This is not power. This is a claim . . . a choice.
She chose me. And gods—I chose her too.
I press my palm to the base of her neck, feeling the strength beneath it, the heat of her body, the rawrightnessof something new, something whole. She is beautiful. Fierce. Mine.
“Calryx,”I whisper through the bond, mind to mind.
A deep hum rumbles through her body, a sound of approval,of something almost amused.“You are mine now, Virelya.”
And I know it in my blood, in my breath. I am hers. The sky belongs tousnow.
Her wings flare wide, catching the wind, lifting us higher—until the air thins and the clouds stretch beneath us. And then—shedrops.
I barely have time to react. The wind screams past me, my stomach lurching as Calryx tucks her wings tight, dropping us into a near-vertical dive.
“What are you—”
“Prove to me you belong in my sky, Virelya.”
The earth rushes up. Too fast. Too soon. Too close.
Instinct begs me—grab the magics, stop the fall, seize control. But that’s not what this is. This is not about power or strength.
This is about surrender.
The air scorches my skin, the plunge pulling tears from my eyes.
I let go.
“I trust you, Calryx. Iknowyou.”
Her wings snap open. The air slams into us. My body jerks—every muscle pulled taut. But I hold in place. I do not break or fall.
Then, we rise.
Higher. Faster. Untouchable. And gods—I have never felt more alive. More complete.
My braid whips behind me as Calryx soars over the cliffs, wings slicing through the air like twin silver scythes.
The plateau where Lyra, Valen, and Thane stand is just ahead, their figures small against the vast sky.
“Finally.”
I suck in a breath. My fingers tighten against her neck.“Finally?”
A deep rumble vibrates through her chest, through me, asound of amusement, of certainty.“You took long enough.”
I let out a breathless laugh.“Oh, I’m sorry, were you waiting on me?”
“Of course.”
Her wings flare wide, catching the wind. We rise again, higher. The sky opens before us, boundless.
And I realize—this was never about me being ready. This was aboutknowing. . . I was alwayshers.
Calryx’s wings tilt, catching the wind as she spirals lower, the ground quickly approaching. My pulse is steady. My heart thrums—wild, electric.
The moment her talons grip the stone, I dismount in one smooth motion.
