Mission: New Year's Prince

“Mission: New Year’s Prince” — a novella from the cycle “To Fly to Winter,” blending romantic, humorous, and adventurous fantasy.

I’m a pilot, and I love my job: the cargo doesn’t throw tantrums, doesn’t argue, and—most definitely—doesn’t try to poke holes in the ceiling of my “Winter” with halberds.

At least that’s how it was before this flight.

This time I got a passenger—a prince, a convinced chauvinist, and absurdly handsome. He takes my short haircut as a sign of looseness, and my work jumpsuit as a carefully planned attempt to seduce everyone around me.

We’re incompatible about the same way as a snowplow and a camel locked in the same sandbox. And now I have only five days to deliver this turban-wearing “happiness” home—and not even once send him to the airlock on the way.

Help me… although maybe it shouldn’t be too helpful. What if this walking anatomy reference with the perfect abs turns out to be my New Year’s surprise after all?