Mated to the Earth Dragon (Elemental Mates 2)

Chapter One: Autumn

Autumn Carter’s face was pressed to the window, her heart racing in her chest as she watched the cloud cover beneath her finally open up.

“Your first time in Iceland?” the kindly woman next to her asked. She’d been asleep for most of the flight, but seemed to have woken just in time for the pilot’s announcement that they were getting ready to land.

“First time on a plane, actually,” Autumn said. “Isn’t it amazing?”

She felt the loss of altitude as a weird sensation in her stomach as the land beneath them came closer and closer. It was like being on a roller coaster—which so far had been the most excitement in her life. But no longer.

The woman next to her laughed. “My daughter married and moved to the US. So I’m on a plane now twice a year to see the grandchildren. It gets less exciting over the years.”

“Everyone told me that I’d be scared—but I love it.” Autumn couldn’t stop smiling. This was the first real adventure of her life, and she was determined to enjoy every single second of it.

The woman smiled back as she began to stuff her phone and her book into her bag. “Just wait until you see the fjords and geysers. Are you staying in Reykjavik, or are you doing a tour of the whole island?”

“Three days in Reykjavik—I’ve got a full schedule.” Autumn could barely hold back her excitement at her plans. “The Blue Lagoon, the geyser, the Thingvellír national park with the famous waterfall, and then I’m taking a bus into the north. A friend of mine owns a farm there. We haven't seen each other since high school, and then she married and moved to her husband’s farm here in Iceland. We recently reconnected on Facebook and now I’m visiting her for a week so we can catch up.”

“Tell her to cook some real Icelandic lamb for you,” the woman said. “It’s the best lamb in the world, because they run free and graze on all the grass and herbs. And then of course there's our specialties—like fermented shark and pickled ram’s testicles.”

She winked when Autumn giggled.

“I was warned about that,” Autumn said, unable to stop smiling as she imagined the beautiful landscape and exotic foods. She’d be able to talk about this vacation for the rest of her life. She’d bore her grandchildren with it.

If she’d ever have any, because grandchildren meant children, which meant a husband... And after she’d caught her last boyfriend cheating on her the night of their engagement party, she wasn’t so sure anymore whether there were any men left in the world ready for that sort of commitment.

She took a deep breath, brushing those thoughts away as she thought about lambs and ponies running free in the picturesque Icelandic wilderness, guarded by fit, handsome Icelandic farmers in warm sweaters.

Maybe Tilly’s husband has a single brother...

The plane shook as the tires touched the runway. She grasped her armrest tightly as the plane abruptly lost speed. A moment later, they were rolling calmly along the runway.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Keflavík airport. For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign. Thank you for flying with Aurora Air and enjoy your stay in the land of ice and fire.”

Another jolt of excitement rushed through Autumn at the flight attendant’s announcement.

Her first time in a foreign country. For three days, she’d be all on her own. She’d been assured that everyone in Iceland spoke English, but still... For someone who’d never traveled before, this was a huge step. She’d saved up for this trip ever since she’d finally paid off her car, and she probably wouldn’t be able to afford another trip like this for a few more years.

It’ll be worth it. Whenever things get too stressful, I’ll be able to close my eyes and think about floating in the Blue Lagoon. This will be the best ten days of my life.

“Enjoy your stay in Iceland,” the woman said, reaching out to press her hand. “And take care not to offend the elves. Now I know all of our tourists think those are just silly stories—but you are a nice young girl, and if you remember to always be respectful, the elves have a lot of blessings to bestow.”

Autumn blinked, taken aback. She’d read about the Icelandic legends in her guide book—she’d just not expected to ever meet someone who talked about elves as if they were really real.

But then, the woman seemed so nice, and Autumn didn’t want to offend her. So she just smiled and nodded obediently, her mind already on the stunning pictures of the Blue Lagoon her guidebook had offered.