Page 10 of Veiled By Smoke (The Nature Hunters Academy #5)
Kimba decided it was time for her to join the attack as she launched herself straight up into the air, shifting as she went. She soared up into the sky, making sure to stay in the sun's rays, her shimmering scales becoming camouflaged by the brightness.
“What are you up to?” Rory asked her through their unique bond.
“It wouldn’t be a sneak attack if I told you,” she pointed out.
“Just try not to kill anyone,” Rory said dryly. “You tend to forget not everyone is as resilient as I am.”
“And humble.” Kimba evened herself out in the sky and then looked down at the group.
Her sharp eyesight allowed her to make out each couple, not to mention the dragons that circled over them.
She reached out through the dragon lines of communication.
“Let’s show off a bit,” she told them. “Every flying trick you know, do it. Use your speed, your best maneuvers. Give them something to look at so they’re not focused on me. ”
“On it,” Zephyra assured her.
Kimba watched as the dragons began their complicated routes, sometimes barely missing each other by mere centimeters.
It was quite a sight to see such huge beings moving with such grace, speed, and agility.
She waited a good three minutes for the dragons to captivate the attention of the humans, and then she circled in a wide arc to the back of the group.
Her descent was slow, her wings silent, as she kept them still, using the wind to soar.
When she was within thirty feet, she opened her mouth, letting out a mighty roar along with massive flames.
Rory was the first to turn with a shout. “Look out!”
All of them turned, hands up, each of their elements responding to their commands.
Liam created a dome of water that covered all of them, while Aston followed Rigg’s example and created a tornado that wrapped around him and Rory, strong enough that it would repel the flames.
The other air elementals focused on offense, attempting to throw shots of power whips of wind at her, but she out-maneuvered them.
Shelly and Ra simply covered themselves in flames, their forms protected by their elemental fire.
Gabby stood next to her mate with her hand on his shoulder, no doubt pouring her power into him.
Crey, Tinley, Lawson, and Cara, all more experienced in battle than the younger ones, also used their power in an offensive way, shooting up geysers of fire all around.
Kimba and the other dragons were forced to scramble or risk getting burned.
As soon as Kimba began to make her ascent, the other dragons joined her.
“This time we dive and do a vertical stop, wings extended,” she told her warriors.
They dove but at the last moment pulled back, their wings widening to bring them to that vertical position with massive amounts of wind pushing at the group.
All of them began to slide backwards. Shelly tumbled back, legs over head, and Aston threw out his hand using his own air magic to right Ra’s mate to her feet.
Gabby met Liam’s eyes as her mate used his water magic to wrap everyone’s feet in ice, helping them to remain still and upright.
Meanwhile, Rory, the sneaky little witch, called to Kimba, using the powerful bond between them, and Kimba could not ignore the call for help.
Kimba immediately whipped around and nose-dived towards her bonded human.
She landed in front of Zephyra and fought her own nature to attack the one who would dare attack Rory.
She hadn’t felt that way until Rory had needed her.
Zephyra immediately stepped back and bowed her head, conceding to the soul-elemental queen and human-bonded dragon.
Kimba was distracted when there were several snappy sounds and then ice burst into the air, turning into snowflakes.
Kimba watched, unsurprised as Gabby stuck out her tongue to catch one, and Liam laughed while the rest of the group chuckled.
The older soul bonded congratulated the younger couples on their efforts and skills.
Kimba shifted to her human form and looked at each of them. “Well done,” she told them, her voice ringing with sincerity. “Let’s take a break. I’ll let the other dragons give you any pointers that perhaps they noticed that I missed. Meanwhile, I’ve got to deal with something.”
Rory, never one to let things go, called after her, “Just so you know, you’re still not forgiven for the whole secret-queen thing! I expect a full apology, preferably with snacks and sparkly jewelry.”
Lark snickered. “She’s not going to let you live that down, Kimba.”
“I wouldn’t want her to,” Kimba replied, her eyes warm as she met Rory’s.
“Would that something that Kimba needs to deal with happen to be an asshat in need of a dragon talon to the heart?” Gabby asked.
“Damn, woman,” Liam groaned. “I can’t decide if your blood-thirsty appetite should worry me or turn me on.”
“Nothing wrong with being blood thirsty,” Tinley said with a flippant shrug. “It’s better than being a doormat that lets someone walk on you.”
“Yep, that,” Tara nodded as she pointed at Crey’s mate.
Kimba smiled at the group, her eyes meeting Rory’s. “You did well,” she told her. “Although, you sort of cheated by calling on me.”
Rory winked at her. “You never said we had to fight fair.”
Kimba felt Osiris’s presence at the edge of her mind, pulling her attention away from the elementalist in front of her. She looked at Solyn, the oldest warrior of the group. “Let them rest, but then begin drills again. Remember who their foe is: have them focus on how they should fight demons.”
Solyn rumbled as he spoke, “I’ll get them ready.”
And as the dragons circled protectively around the students, Kimba turned from them, shifted and headed towards the caves where Osiris was brooding.
She could feel it through the bond. She let herself drift through the air giving herself time to collect her emotions, needing to have her emotional armor in place before she faced off with the male who’d once held her heart.