementals.”

  Tara closed her eyes and shook her head. “No. I would never do that.”

  “You wouldn’t have a choice,” Itterra said. “It would happen whether you wanted it to or not.”

  Tara couldn’t imagine allowing herself to be motivated by evil. But then she thought back to her parents’ deaths and remembered the bitterness and anger that had completely consumed her. If not for Carol and Shelly, she would have allowed those feelings to eat her alive.

  “The battle won’t last long,” Itterra said. “We have the advantage. They are on our territory. The trees will help, as will the supernaturals that inhabit the surrounding forest.”

  Tara closed her eyes and pictured Shelly’s face. Her friend who was so full of fight and life. The image shifted to Shelly’s motionless form being thrown like garbage into the portal that apparently led to the underworld. Her best friend was in hell, and Tara felt completely unable to do anything to help her. What was she going to tell Shelly’s parents? What was she going to tell Carol?

  “It’s going to be all right,” Itterra said. “I know it doesn’t feel like it right now, but we will use every resource we have to rescue your friend.”

  “But you can’t promise me that she will be okay. Unless you can see the future, you can’t tell me with a hundred percent confidence that you will get her back safely,” Tara challenged. “I have no idea if she’s in pain right this very second. She may be alive, but she could also be suffering horrifically.”

  “She seemed like a fighter,” the headmistress said. “She will not give up.”

  “No, she won’t,” Tara agreed. But she also knew there were things worse than death. Shelly might live, but what would she have to endure? What kind of person would she be afterward? Tara didn’t know.

  Chapter 21

  Ra fought with a fury he’d never felt before. One foe after another fell at his feet from the wrath of his blade and the rage of his fire. He had no idea who the female was that the dark fire elemental had thrown into the underworld, but he knew that something about her called to him. The minute he’d heard her voice, he’d been trapped in a spell, unable to tear his eyes from hers. Now, she was gone, and all he could think about was destroying those who had hurt her and then going after her.

  He was dimly aware of the fighting going on all around him. He was surprised to see so many acolytes from the four disciplines working together. The earth elementalists from the academy were fighting hard, but they weren’t used to dealing with the other disciplines, and it showed. Neither was he, for that matter. An air acolyte zipped past him, caught up on the breeze. She threw out a fist as she passed, clubbing him on the side of the head. He snarled and hurled a fireball at her, but it was too late. She didn’t come back around to engage. Instead, she flew out of sight into the treetops. Another acolyte ran toward him, sword drawn. Ra put both hands on the pommel of his sword, uttered a spell, and thrust the sword outward. A huge column of fire shot out toward the oncoming man. The acolyte mimicked Ra’s gesture, and a fountain of water erupted from the man’s sword, meeting Ra’s column of fire halfway between them. There was a mighty hiss as an enormous plume of steam erupted from the two spells, blinding Ra, and most likely everyone around him.

  He blinked his eyes trying to clear his vision. When he did, he saw the cloud of steam still hanging in the air. He smelled something then … brimstone. A rending, snarling sound came from inside the cloud of steam. Then he realized the steam had turned into a thick cloud of choking smoke. He heard fighting and cursing all around him.

  When the smoke finally started to dissipate, Ra saw a large figure within it. He soon realized the figure was a fire element, its massive body writhing in flames. The thing’s eyes were as black as coal. It looked like a bonfire made into the crude form of a human man. The elemental's hand flew out and another portal opened. The acolytes who were still alive all turned and ran for the portal. Ra saw Tucker, the snake who started all this, jump through the portal and disappear. Elias ran up behind him but skidded to a stop when he saw the giant fire elemental.

  The elemental waved its hand, and a giant wall of fire sprang up around it. Ra knew he could pass through it to give chase, but the earth elementalist wouldn’t be able to without the proper protection spells. Even in his rage, he knew it would be foolish to attempt to take on the dark elemental or to go through the portal.

  “This is not over,” the fire elemental said, his voice so sinister that Ra felt it in his soul. It burned him from the inside out. And he imagined that what his friends felt was even worse.

  Just as quickly as he appeared, the fire elemental was gone. The portal closed, and nothing but a wisp of smoke remained. The woods went quiet. And Ra let out a scream of primal rage.

  The headmaster, headmistress, a handful of students, warriors, professors, Jax, Zuri, Liam, Aston, Elias, Tara, and Ra met in the great hall of the earth academy.

  “What can be done?” Tara asked. “How do we get her back?”

  Ra stepped forward. “Only a fire elemental or elementalist can enter the underworld. I will go after your friend.”

  “Why was she unconscious?” Tara asked him.

  “The fire acolyte put a spell on her. A form of protection for her physical form so she won’t die while in the underworld.”

  “Ra…” Elias started, but Ra held up a hand to stop his friend.

  “I will get her back, and if I cannot, then I will stay with her.” He looked at Tara and placed his hand over his heart. “I give my word as a warrior. I promise this to you, and if I fail, then may I forfeit the inheritance promised me in the afterlife by my Egyptian ancestors.”

  Elias, Aston, and Liam all spoke at the same time. “Ra,” “No,” “Don’t,” they said. He knew they understood what he was willing to give up.

  “Thank you, Ra,” Tara said as tears spilled from her eyes.

  Elias wrapped his female in his arms and bowed his head to Ra. “I owe you a life debt.”

  “Based on what I saw today, I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities to pay up. The dark elementals are done working in secret. They are ready to go to war.”

  “I agree,” Terrick, the headmaster, said. “It is time we meet with the other academies and beseech the kings and queens as well. We need to work together if we are to stand against them.”

  Jax spoke next. He looked at Liam, Ra, and Aston. “Each of you is to go back to your respective academies and let your leaders know what has happened.” He then looked at the instructors who had come with them. “Can each of you begin to call your warriors from around the world?”

  They nodded in unison.

  Terrick looked at Ra and said, “Whatever assistance we can offer you and Crimson Academy will be yours.”

  Ra nodded and then looked at his three brothers. “I’m assuming you each will want to be there when I cross over?”

  The three males nodded.

  “Very well. I will contact you when it is time.” A second later, his instructor opened a fire portal, and they walked through it.

  Ra stepped onto the grounds of Crimson Academy and looked up. His headmaster and headmistress were waiting for them.

  His jaw clenched as he spoke. “War is coming. And I am going to the underworld after a female.”

  Tara was surprised to find out she’d already been assigned her own bedroom in anticipation of her recruitment as a student. Now, she lay on her bed, emotionally and physically exhausted. Her head hurt from all the crying, and her heart hurt even more.

  Elias hadn’t left her side. He didn’t stop touching her, holding her hand, stroking her hair, offering both of them comfort.

  But now, Tara saw his head drop forward. His shoulders slumped. She frowned.

  “Elias?”

  He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her stomach. The movement was so fast Tara gasped. Her hands instinctively went to his hair, and she began to run her fingers through it.

  “There are no words for how sorry I am Shelly has been hurt and taken,” he said, his voice muffled because of his face pressing against her. “You have every right to hate me, but I couldn’t let you go. I don’t know what I would have done if Tucker had gotten his hands on you.”

  Tara wasn’t angry anymore. She was devastated, but the entire day she’d been feeling all of Elias’s emotions because of their soul bond, and it was breaking her. The anguish he felt because of what had happened was torture.

  “I’m not angry,” she said. “It’s not your fault. The only one at fault is Tucker.”

  “And he didn’t pay for what he did. But he will, luv, I promise you that.”

  “Zuri said the battle was intense. She said she’d never seen you fight with such focus and ruthlessness. She spoke like a proud mother.”

  Elias chuckled. “I was trying so hard to figure out a way to get Shelly from him before he could hurt her. There were archers moving into place on the mountain, but we didn’t bring them in fast enough. It’s been a very long time since we’ve had an enemy show up at the academy door.”

  “Will Ra be able to get her back?” Tara asked as she continued to stroke his hair. She could feel him relax a little, and she liked knowing she could give him that comfort.

  “If anyone can, it’s him. Ra is one of the best fighters I’ve ever seen. He’s relentless. He meant it when he said he’d get her back or stay with her. Which essentially meant he would die with her.”

  Tara swallowed the bile that rose up in her throat at the thought of losing Shelly. It would kill her.

  “I can feel your exhaustion,” Elias said as he looked up at her. “You need rest. We all do. We won’t be worth anything if we don’t keep up our strength.”

  He was right. But there were also other things that had to be dealt with.

  “What about Carol and Shelly’s parents?” she asked.

  “Terrick and Itterra have gone to them,” he said.

  Tara’s eyes widened. “Seriously? What are they going to do?”

  “Tell them the truth. The headmaster and mistress respect the fact that Shelly is their daughter, and they deserve to know what’s happened, as does Carol. They will cast protection spells on them, but neither Carol nor Shelly’s parents will be allowed to come here. It would put them in too much danger.”

  “Will I be able to talk to them?”

  Elias nodded. “You can call them first thing in the morning. Right now, I think you’re about to drop.” He stood and picked her up, cradling her in his strong arms. He walked over to a door and stepped inside. It was a bathroom. He set her on her feet and pointed to a cabinet. “Towels are in there. Take a shower. I’ll bring you some clothes. I’ll take one while you’re getting ready and then I’ll be back.”

  Her brow rose. “Back?”

  “I’ll sleep on the floor if you want, though I’d prefer to hold you. But I won’t leave you. You’re mine, Tara. We belong together. We are stronger together. You will realize that when we complete the bond and start using our magic together.”

  He left without another word. Tara’s voice was stuck in her throat. It sounded like he’d made up his mind that they were going to be married or something. Part of that made her giddy, and part of it freaked her the hell out. They were so young. How could you commit to a person you barely knew? But then, how could she not when she also knew he was her soul mate, her perfect match? She wanted him and she needed him.

  Tara continued to think as she showered. When she got out, she saw a stack of folded clothes waiting for her. She shivered at the idea of Elias coming into the bathroom while she’d been naked. But then again, maybe it had been Zuri. Tara also noticed her bathroom had been stocked with a variety of toiletries.

  She dressed, brushed her teeth, and combed her wet hair. When she opened the door she found Elias laying on the bed, wearing a pair of sleep pants and no shirt.

  Bloody. Hell. She forced her mouth to stay closed. She knew if she didn’t, the gathering drool would come falling out.

  “You’re going to have to put on a shirt,” she said.

  “Why is that?” Elias asked with a flirty smile on his handsome face.

  “Because your body is too hot for words, and I don’t want to molest you.”

  “And if I want you to molest me?”

  “I’d tell you one of us has to be the responsible one.”

  Smirking, he reached behind him and produced a T-shirt. She glared at him. He’d purposefully laid himself out like a damn centerfold. Elias slipped on the shirt and then held his hand out to her.

  “Come here, luv,” he said, his voice dropping into bedroom mode. “I need to hold you.”

  Tara’s feet moved without her permission, and before she knew it, she was crawling on the bed and lying down beside him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and tucked her close to him. His body was turned toward hers, and he pressed his face against her neck where her shoulder met it. Elias took a deep breath and then pressed a kiss to the sensitive skin.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  “As a guy? Absolutely not. But as a warrior for the earth elementalists, then yes.”

  He chuckled. “I promise not to corrupt you too much.” He kissed her again but kept his face against her. “I love you, Tara. It doesn’t make sense, and I know I sound like a nutter. But that doesn’t change the fact that I love you. I will do everything in my power to protect you, to make sure you get Shelly back, and to drive you insane. Mostly in pleasant ways.”

  “You’re crazy,” she said. “But I can’t deny how I feel about you. I don’t understand it either, but I’m falling in love with you. I can’t imagine my life without you anymore.”

  “Good. Because you’ll never be without me.”

  She yawned and he pulled her tighter against him. “Sleep, luv. In the morning, we will face the coming trials. Tonight, let me hold you.” He pulled his face away from hers and looked into her eyes. His hand reached up, stroked her cheek, and then pulled her face toward his. Their lips hovered so close, barely touching. The memory of his kiss was enough to make her mouth water. Finally, he closed the distance between them and kissed her. His firm lips felt like heaven, and when he deepened the kiss, his tongue danced with her own. Elias groaned as his hand traveled to her waist and ran down her side to her hip. Her own hand ran up his chest, his neck, and then tangled in his hair. She could feel his heartbeat against her chest and wondered if he could feel hers. Tara moaned as he bit her bottom lip. Elias ripped himself away from her with a growl.

  “New rule,” he said, his breath coming out in ragged gasps. “No more kissing while I hold you in bed.”

  Tara smiled and pressed her fingertips to her swollen lips. When he looked over at her, the heat in his eyes was enough to burn her up.

  “I think that’s a good rule.”

  He shook his head. “No. It’s a dumb-arse rule and I hate it. But necessary if you want me to not undress you and join our bodies and our magic and our souls. Because that’s what I want.”

  “I’m not quite ready for that,” she breathed out.

  “I know,” he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. “And I’ll wait until you are.” He pulled her against him once again and settled next to her. “Sleep, my love. Tomorrow, we will meet with Ra and make the plan to get Shelly back while the rest plan for war.”

  Tara closed her eyes and prayed to any god that might be listening that Shelly was okay. She felt guilty she was being held comfortably in the arms of her soulmate while her friend was in hell. I’m sorry, Shelly. Just hang in there. We will get you back. She was going to have to trust Ra, a guy she didn’t know, to bring her best friend back alive. If Shelly didn’t make it, then Tara didn’t know if even the soul bond could keep the darkness from consuming what was left of her soul.

  The End

  Thank you for reading Bound by Earth. If you enjoyed the book, please consider leaving a review. Reviews are vitally important to indie authors and every review is appreciated!

  Sealed by Fire

  Her breasts were on fire. That was the first thought that entered Shelly’s mind as her faculties slowly came back online. Why in the hell were her breasts on fire? Shelly tried to take a breath, but then her lungs caught fire as well. She must be sleeping while her house burned down around her. Why wasn’t the smoke detector going off? Why couldn’t she wake up? “WAKE UP!” She screamed inside of her mind. But no matter how hard she willed herself to open her eyes, her body wouldn’t move. She was going to burn alive, completely aware of it, and unable to do anything to save herself.

  As the thought threatened to drive her mad, she felt flames licking at her feet. They took hold and traveled up her body. The flames sped over her calves, her thighs, and then up her hips and stomach. The burning reached her chest but didn’t slow. It moved right on to her neck, her face, and finally, covered the top of her head. This isn’t fair. I should be stopping, dropping, and rolling, but I can’t even move. All those drills in kindergarten were for nothing.

  Damn furry, gluteus maximus, son of a teet. Shelly mentally cursed Smokey the Bear and his prevent forest fire mantra only because she needed someone to curse, and he seemed the most logical culprit. At least in her panic-driven, pain-filled mind.