𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 | ✓

25 - Altitude

VALENTINA'S POV

"Jump," he says confidently, and I could feel all the energy in my body draining out.

"Jump?" I repeat, barely letting the words pass my lips and Francis sighed at my nervousness.

"Look, Angel. Yes, we are more human than birds, but we also have bird attributes. Like when a baby bird needs to fly for the first time the mother would push it out of the nest, trust me. It worked when they tried it on me." Francis explained but the end came out in a mumble so I couldn't hear it. Stepping to the edge, I felt my body tremble.

"And I'll be right here. If you can't do it, I'll catch you," he says calmly, making my nerves ease a little. My gaze switches from the faraway ground to Francis's reassuring eyes.

"Just spread your wings and move your body where you want to go!" he shouted upwards to me

I gulped as there was a large gust of wind as if it was urging me to go. Letting the front of my feet peek over the edge, I looked at the man below me once more before finally jumping.

Letting the wind take me as I moved forward and I closed my eyes taking one final breath before unfolding my wings and spreading them fully.

I started falling quickly. Opening my eyes, I saw that I was still falling and getting too close to comfort from the ground. I moved my wings without thinking, then suddenly I was in the free air, the gusts of wind were guiding me in the sky.

It felt amazing.

It felt so natural to be in the sky like this. I flapped my wings once and went soaring through the sky faster than I could ever imagine. A smile spread across my face feeling the wind on my face and when I saw a clearing in the woods I landed there.

I curved my wings in front of myself to touch them with my fingertips and they felt so much better now, less sore, I'm guessing.

Still checking my wings, I sensed a presence around me and as I was about to turn around, a pair of black wings wrapped around mine and I smelt a strong cologne leaning against me.

"You're amazing for a first-timer." his dark voice says soothingly, and I smile at the compliment.

"Why thank you," I say and walk out of his grasp and turn my back around so that I was facing him. "But that isn't it, right?"

Francis shook his head and I nodded at the response waiting for my next task.

"Falling from a tall place is easy enough, but what you need is to know how to get off the ground, no wind or height, just you and your wings," he explains, and I think for a minute before nodding, I need stuff like this for the outside world.

I step back from Francis before I stretch my wings out to their full length. I jump and flap my wings, only to fall back onto the ground. Not knowing what to do to be able to achieve my goal.

Taking yet another inhale and exhale, I run a little before jumping again and narrowing my wings further, allowing me to get more distance from the ground, but I just fell right back down

-

The sky had been blue when I started trying to get off the ground with only my wings.

It wasn't easy I had been trying to do what I had been told, but I had taken so long that the sky was now red with the sunset, and it was going to get dark soon.

Francis was leaning beside a tree, watching me, only occasionally throwing in some hints on what to do, which only worked for a short time.

I was puffed out, but I wasn't going to admit that to him or anyone. I wanted to know how to fly and not just have some useless weight on my back.

After a few more minutes the sun was out of sight and the sky was getting colder, and when I was about to try for what felt like the millionth time, I was pulled down from the air by a hand and groaned as Francis wrapped his hand around my waist so that I couldn't go any further.

"I think it's time to go back home, love." he sighs, and I reluctantly nodded, knowing my body did need some rest.

We walked through the wood and back to the mansion, up the spiralling stairs and to his room.

I went to the bathroom and put on a nice smelling hoodie before flopping on the bed, exhausted from my workout, but when I looked up, I saw Francis putting on what looked like his work clothes, but still having a sleepy face.

"Where are you going?" I mumble, furrowing my eyebrows.

"To finalise a good deal for the gang," he says, trying to sound excited but ending up sounding tired.

Francis could see the worry in my eyes, so he immediately tries to get rid of it. "Don't worry Angel, this would be a good opportunity for us." he smiles, walking out the door before I could protest.

Rolling over in my bed, I wanted to follow him and keep him company, but the energy was slowly draining out of me, and my eyes felt like rocks. He was burying himself in work and if anyone knew what that was like it was me, and it doesn't do anyone, any good.

I wanted him to talk to me.

FRANCIS POV

It hurt me that I had to leave Valentina like that, I wanted to have her by my side, but what Lorenzo said what right. Sooner or later, she would become a distraction for me, but what would I know, I'd never been in love like this.

What I needed to focus on was my work, so that I can prove myself to her

-

Francis overworking himself to distract his feelings?