Chapter 16

After the wonderful wolf ride that Jace had he knew the next activity for them to partake in when she has some spare time.

During the early hours of the morning Momoka and the rest of the sleeping palace would be asleep yet Jace found himself restless. He wanted to go spend time with Momoka and yet she would be sleeping for many more hours. He too was given time off which made it all the more difficult for him not to want to go see her. He wished that all of his Princely duties could be scheduled to when she was asleep.

In his impatience it was completely unfair.

He paced around his room unable to read anything as that required sitting still.

Lynn was his only solstice from his impatience. She came and sat with him in his room.

“Have you told her what time you plan on doing this?” Lynn said after watching him pace back and forth a few times.

“Yes of course,” Jace said.

“Are you able to actually wait until then?” Lynn asked with a grin.

Jace bit his lip. “I’ll just have to.”

Lynn shook her head and went over to a table that had been overrun with books by a window. She began to move them, underneath was a chess board. “Come play with me, we will take your mind off it.”

Jace huffed but he could see no other better way than to comply with the wishes of his sister.

Lynn beat him just about every time as his mind was elsewhere however as she had said it was a great way for him to pass the time until Momoka woke.

Lynn herself had to hurry off to a meeting about one of the businesses Jace wasn’t completely sure what. He looked at himself in the mirror, making sure his hair wasn’t out of place. As usual it wasn’t, he tugged at one of the curls that framed his face, it bounced back into perfection.

With that it was time and he was rushing through the halls to greet Momoka as she left her room.

Momoka’s voice was still a little dampened by sleep, “Oh Good morning Jace.”

“Good morning, did you sleep?” He asked.

Momoka burst out laughing which took Jace by surprise. “I believe you meant to ask, did you sleep well?”

Jace frowned. “How does one sleep well?”

Momoka took his arm and he began to lead her. “I suppose if you sleep throughout the night without being woken up, if you sleep deeply, have good dreams and wake up well.”

“That seems so fiddly and slightly dangerous,” Jace mumbled.

“Oh yes I suppose you’re right on both accounts, but it’s important.”

With a smile Jace said, “If you say so.”

Yesterday Jace had told her to wear her warmest clothes, so she was all bundled up in a heavy coat with a thick scarf and gloves. She felt so bulky compared to Jace in his sleek coat. It was quite unfair how elegant he got to always look. Yet it was something she got to enjoy.

Jace led her down and across the palace, towards the mountains that were behind the palace. As he came to the door he asked, “Are you ready?”

She nodded. He opened the door and the harsh morning air rushed over them, she was lucky to still feel the warmth of Jace as they stepped outside in the frosty early morning winter air.

Jace’s eyes lit the way as they walked toward the mountains. The rocky face of it was a short journey and the snow was nice and compacted under Momoka’s boots, a satisfying crunch with every step forward.

As they approached Momoka noticed that the wall of the mountain had a cave within it. It was a large cave, big enough that the carriage sled could fit into it with ease. Jace was leading them toward it. It seemed, by the snow, that it was a regular path for the Phoenix to take.

Once inside of the entrance the temperature seemed to plummet even further. She didn’t understand how that was possible and got closer to Jace. Jace smiled, welcoming the closeness.

“Are you ready to meet someone special?” he asked softly.

Momoka nodded nervously.

They stepped around a bend in the cave and Momoka couldn’t quite believe her eyes.

Long ago before mortals and myths the Fae were the ones to rule the world. The High Fae, fairies and all of the magical creatures. Many of which seemed more like myths rather than history to even the mythical world.

Before Momoka’s eyes a scaly beast slept. Its scales were white with a pearl iridescence that stole with blues and purples as he breathed in and out in its slumber. Great wings of aquamarine were folded delicately back. It was around the size of the carriages she had ridden on and would even make her wolf form tremble in fear.

A dragon slept before Momoka.

Jace smiled at her surprise. “Momoka this is Rhew Adain.”

“Is it real?” She said with wide eyes.

“Why of course,” Jace replied.

The dragon lifted its great head, looking down at the pair of them with eyes the same colour of aquamarine. A booming voice pressed directly on her mind.

What is this I smell?

The eyes were upon her and its head attached to a snake-like neck twisted toward her. She tried to not let her fear show yet like werewolves, dragons surely could smell fear.

“This is Momoka of the Fujimura pack, she has come to meet you,” Jace said aloud and the dragon’s attention was now drawn to him.

I have heard of it in the past.

Momoka hold body tensed up. A dragon knew of her pack was that something they needed to be worried about.

“I would have thought so it’s a long standing pack,” Jace said, his tone was too casual.

This wolf seems uncomfortable.

Jace looked in her direction. “Momoka you don’t need to be afraid, no Rhew Adain is a long time friend of the Phoenix.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to be scared, I just didn’t know that there were still dragons around.”

It is true that my brethren are rare, yet we are not gone from the world.

“Do you feel up for flying?” Jace asked with a playful grin on his face.

The dragon considered him, though its scaly face didn’t allow for much expression, its eyes with their diamond shaped pupils echoed the same mischievous look.

The dragon got up from its sleeping position and walked over to a group of Phoenix who began to harness some kind of saddle onto it. Momoka watched in awe, she could think of no words to add to this situation. Standing the dragon could reach impressive heights, its long neck and head could easily brush the top of the roof. Its tail too was long and a large triangular bone jutted out at the end of it. Momoka feared what it would be like to face such a creature in battle. Its chest was large and body was muscular enough to support its folded wings.

As soon as the saddle was secured the dragon walked back over to Jace and lowered itself. From its eagerness it seemed happy to be taking to the skies.

Jace, the perfect gentleman, helped Momoka onto the dragon and secured her legs into the saddle. She couldn’t believe what was about to happen, so just went along with Jace. He sat behind her, she could feel his heat on her back. Strangely though from the dragon she felt no warmth. She had heard the stories of fire breathing dragons and lent forward to place a bare hand on the scales of the dragon.

They were perfectly smooth and hard, like a perfectly polished gemstone and like a gemstone they were cold. Momoka frowned.

“He is an ice dragon, his breath is ice,” Jace whispered.

Momoka supposed it made sense considering the colouring of the dragon. “So are you the rider of this dragon?”

The dragon seemed to laugh, a hum that vibrated Momoka’s whole body.

Sadly that is not the case, I am not a dragon that is young in years.

Momoka smiled, she liked the fact that his dragon was just as wise as any person was. It made him seem much less scary, more like a werewolf’s wolf form. Such intelligence behind its eyes, not a chaotic animal soul.

They had come to the opening of the cave.

Rhew Adain took a deep breath in then unfolded his great wings. Each as large as in own body and webbed like a bat. With a jump and a boom of his wings they launched into the air.

Momoka thought that she might scream but Jace’s arms were around her and she felt safe.

Higher and higher they climbed with each beat of the wings Rhew Adain formed a rhythm. Suddenly the palace was below them. Momoka could see the pointed tops and the snow covered courtyard. How beautiful it was to see the palace at a distance.

The mountains, the forests and the icy plains all under the soft light of the moon. Phew Adain stopped climbing as they reached the cloud level and glided through the air, encircling the grounds of the palace.

“Why would you ever walk anywhere?” Momoka said, the cold threatening to take the breath from her lungs.

Jace laughed and stroked the dragon’s side. “If anything were to happen to him it would be a tragedy beyond imagination. I don’t trust those Myth Hunters not to try and shoot him down.”

I would be downed without a fight, but I respect your decision Prince.

Momoka shook her head. “They really do ruin everything fun.”

Not quite everything.

The dragon nose dived and Momoka let out a scream from the thrill of it.

Jace held her tight and her heart raced yet dragon riding was the most fun thing she thought existed.