Stone said. “A fei long . A very young one. The flying dragons often whelp here under the gods’ protection.”
“It’s a baby?” she asked, then incredulously, “It can fly?”
Stone nodded, studying the amazing creature. “Many of the dragons can fly. But the fei long dwell in the skies, among the clouds. That one will grow to more than twenty times its current length.”
The young flying dragon stopped drinking and shook itself as a dog would. Its whiskers splattered droplets all around, and its sinuous body undulated up and down like waves upon the sea. It wiggled, obviously taking pleasure in it.
Skybright clasped her hands in front of her to stop herself from clapping. “It is beautiful.” She shook her head in disbelief. “It’s wondrous.”
“Many more fantastic creatures from Xian lore dwell upon this peak. But not all are as benign as the fei long . Let us not disturb him,” he said. “They are shy creatures unused to human contact.”
They walked on. Skybright simply turned her head this way and that, even tilting it toward the sky, trying to take in all the colors, sights, and smells. Leaves rustled overhead as a gentle wind stirred the loose strands of her hair from her face.
Finally, Stone stopped before a pavilion with golden walls supported by jade pillars. Its curved roof was tiled in red, and grand jade steps led up to an expanse of gold wall where the entrance should have been. She examined the intricate carvings on the jade columns with strange beasts of lore: dragons and winged birds with human heads gliding among the clouds. She and Stone walked up the pristine steps. When they stood in front of the wall, it was quite clear to her that the pavilion was hewn from solid gold.
She swallowed hard, the enormity of the situation settling in—she would be face to face with a true goddess. Skybright tucked errant strands of hair behind her ears, and smoothed damp palms over her paneled dress.
Stone pressed his fingertips against the wall and it disappeared, revealing an empty, rectangular hall supported by more jade columns. He stepped inside and Skybright quickly followed. Within a breath, the gold wall shimmered back into existence, blocking them from the lush garden beyond.
She couldn’t see for a long moment as her eyes adjusted to the cool, dim interior. When her sight returned fully, she was amazed by the vastness of the space. Surely, this was a palace of some kind. The roof was much taller than it appeared from the outside. It reached so high the walls turned from gold to azure blue that softened and slowly faded into white, giving the illusion that the ceiling opened into the skies.
A stream wound its way through the palace. The clear water trickled over rocks and pebbles in every color imaginable. The melodic trill of a songbird caught her attention. The chamber was empty of furniture except for the bird’s golden cage, large enough that she could stand within. She had never seen a bird such as this. It regarded her with emerald eyes that flashed exactly like the jewels set in Zhen Ni’s hairpins. Its body was covered in lavender plumage while its wing feathers were a brilliant turquoise. The bird wasn’t bigger than the palm of her hand but had tail feathers the length of her forearm in a deep, shimmering gold, tipped in emerald. She leaned in and squinted at the bird’s gorgeous tail. Small emerald stones actually dangled at the ends of some of its golden tail feathers.
Cocking its head, the bird looked Skybright in the eye and burst into another melody so full of yearning her chest ached.
“She sings what she sees in your heart,” Stone said.
Skybright turned toward him. He had changed wardrobe again, dressed in his armor of silver and gold, etched in crimson. He was walking along the length of the stream, hands clasped behind him. Relaxed. As if this incredible chamber was one he visited every day.
“It would appear that you are forlorn, Skybright.”
Wrenched
“It’s a baby?” she asked, then incredulously, “It can fly?”
Stone nodded, studying the amazing creature. “Many of the dragons can fly. But the fei long dwell in the skies, among the clouds. That one will grow to more than twenty times its current length.”
The young flying dragon stopped drinking and shook itself as a dog would. Its whiskers splattered droplets all around, and its sinuous body undulated up and down like waves upon the sea. It wiggled, obviously taking pleasure in it.
Skybright clasped her hands in front of her to stop herself from clapping. “It is beautiful.” She shook her head in disbelief. “It’s wondrous.”
“Many more fantastic creatures from Xian lore dwell upon this peak. But not all are as benign as the fei long . Let us not disturb him,” he said. “They are shy creatures unused to human contact.”
They walked on. Skybright simply turned her head this way and that, even tilting it toward the sky, trying to take in all the colors, sights, and smells. Leaves rustled overhead as a gentle wind stirred the loose strands of her hair from her face.
Finally, Stone stopped before a pavilion with golden walls supported by jade pillars. Its curved roof was tiled in red, and grand jade steps led up to an expanse of gold wall where the entrance should have been. She examined the intricate carvings on the jade columns with strange beasts of lore: dragons and winged birds with human heads gliding among the clouds. She and Stone walked up the pristine steps. When they stood in front of the wall, it was quite clear to her that the pavilion was hewn from solid gold.
She swallowed hard, the enormity of the situation settling in—she would be face to face with a true goddess. Skybright tucked errant strands of hair behind her ears, and smoothed damp palms over her paneled dress.
Stone pressed his fingertips against the wall and it disappeared, revealing an empty, rectangular hall supported by more jade columns. He stepped inside and Skybright quickly followed. Within a breath, the gold wall shimmered back into existence, blocking them from the lush garden beyond.
She couldn’t see for a long moment as her eyes adjusted to the cool, dim interior. When her sight returned fully, she was amazed by the vastness of the space. Surely, this was a palace of some kind. The roof was much taller than it appeared from the outside. It reached so high the walls turned from gold to azure blue that softened and slowly faded into white, giving the illusion that the ceiling opened into the skies.
A stream wound its way through the palace. The clear water trickled over rocks and pebbles in every color imaginable. The melodic trill of a songbird caught her attention. The chamber was empty of furniture except for the bird’s golden cage, large enough that she could stand within. She had never seen a bird such as this. It regarded her with emerald eyes that flashed exactly like the jewels set in Zhen Ni’s hairpins. Its body was covered in lavender plumage while its wing feathers were a brilliant turquoise. The bird wasn’t bigger than the palm of her hand but had tail feathers the length of her forearm in a deep, shimmering gold, tipped in emerald. She leaned in and squinted at the bird’s gorgeous tail. Small emerald stones actually dangled at the ends of some of its golden tail feathers.
Cocking its head, the bird looked Skybright in the eye and burst into another melody so full of yearning her chest ached.
“She sings what she sees in your heart,” Stone said.
Skybright turned toward him. He had changed wardrobe again, dressed in his armor of silver and gold, etched in crimson. He was walking along the length of the stream, hands clasped behind him. Relaxed. As if this incredible chamber was one he visited every day.
“It would appear that you are forlorn, Skybright.”
Wrenched
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