Page 113 of Elemental Becoming

The dark fabric of his tunic molds against the broad strength of his body. The cloak draped over his shoulders only makes him look more like the Warlord he is—untouchable, unmovable.

Except right now, he isn’t untouchable.

Right now, his hand rests against the small of my back, his fingers flexing ever so slightly as we move together.

Right now, he is holding me.

And I am so, so gone.

“This place is breathtaking,” I murmur, hyper-aware of every point where our bodies touch. “I feel like I’m in a dream.”

His voice roughens slightly, enough to send heat racing through me.

“You look like you belong in one.” His gaze drifts over me. “That dress . . . it’s stunning on you.”

Heat blooms across my cheeks.

Gods, he ruins me with just a look.Get it together, Amara.

I force a small smile, trying—and failing—to ignore the wayhis eyes linger.

Linger like he wants to devour me.

A shiver rolls through me, my skin still remembering the way his hands felt on me two days ago—how his breath turned ragged, how his lips traced fire across my skin, how he pressed me against the bed with nothing but hunger in his eyes.

And then, of course, the interruption.

The moment shattered. Desire left hanging, unresolved, simmering beneath the surface even now.

I swallow hard, dragging my focus back to the present. But when my eyes meet his—smoke-gray and smoldering—I know he’s thinking about it too.

Thane raises his arms, as if on display for me.“And how do I look?”

There’s a playful glint in his eye. I laugh, shaking my head.

Dangerous. Devastating. Unfairly gorgeous.

Instead, I say, “Like royalty.”

I force myself to look away from his ridiculously handsome face, my heartbeat refusing to settle. Desperate to collect myself, I let my gaze sweep over the opulent ballroom. The sheer grandeur of it all—it’s almost too much.

He’s almost too much.

“It’s just . . . overwhelming,” I murmur, my voice barely above a breath. “I never thought I’d find myself in a place like this.”

Thane pulls me closer, as if there’s any space left between us. I can feel the hard lines of muscle beneath his tunic, his warmth seeping into me. My hands tighten slightly against his broad shoulders, grounding myself in something real.

“Youbelonghere, Amara,” he says, the conviction in his voice anchoring me. “More than anyone. Meanwhile, everyone else is trying to figure out how someone like you is even real.”

He lowers one of my hands from his shoulders and presses it against his chest. Heat twists low in my stomach. His eyes searchmine with something fierce and almost reverent.

“You’re the only one who can wield all four elements. The only one in all of time. You’re not just remarkable—you’re miraculous.”

His eyes search mine with quiet certainty.

“And somehow, you still walk into rooms like this believing you don’t belong in them.”

His thumb brushes against my hand.