At last, there was only one narrow road—and it lead straight to a small peninsula.
Except for the narrow strip of land and the deserted road that connected it to the mainland, Wing Island was surrounded by the ocean on all other sides. White beaches gleamed in the sun beneath them, while the center of the island was a verdant green.
Here and there, mansions and smaller houses had been built on the beach. And in the center of the peninsula, there was a cluster of buildings: the small ocean town that housed the bakery with the best donuts Braeden had ever tasted, and the coffee shop where Liana, the ocean dragon's mate, liked to hang out and talk about movies Braeden had never seen.
For a moment, he felt a small wave of jealousy rise up in him.
Wing Island was a real home, with a real community. But he wouldn't be able to give his mate anything like this. He had no home. He'd left the world of the fire dragons behind.
He'd grown fond of the other dragons of the council of elements. He'd even made friends with them and their mates, and for the first time in his life, he'd started to feel as if he was part of something good.
But for most of his time with them, he'd been their prisoner. Even now that he was free and a powerful elemental dragon himself, he didn't have a house he could invite her to.
Wing Island had lots of vacation homes for shifters, so he was sure that they'd have a place to stay. But never before had he felt the lack of a home of his own so keenly.
Fire. Smoke. Dark caves. The bitter taste of ash on his tongue.
Braeden exhaled, then took another deep breath of the bracing air. It smelled of freedom and sunshine and days spent playing in the waves. This wasn't the time to linger on those dark memories.
You can't leave it behind. The darkness is your home. Those gloomy caves raised you. You'll drag her back into the darkness with you...
Braeden shook his head to get rid of the insistent thoughts. Where'd they even come from?
He and Alyx were free. They were safe.
No, he wasn't going to think about what they'd left behind now. He'd found his mate. Steele was still a threat, of course—but that could wait. First, he'd show Alyx everything that was beautiful and peaceful in the shifter world.
So what if he didn't have a home of his own? They'd given him one of those plastic cards humans used instead of gold. He'd learn all about human treasures, and then he'd build her a home fit for a human queen.
Fit for the Lady of the Fire.
Beneath them, Wing Island had quickly come closer. He heard Alyx laugh in amazement when she got a good look at it when he dipped his wings and descended.
His leg felt nearly fine now. His throat felt still scratchy—but he was no longer in pain. And he'd be completely healed in no time, before he'd have to face Steele again.
Below, a stretch of white beach shining in the sunlight came closer and closer. In front of them, a large mansion rose, built half above the ocean on wooden poles, with balconies that led straight into the water.
The second Braeden landed, the door was flung open and Timothy rushed out. His dragon must have felt that another dragon shifter was intruding on his land.
Timothy's look of alarm turned into one of amazement a heartbeat later, and Braeden quickly shifted back into human form.
“Braeden,” Timothy said in surprise when they approached.
Then, breathless, wearing only a bikini and her tawny skin still gleaming wetly in the sun, Timothy's mate joined him.
“What happened? Is everything all right?” Liana asked. Then her eyes widened when she saw that Braeden had brought company.
Braeden felt a proud smile tug on his lips. “This is Alyx—my mate. Alyx, this is Timothy, the ocean dragon, and his mate Liana.”
“Your mate?” Liana asked in amazement, and Timothy sputtered, “No way!” at the same time.
Braeden couldn't stop grinning, his dragon curling around himself in pride as Alyx shook their hands.
“I have to say, this is a lot nicer than the fire dragon housing,” Alyx murmured. “Next time, I want to be captured by beach dragons serving me tropical cocktails.”
“Captured?” Liana repeated, her look of joy turning into one of horror. “What happened? Braeden, weren't you supposed to find Steele?”
“I was,” he said darkly, “and I found him. And that's also where I found her. A prisoner of fire dragons. A human woman, imprisoned deep beneath a mountain.”