Training For War: The Bond Once Severed Book 2 (Updating)

A Gust of Introspection

A grin tugged at the corners of Raja's mouth as he spotted Vinder slicing through the sky, his silhouette sharp against the pale blue horizon. Every gust of wind, every shift in the air, sparked joy in the Journeyman's face so pure that it radiated from him like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Without hesitation, Raja called upon the wind, which embraced him as an old friend, lifting him effortlessly. The air rushed past his skin, sharp and exhilarating, filling his senses with flight's raw, untamed power. Vinder nodded happily when Raja met him, then turned away to fly again. Together, they soared toward the jagged, snow-dusted peaks of the Obogor Mountains. Though Raja had flown countless times, it never ceased to amaze him, a feeling as wondrous as the daydreams of childhood when he had watched his aunt streak across the skies above the Grasslands, never daring to believe that one day, he too would defy gravity.

As they touched down on a craggy outcrop nestled in the foothills, the tight band around his chest Raja had been carrying for days seemed to unravel. The stone beneath his feet was cold and solid—a stark contrast to the swirling, boundless air he had just left behind—but somehow grounding. He let out a long, slow breath, his tension dissipating like morning mist. For a brief, fragile moment, he felt the burden of his doubts and responsibilities lift, allowing him to simply be.

Vinder sprawled across the ground, limbs stretching lazily as if soaking up the earth's energy. A broad, uncontainable grin split his face. "The air here—it's alive with energy," he breathed, his voice tinged with wonder. His dark hair, tousled by the wind, fell haphazardly over his brow, giving him an untamed, almost feral look. His bright blue eyes darted around, wide and filled with curiosity, taking in the vast, rugged landscape before finally locking onto Raja's face expectantly.

"I've never flown anywhere else, so I have no comparison." He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but the words felt heavy. The Vale, once a refuge, now felt more like a cage. He had lived a nomadic life since he was a child, and even when he was with Lukas and the People, they had moved often to avoid capture. But now he was stuck, bound by responsibilities he never asked for.

The wind caressed his skin, soft but persistent as if comforting him. Or perhaps it beckoned him—whispering faint, tantalizing secrets of a world beyond the Vale, a world that called to him with every gust. It spoke of freedom, boundless horizons, and places where his heart could roam untethered. It stirred something deep within him, an ache for a life far away from the duties and walls that confined him here.

Vinder tilted his head, studying Raja as if he were some ancient riddle. "It's strange," he mused, his voice low, "to think of you being restless. You're like... a boulder. Solid. Grounded." He smiled softly, the breeze tousling his hair as he turned his gaze back to the open sky, the vast expanse reflecting his wandering thoughts. "You don't seem like the kind of man whose mind gets twisted up in knots." His words were thoughtful as if he couldn't quite reconcile the image of Raja with the turmoil he sensed beneath the surface.

Raja's lips twitched at Vinder's observation. Solid? Grounded? He felt anything but. So many unresolved feelings swirling around in his head, blowing his thoughts to the center of his unease.

"I never wanted to be a father." The words escaped before he could stop them, raw and unfiltered. He didn't dare look at Vinder momentarily, bracing himself for some sign of shock or judgment. But when he finally glanced over, Vin's face was calm, his expression as open as the sky they had just flown through. There was no hint of surprise, no raised brow. It wasn't in Vinder's nature to judge, making him one of the few people Raja could genuinely speak to. "I had no point of reference and didn't think it would be possible."

Vinder's brow lifted slightly, curiosity glimmering in his eyes, but still no judgment. "Because you love men?" he asked, his tone gentle but direct as if the question were no more unusual than asking about the dinner.