Mated to the Ocean Dragon (Elemental Mates 3)

For a moment, she had a perfect view of the entire peninsula. It really looked more like a tiny island, linked only by the one narrow road to the mainland. There were tiny houses dotted all over the peninsula, all with lots of space around them, and in the center, she could see the small town with its perfect little coffee shop.

Maybe, when they got back, they could take Braeden out for a coffee. Company might do him well. No wonder he was grumpy. He’d spent all of yesterday hiding in the house.

Then Timothy dipped a wing and they swerved to the left, steadily rising higher and higher until at last, they broke through the clouds that had begun to appear further inland.

The experience was amazing.

Liana had flown before—but sitting on a plane couldn’t compare to the feeling of clouds surrounding her. Wisps of white trailed from Timothy’s wings until they were right inside the clouds and she couldn’t see anymore.

For several long moments, everything around her was white. All sound was muffled. All she could hear was the thunder of her own excited heartbeat in her ears.

Timothy’s body was reassuringly hot beneath her, keeping her warm despite how high they were flying.

And then they broke through the clouds and soared right into brilliant sunlight.

Liana gasped in amazement. The clouds beneath them shimmered golden, so that it looked as if they were crossing yet another ocean. An ocean of light and billowing clouds.

When she turned around, an overwhelmed smile on her face, she saw that Braeden was smiling, too. There was a distant look in his eyes, and he was rubbing the black bracelets encircling his wrists.

Was he dreaming of flying?

Liana hastily turned back around. She didn’t want to embarrass him. From what she’d learned about the prickly fire dragon, he didn’t like to show any weakness.

Still—maybe there was a reason for dragging Braeden around with them. Maybe he’d learn that it wasn’t enough to simply not harm humans, and that it wasn’t possible to just sit back and watch.

If he thought that the other fire dragons were making a mistake, then eventually he’d have to go out there and do something. Otherwise, he’d be a coward. And no matter what she thought of Braeden, she was starting to think that beneath that annoying mask, there was a decent human hiding after all.

Or a decent dragon, she supposed.

They were soaring in the sunlight above the clouds for around an hour. Liana wasn’t quite sure how Timothy knew where they were, but after a while, he began to descend again. The clouds had given them short glimpses of the land below every now and then as the cloud cover grew less dense.

Now, she could see fields and hills and forest stretching below them.

Timothy landed on top of a small hill. There wasn’t any house or road nearby that she could see—which must be why they’d chosen this spot.

“We’re a bit early,” Timothy said as he checked his phone, looking pleased. “That was perfect weather for a flight. I can’t wait to get back up into the air again.”

“I wish I could say the same.” Braeden settled down on the ground, leaning against the trunk of a tree that grew there.

“It was amazing,” Liana said, looking back up at the sky and the clouds above them. She still couldn’t believe that they’d soared straight through them.

Real dragons are so much better than virtual ones!

Together with Timothy, she walked around the hill, climbing a small rock that gave them a perfect view of the valley stretching below. A river was running through it, and they could hear the distant, musical tinkle of a waterfall. Birds were singing, and a gentle breeze was cooling her face.

It was a perfect summer morning, and Liana wished all of a sudden that she’d thought to bring food along. They could have had a romantic picnic out here.

Of course, having Braeden around kept it from getting too romantic. Still, the area was beautiful. And coming from her, who preferred to curl up with her laptop or a book instead of going camping, that was saying a lot.

Suddenly, she realized that to their right, a dark spot had appeared in the sky. It was rapidly coming closer.

She nudged Timothy’s shoulder. “I think your friends are arriving.”

“About time,” he said and slung his arm around her, following her pointed finger.

And then he froze.

“Is something wrong?” Liana asked, worry rising up in her.