“Holy shit, then I can’t go,” Braxton blurted, troubled. “I know this is important, but Raithian has his sight set on me, and my magic—”
“Which is whyonlyan ice Dragon can take us there and back the same day,” Kingston interjected. “Fortunately, we have one.”
Braxton’s features furrowed as he glanced at us. “Same day? How is that even possible?”
Kingston and Asher chuckled while I grinned. His residual naïveté about certain things in our world was endearing.
“You’ll see.” I winked, fastening the straps tightly around his chest and arm.
“It would help if you summoned Crystal,” Asher added. “It has been a long while since she last helped me travel, and I’m not sure she can sense me out here.”
All strapped in, Braxton nodded and walked towards the cave, bright golden light capturing his eye a sun-second before he entered. Exchanging a glance, we waited, until suddenly, his voice echoed from the cave.
“Well, aren’t you a regal one, sweetie. You are stunning.” His words brought a smile to my face.
The pristine snow-white Dragon stepped out a few moments later, the icicle-like horns that adorned her head glimmering in the new light just like crystals would, inspiring her name.
She looked regal indeed, especially with Braxton poised on her neck. “Anyone need a ride?”
Bowing their heads to me, both Asher and Kingston began to climb her, and I took several steps back, stopping at the entrance to the passageway so they would have enough space to cross over.
“I hope you find the answers you seek,” I called to them across the space, waving and seeing my mate wave back.
He suddenly frowned. “How are we going to fly out of here? Through the lairs above?”
“Who said anything about flying?” Asher added just as Crystal’s icicle horns glowed a pale blue.
A massive flurry of snowflakes formed out of thin air, and the atmosphere before them began to shift. Swirling in a giant loop, they summoned an arctic breeze to suddenly blow through the cavern, fluttering my hair around me. My arms wrapped around my waist swiftly, trying to repress the shutters.
Crystal’s portal began to open the next instant, frigid currents whooshing towards us from the majestic snow-tipped mountains that stood on the other side, now fully visible.
The sight of Braxton’s amazement was an unexpected gift before they crossed over, and the portal closed behind them.
9
BRAXTON
Holy fucking crap! I’d just crossed an honest to God, Dragon portal.
Apparently, only ice Dragons had that power, which allowed them to cross into their homeland, the Icelands, from anywhere in Caelisium and back. How freaking cool was that?
As soon as we crossed over, Crystal took flight, soaring over the land.
I’d legit expected to find the North Pole on the other side. Instead, what I could only describe as the Swiss Alps stretched as far as my eyes could see. Tall, snow-tipped mountains surrounded us, but green pastures covered the valley floors and lower slopes. Forests of healthy spruce pines extended on either side of us, making me think of Christmas trees—a few perfectly dusted with snow. There were even colorful fields of flowers, although frost shimmered over some of their blooms.
This was obviously the area the fire Dragons could endure, which meant we still had a long way to travel before we would arrive at our destination.
“Get comfortable, Devenish Prince. I shall deliver you to her.”
“Thank you, Crystal.”Sitting back, I glanced at the others, finding Asher in deep thought. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he answered without missing a beat, though his gaze remained lost along the horizon. “It has just been a long time since I was last here. When I awoke this morning, the last thing I thought was that I would have to return.”
My chest constricted with the weight and melancholy his words carried, though I wasn’t sure of the meaning. I wanted to ask him what he meant, but this was clearly not the time, so I decided to give him space to sort out his feelings.
Something about this situation reminded me of how I used to feel having to visit my mother at the assisted living community. I loved her more than anything, but it always hurt me so deeply to see her, which made me not want to go. The memory made me even more grateful my brother had brought me here anyway.
With each flap of Crystal’s wings, the land below us gradually lost all color, the temperature dropping in turn until the mountain range seemed devoid of life. A mix of black rock and white slopes blanketed the crisp white snow.
