Page 41 of Veiled By Smoke (The Nature Hunters Academy #5)
Kimba’s shoulders sagged, but her eyes were bright.
“You did it. Again. We’re getting closer.
One more day, maybe two, and we might actually close it.
” Perhaps she saw the ache in Shelly, or maybe the others had the same fears, but Kimba’s face softened as she looked at them and then directly at Shelly.
“It’s easy for us to begin to feel hopeless when we’re giving so much of ourselves to something that feels like it will never be finished.
That’s why we have to lean on each other–not just our mates, but our friends as well.
The bond that is built between people who care deeply for one another and the cause they are fighting for is powerful.
Someone to lean on, a hug, laughter over a shared meal, or simply being there for one another in silence, so we know we aren’t alone–these are the things that get us through.
And reaching out to Mother Gaia and asking for strength and guidance. We will succeed.”
Shelly let out a shaky breath as she nodded, finding strength in Kimba’s words. Though her body ached, her spirit steadied her. Her head turned to the right when she felt something bump her. Tara. Her best friend. Her ride or die.
“I got you, weirdo," Tara said with a smile and twinkle in her eyes. “I’ll be the big spoon when your Egyptian god isn’t around.”
Shelly laughed as she bumped Tara back. She looked around at the others–at the way they leaned on each other, at the hope flickering in their eyes—and felt, for the first time since Ra left, that maybe they really could do this. That maybe they were enough.
And somewhere, deep in her soul, she made a silent promise to her mate: I’m not giving up, not on you, not on the crap trying to come through these cracks, not on the demons having a party on earth. I’m not giving in. We’ll figure this out, no matter how dark the road. I refuse to lose you, Ra.
T he portal shimmered shut behind them, leaving the hush of their mountain cave in its wake.
Kimba flexed her fingers, feeling the remnants of magic pulse through her veins—an aftertaste of light and aching fatigue.
The others trickled off in pairs, muted laughter and soft voices echoing through the winding halls as everyone sought comfort or solitude in their own way.
She glanced at Osiris, “I need a moment with my other bonded.”
He ran a hand down her back, a touch that had already begun to feel familiar again. “Okay. I’ll be in our quarters.” His footsteps were quiet as he moved, his gate smooth, as if he glided instead of walked.
Kimba took her eyes off her retreating mate and turned to look for Rory, who lingered in the shadows near the wide hearth. The fire was low, embers winking like tiny red eyes in the gloom. Rory’s posture was tight, arms crossed, jaw set, but Kimba recognized the storm brewing beneath her skin.
She approached quietly, easing down beside Rory on the stone bench. “Hey, dragon bonded,” Kimba said, keeping her voice gentle. “How you holding up?”
Rory snorted, a huff of sound that was half-laugh, half-growl. “Define ‘holding up.’ If you mean not tearing a hole in the universe to get to my sister, then yeah, I’m really nailing it.”
Kimba grinned. “You could probably do it, too. But I’m kind of attached to this universe, so let’s keep the holes to a minimum?”
Rory’s lips twitched. “No promises.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the cave’s quiet wrapping around them. Kimba watched the firelight chase shadows over Rory’s face, saw the worry, the longing, the sharp edge of something softer.
“She’s safe, you know,” Kimba said, voice barely above a whisper. “Ra and Penny are doing everything right for her. She’s not ready yet, but . . . she’s getting there.”
Rory’s fingers drummed against her sleeve.
“I know. I get it. I want her to have a choice, to be safe. I want her to understand what she’s walking into before she has to face all of this.
” She exhaled, shoulders slumping. “But it’s like there’s this ache in my chest I can’t shake. Like part of me is just . . . missing.”
Kimba squeezed her hand. “She’s your sister. That bond—it doesn’t care about time or distance. It’ll lead her home when she’s ready.”
Rory nodded, but her gaze was sharp as she turned to Kimba.
“There’s something else.” She hesitated, searching Kimba’s face as if weighing every word.
“I’ve been feeling . . . darkness. Through our bond.
The dragonrider bond. It’s not mine—I know my shadows.
This is different. Colder. Older. It’s coming from you, or .
. . maybe from Osiris since your bond with him is restored.
I need you to be straight with me, Kimba.
Can he really be trusted? Does he actually want to be with you?
Or is this just another one of those tragic soulmate stories where the bad guy pretends to give a shit and then goes back to the dark side because he likes their cookies more, and leaves the rest of us to pick up the pieces wondering what the hell was wrong with our cookies?
Or should I say your cookies? I mean, why wouldn’t he want your cookies?
Look at you,” she motioned to all of Kimba.
“You’re freaking gorgeous, but it’s not a beauty like the human realm has.
You’re something more. If he chooses the darkness over you, I’ll kill him myself. Slowly.”
Kimba blinked, momentarily thrown. Cookies?
Sometimes she really had to work hard to decipher her dragon bond’s human comparisons.
She knew she wasn’t using the analogy to beat around the bush.
Rory went straight for the emotional jugular, and it was as precise as dragon fire.
Kimba leaned back, letting the questions settle before she spoke.
“You’re right,” Kimba admitted, her tone honest. “There is darkness. Lucifer’s tried to reach Osiris—he’s tried to use that old connection to lure him back into the underworld.
We don’t know all his plans, but he no doubt wants the gate opened, and we know enough to be careful.
” She paused, letting Rory read the conviction in her eyes.
“But Osiris isn’t alone this time, and he isn’t the man he was before.
We’re using our soul bond to keep Lucifer out, to keep Osiris anchored to the light.
Closing the rift will help even more. It’s not easy, and it’s not perfect, but I believe in him.
I wouldn’t risk you, or Aurora, or any of us if I didn’t. ”
Rory looked away, jaw working. “It’s just .
. . I want to believe you. I really do. But I’ve seen what happens when the darkness wins.
I’ve felt how seductive the darkness is.
I’ve watched it eat the witches’ coven alive as they tried to control it.
It’s not something that can be brought to heel. And we’ve all lost too much already.”
Kimba reached over, tucking a wild strand of hair behind Rory’s ear.
“Me too, kiddo. I can’t live in fear of what might be.
I can feel Osiris’s genuine change. A bonded can’t hide the truth, not really.
If we’re paying attention, we will feel their intentions.
He wants nothing more than to be the man he was, or better.
I’m going to believe him until he gives me a reason not to.
Also, I truly believe, in the end, the good guys win.
Sometimes it takes longer than we want, and the cost is higher than it should be.
But we’re not fighting alone. And we’re not giving up. ”
Rory’s mouth twitched with the ghost of a smile. “You’re such a sap, you know that?”
Kimba grinned, bumping her shoulder into Rory’s. “Takes one to know one. Besides, I hear sappy is the new tough.”
Rory rolled her eyes, but she didn’t pull away. She leaned into Kimba’s side, letting herself take comfort in their bond. The fire crackled, the shadows eased, and for now, hope was enough. “You know, I thought it would be weird.”
“What?” Kimba asked, enjoying the heat of the fire, even if she didn’t really need it because of the draheim part of her.
“You being human,” she answered. “To me, you’ve just been this big, scaly beast. Seeing you as this feminine beauty, all dainty and crap, I just thought it would take time to get used to it. But you’re tough as nails, even if you look like a life-size fairy.”
Kimba arched a brow at Rory. “A life-size fairy?”
Rory shrugged. “Calling it like I see it.”
“I think you need glasses. More badass than fairy.” Kimba turned her nose up as if she was really offended. She wasn’t. But distracting Rory was worth playing along.
Rory tapped her chin. “You think Aston would think I was hot in glasses?”
Kimba pinched the bridge of her nose.“How did we go from I look like a life-size fairy to Aston thinking you’re hot in glasses?”
“Easy, I’m always wondering what he would find appealing. Gotta keep things interesting. You know what they say.”
Kimba waited for her to finish but when she didn’t she nudged Rory. “No, I actually don’t know what they say, whoever they are.”
Rory thought for a minute, the shadow of the flames dancing across her face. Finally she said, “Me, either.”
Kimba sighed as she wrapped an arm around Rory. “Don’t ever change.”
“I won’t,” she assured her. “Unless it makes Aston find me more appealing. I mean, if he’s suddenly not trying to get me naked whenever we’re alone, then I’m totally changing.”
Kimba laughed. “Fair enough.”