Page 43 of Veiled By Smoke (The Nature Hunters Academy #5)

“Trust is a fragile thing. In the beginning of a relationship, it has yet to be established, and as it blossoms, like a rose, it can easily be crushed.” ~ Aurora

A urora sat bolt upright in bed, heart pounding, the echo of Viscious’s voice still slithering along her spine.

The room was gray with pre-dawn light, rain tapping restlessly against the windowpanes.

She pressed a trembling hand to her forehead, trying to separate dream from reality.

Sometimes, when she woke, the impressions faded fast—half-remembered warnings, a voice like velvet promising power, and another colder and crueler, whispering that Ra was lying to her.

But this morning the words clung like cobwebs, sticky and persistent.

He’s hiding something from you, Aurora. Something that will change everything.

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting off exhaustion.

She hadn’t slept through the night in days—every time she drifted, the dreams came.

Lucifer, the lord of the underworld, was apparently fine with her knowing who he was–all charm and honeyed deception, painting a future where she was untouchable, powerful, unafraid.

Viscious, a royal elemental, was shadow and flame, urging her to ask questions, to pull at the secrets Ra kept close.

She’d trusted Ra. As they’d gotten to know one another, she’d believed he was her protector. But now, doubt gnawed at her. She needed answers, not more half-truths.

Downstairs, Penny was already bustling in the kitchen, Cordelia sipping tea at the table, her gaze thoughtful and too watchful.

Ra stood by the window, arms crossed, eyes dark and distant as the gathering storm.

Fern hovered protectively at the kitchen island, her hands wrapped around a chipped mug.

Her presence was grounding—a steady, fierce warmth that Aurora had relied on since the day she’d come to Fern’s home.

Aurora squared her shoulders, drew in a shaky breath, and spoke before she could lose her nerve.

“I need to talk to all of you.” She paused and waited.

But Fern just stared at her, Ra didn’t move, Cordelia simply glanced her way, and Penny’s attention stayed completely focused on whatever the heck she was doing with that bread.

So she added, “Right now.” Maybe not her most polite moment, but then Aurora felt like being polite might not get her answers.

Penny’s head snapped up, concern flickering across her features.

Cordelia set her cup down, her face growing serious as she seemed to realize that Aurora wasn’t looking for a little chat.

She gestured for Aurora to sit. Ra didn’t move, but his jaw tightened as his head slowly turned.

Fern immediately abandoned her mug, moving to stand at Aurora’s side, her hand warm and steady on Aurora’s back.

Aurora ignored the chair and stood, hands fisted at her sides.

“I’ve been having dreams. With Lucifer and Viscious.

They’re not just dreams—they’re . . . visits.

They talk to me, try to get me to trust them.

Viscious said you”—she pinned Ra with her gaze—“are hiding something. Something big. I want to know what it is. I’m done being kept in the dark.

” Her heart pounded in her chest painfully as she swallowed down the “‘please” that wanted to follow her demand. He didn’t deserve her manners, not if he’d been keeping secrets.

The room was silent except for the soft tick of the clock and the distant rain. Penny looked at Cordelia, worry etched deep into her brow. Cordelia’s lips thinned; she reached out, but Aurora pulled away, stepping closer to Fern, who slipped an arm around her shoulders.

Ra finally turned his whole body from the window, the weight in his eyes enough to make her knees wobble. “They’re manipulating you, Rory. That’s what they do. I’m sorry they’ve managed to get into your dreams. We need to work on helping you learn to block your mind.”

“Maybe,” Aurora shot back, “but that doesn’t mean you’re not hiding something. I deserve the truth, Ra. All of it.”

He hesitated. Tension seemed to be radiating off him like heat. “There are some things you’re safer not knowing,” he managed, with a rough tone.

Fern’s voice cut through the tension, gentle but iron-strong.

“She’s young, yes, but she’s mature for her age, Ra.

She’s dealt with more pain than many twice her age.

If there’s something you know that is vital to her, she deserves to know what that is.

If there’s something or someone after her, she needs to be aware of it.

” She squeezed Aurora’s shoulder in silent support.

“Aurora,” Penny spoke up, her hands wringing together nervously, “we’re trying to keep you safe. The less you know, the less leverage they have?—”

“That’s not good enough!” Aurora’s voice broke, equal parts fear and fury. “I’m not a baby. If the dreams are real, then I’m obviously on their radar and already a target. I can’t protect myself if I don’t even know what’s happening to me.”

Fern’s eyes flashed. “She’s right. You can’t keep her out of this forever, Ra. She’s stronger than you think.”

Ra’s mask slipped, just for a moment. Aurora saw guilt, sorrow, and something else—a deeper, older fear—flicker across his face.

He looked at Penny, then Cordelia, then Fern, then back to Aurora.

“You’re right,” he said at last, voice hoarse.

“You deserve answers. But there are some things I can’t . . . I just can’t say. Not yet.”

Aurora’s hands shook. “Then what am I supposed to do? Just wait for one of them to swoop in and claim me?”

“NO.” Ra swiped a hand through the air sharply as his deep voice snapped.

“No one is going to claim you. You are your own person, and you will choose your own path. I’m just trying to figure out how to make that happen.

I know you don’t truly have a reason to trust me. But, I’m asking for it anyway.”

Cordelia stood, crossing to place a hand on Aurora’s shoulder. “You’re not alone in this. We’re with you. And like Ra, we’re asking for your trust, even if that’s not fair of us to ask. There’s too much at stake.”

Aurora swallowed, her anger faltering beneath the weight of Cordelia’s kindness and Penny’s earnest gaze. “I want to trust you,” she whispered. “I just—I’m so tired. I don’t know what’s real anymore. It’s just a lot.”

Fern pressed a kiss to the top of Aurora’s head. “You can rest if you need to, love. And you don’t have to face this alone. Not ever.”

Penny stepped closer and gently took Aurora’s chin in her hand. She gave it a very gentle squeeze. “We’ll figure it out together. You have more power than you know, Aurora. When the time is right, you’ll learn how to use it.”

“I’m sorry that this has fallen on you, Aurora,” Ra told her, his voice much softer.

His black eyes appeared haunted. “You may not be a child, but you are still young. It is not fair to ask so much of the innocent.” He shook his head, his shoulders dropping as if the weight of the world suddenly lowered onto them.

After a few heartbeats, Ra turned away, his voice strained.

“If you’ll excuse me. I need to check in with my soul bonded.

And I will talk to some of my comrades and see if we can speed things up a bit. ”

Aurora watched him leave, confusion and worry tangling in her chest. She wanted to run after him, partly to demand the truth, and partly to ask if he was okay.

Ra seemed too strong of a man to ever be weak, but just then, he looked as tired as she felt.

Aurora didn’t run after him. She was too wrung out from nights of nightmares and days of uncertainty.

She sat down, Fern close behind, between Penny and Cordelia, letting their warmth steady her.

“Why don’t we show you some more spells?” Cordelia asked, her voice much lighter and more cheerful than the tense room.

“Are you trying to distract me?” Aurora asked, raising her brow at the witch.

Cordelia smiled sheepishly. “Is it working?”

“Ra’s a good guy,” Penny said, laying her hand on Aurora’s. “And yes, there’s some things he’s not telling you. But not because he doesn’t care about you or because he has some nefarious plan. Things are truly complicated in this big, tangled mess. You just happen to be at the center of it.”

Aurora stared at the witch for a few minutes, weighing her words.

Finally, she took in a deep breath and slowly let it out.

“Considering I can’t exactly make him do anything, and I don’t think he has any intentions of hurting me, waiting is the only choice I have.

” She looked back at Cordelia. “Can you at least teach me something fun, like how to turn Ra into a toad?”

Penny laughed. “Ra, the royal toad. Now I’m picturing a frog with Egyptian makeup on wearing a crown. That’s hilarious.”

Aurora’s interest peaked. “Is he actually royalty?”

Penny nodded. “I don’t know much about his story.

He’s pretty secretive, but I’m a little bit of a sleuth and managed to dig up some history about him in the witches’ archives.

Mind you, the elementals don’t know we keep documentation about them.

Previous witches would have used it for ill.

I think it’s just good knowledge to have regarding any magical being. ”

“I have a feeling Ra would tell you about himself, Aurora,” Cordelia stood and headed over to a cabinet and began pulling out various items: a large, shallow bowl, a pitcher of some silvery liquid, and candles.

She brought them over to the table and set them down.

Penny began arranging the items as Cordelia continued.

“He has a soft spot for you. If you’re curious, just ask. ”

Aurora considered the worst he could say was “no.” She set the notion aside for the moment and leaned closer as Cordelia and Penny continued setting up, whatever the heck they were setting up. “What are we going to do?”