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Azriel banked left, catching the air current as he soared higher in the sky, leaving the Illyrian steppes behind. The wind was cool on his face, almost cold under the morning sun, but it didn’t bother him. Winter in Illyria was when the cold became truly harsh, and he’d land with a red nose and rosy cheeks.
Winnowing back to Velaris would have been faster, but Azriel needed the two hours of flight to clear his mind after spending a whole week in Windhaven. Flying helped—it always brought him a much-needed sense of freedom that nothing else could match.
Still, he couldn’t wait to be home with his family.
He flapped his wings, rising higher as the wood below gave way to the mountains. It didn’t matter how many times he had seen it, the sight always took his breath away. Perhaps it was because, from up here, it was easy to forget how cold and cruel the world could be. Up here, there was only silence, despite the wind roaring in his ears. It felt distant from everything and everyone, a place where Azriel could let his thoughts run free.
As usual, those thoughts raced to the mate waiting for him at home.
He had missed you over the past week, just as he always did when he had to leave for a few days. It was even harder when he had to shut off his side of the bond, and he couldn’t feel your quiet presence anymore. But now that he was soaring through the sky, the wind at his back carrying him closer to you, he let that wall fall away. He gently tugged on the invisible thread that connected your souls across any distance.
He immediately felt you tug back, sending an overwhelming wave of love down the bond. It warmed his heart so much that he nearly forgot about the cool air whipping against his face and through his hair, and a smile spread across his lips. Azriel responded with his own love, imbued with the happiness of knowing he would see you soon.
He beat his wings, speeding through mountaintops and over valleys, gliding along the currents. If he hurried, he'd be home by lunchtime. He had to debrief with Rhys first, but it shouldn't take long, and then he could share a warm meal with you. He never thought he would come to dislike the silence, but sitting alone at the table every day for a week had made him feel lonely. He wasn't used to it anymore.
With the quiet presence of the bond now glowing faintly in his heart again, his mind finally settled, and Azriel focused entirely on his flight.
The rhythmic beat of his wings and the roaring wind were the only sounds reaching his ears, drowning out even the calls of the birds below. He took a deep breath, the crisp morning air filling his lungs and carrying the scent of pine from the forest far beneath him. The sunlight kissed his wings, barely warming the dark membranes as he glided along the current. He could feel every shift in the wind, and he swore that sometimes it seemed to whisper his name, calling to him.
His lips curled in a playful smile as a wild thought crossed his mind. With a sharp flick of his wings, he veered into a steep dive, the wind rushing past him with a deafening roar. His heart pounded, and adrenaline surged through his veins as the earth seemed to race toward him. He waited with bated breath until the very last moment, then snapped his wings wide open, cutting upward with a burst of speed. A soft laugh escaped his throat as he soared higher once more, feeling utterly free and alive.
He needed this, he realized. There were very few things he couldn't live without, and flying was most definitely one of them. Perhaps it was because he had learned later in life, or simply because he was Illyrian and his blood sang for it, but he couldn't fathom a life without the wind in his ears and the infinite expanse of the sky around him.
With a final sweep of his wings, he leveled his flight and let himself savor the pure, unbridled joy of flying, knowing that no matter where life took him, the sky would always call him back. But now, his heart pulled him toward home, where you waited to embrace him once more.
Another kind of joy, another kind of love—but just as strong, and one more thing he could never be without.