Healed by the Earth Dragon Prince: Dragon Shifter Romance (Elemental Dragon Warriors Book 4)

appears on Llyr’s chest, she’ll jump into his arms. But I keep letting my fears and doubts get the best of me.
Varus walks up to Lilly. She immediately loops her arm with his. He leans down and places a tender kiss on her temple, and my heart melts. I’m so happy for my friend. I dart a glance to the side and find Kaj staring straight at me, his expression speaking volumes.
That could be us... if I only accept him.
I sigh heavily. I could have what Lilly has. I wish I could find a way to shut off the part of my mind that harbors doubt. I turn away and follow Lilly and Talia into the castle.
My jaw drops when we enter the large ballroom. Floor-to-ceiling windows line the far wall, with a gorgeous view of the deep-blue ocean. A floating chandelier above casts a soft glow throughout the entire space, highlighting the intricate tile inlay on the floor depicting great, swirling images of the sea.
The layout is open and airy, built in a sleek and elegant design. Although the Drakarians are a highly advanced species, they also have a love of beautiful things that is evident in all the intricately carved furnishings they use in their decorations and furniture.
A long table on one side of the ballroom is overflowing with food and drinks. Tall, fluted glasses with pink bubbling liquid draw my eye. Is that this world’s version of champagne? I approach the table and lift a glass to my nose, sniffing.
My mouth waters at the sweet citrusy smell, and I take a small sip. The liquid rolls across my tongue in a burst of delightful exotic flavor, with a hint of strawberries and oranges. This is the best drink I’ve tried on this world so far.
Ranas walks up beside me. “What is this?” I hold the glass out to him.
“It is a celebratory beverage,” he explains. “Fermented fruit with a hint of spice.”
“So, it’s like alcohol?”
He cocks his head to the side in question and I realize I need to explain.
“It alters the mind, right? Creates a state of euphoria?”
He nods. “Yes. Something like that. We verified that it is safe for human consumption, but it is best to drink in moderation only.”
To be honest, I’ve never been much of a drinker. We had alcohol on the ships, but I never liked the taste. I love this stuff, however. I finish my first glass then pick up another. I’m already starting to like this celebration.
I watch in wonder as couples pair off and glide across the dance floor. This is how I always imagined a ball would be. It’s beautiful and elegant and completely magical. The Drakarians are awkward dancers, but their human partners don’t seem to care. This is more fun than we’ve had in a long time.
On the ships, everything was about survival. There always seemed to be one crisis or another to solve. On this world, it feels like we can finally breathe a sigh of relief for the first time and really enjoy ourselves.
As I watch the humans and Drakarians mingle together, at peace, I realize that this new normal may be better than what we’d originally anticipated when our people set out on the colony ships to search for a new world.
Since the Drakarians are so willing to help us, our survival shouldn’t be a problem here. Aside from the Wind Clan attack, they seem to be kind people. Working alongside Ranas and interacting with other Drakarians, I’ve learned that I shouldn’t judge the whole species by a few bad people. Just as they shouldn’t judge us for the misdeeds of a few hostile humans—like John. He was just as bad as Edward and we didn’t realize it until it was nearly too late.
Thank the Stars Raidyn came along when he did and saved Skye.
Ranas smiles as he walks up to me, pulling me back from my dark thoughts. He offers me another glass of champagne. I really shouldn’t take it; I’ve already had four glasses. However, I feel so relaxed, I figure another glass can’t hurt.
We sit quietly together as I finish my drink. When I’m done, he stands and extends his hand to me with a small bow.
“Would you like to dance?”
I smile. “Sure.” Ranas is a good guy, and we’re just friends. There’s no pressure here, so why not enjoy myself? Besides, I’ve always wanted to dance at a ball since I first read about them in Earth’s ancient history books.
We’re not even halfway to the dance floor when I suddenly bump into a rather large chest. I lift my eyes and find Kaj looking down at me. He glares at Ranas while a growl builds in his throat. We’re so close that the vibrations move through me, sending a spike of heat straight to my core. Only now do I realize that my hand is on his chest, directly over the beautiful, swirling fate mark. Is it strange that I love that it shines only for me?
“Mine,” I whisper to myself. I inhale sharply and place my hand over my mouth when I realize I’ve spoken this aloud.
“Yours,” he agrees in a low, rumbling purr.
Desire pools deep in my core as his eyes heat. My mind floats in a state of euphoria. I’m lost in his golden gaze as he pulls me onto the dance floor. We whirl and spin and I’m surprised by how wonderfully he dances compared to the other Drakarian men.
Despite his heavily muscled form, he moves with such grace. “Where did you learn how to dance?” I ask.
“From one of the other humans,” he replies. “I knew this ball was important to you and your people. So I wanted to learn all that I could about this custom before we came here.”
Jealousy fills me at the thought of him dancing with another woman, but it’s quickly tempered when he explains his reasoning. He really is a thoughtful man. I really should give him a chance.