"I don't suppose I could convince you to change your mind. You're leaving me awfully shorthanded." The Arch Mage gave Matius one of her dry smiles.

"You don't need a troublesome apprentice like me," Matius said with a grin, "but if you ever need the help from a friend, you know where to find me."

"I do." The Arch Mage stood and reached out, embracing the ex-apprentice. "Enjoy your retirement, Matius."

Matius laughed and, after another squeeze, pulled away. "That makes me sound old!"

He caught a glance at the golden sphere on her desk. "Oh, hey! Did you figure out what to do about that?"

The Arch Mage reached over and picked up the sphere carefully. "Not entirely. When Master Ja'vik told us he'd managed to save the royal family's magic, I didn't think I'd end up the one having to do something about it. Being Arch Mage is enough work, I really don't want to end up in charge of Aziron too."

"Then give it to someone else," Matius said with a shrug.

The Arch Mage rolled her eyes. "Oh sure, just pass it off to any old Azir, that'll work great. The royal bloodline is dead, that's not something I can brush off lightly."

"Hmmm," Matius mused over the problem, "why not do it Altair's way? Have the people decide the new ruler? I'm pretty sure they're sick of listening to the Arch Mage anyway and it might help relations with Aryus if the leaders have something in common."

"That could work, but it'll still be a tricky situation. You know how attached us Azir are to tradition." She gave Matius a wink. "Makers know how upset some people will be to know I let a yuji like you run off with some magic—you're lucky I like you."

"Indeed I am."

A moment of quiet passed, neither quite ready for the goodbye they'd already given. Finally, with a wave of a sapphire hand, the Arch Mage said, "Go on, get out of here. Send Jayln my best."

With a casual rub at the corner of his eye, Matius nodded and before he could regret his decision, the wind carried him out the window of the broken tower.

“Good luck...Yu'jana,” he thought as he whisked over the desert.

It would take him at least three days to fly to the valley but he could catch up with Fenrin in one. The man had made impressive distance in his week head start, but Matius managed to appear, albeit out of breath, beside his friend.

"Hello, Fenrin, mind if I join you?"

Fenrin grunted and Matius took a few shaky steps in front of him. "What's eating you?" he asked.

With a sigh, Fenrin sat down on a rock. "Sorry, just got a lot on my mind."

"Don't we all. Can I venture to guess it has to do with that niece of yours?"

The grizzled man stood up again and started pacing. "Of course it does. It just doesn't feel right to be returning to the valley without her. Gods know I'm proud of her, could hardly believe it when she said she was going back to Stadrhym. Valhym caught a lucky break there. But coming home without her feels too much like a damn defeat."

Matius watched his friend agonize with some amusement. It was still funny to see the large world-worn man struggle with such a simple problem but it also was a bit heart-breaking. Fenrin had worked so hard to let some light into his life and treasured what little he had but hardly knew how to handle it.

"Fenrin..." Matius started.

"I mean I'm happy to see Jayln and everyone—though Echa will probably kill me on sight—but what if something happens in Stadrhym? Lyra had to have some serious sympathizers back in the capital."

"Fenrin—"

"Sure, she's got the king and he'll have his own network and that Kiana's got a keen head on her shoulders, but—"

"Fenrin!"

The Wolf stopped his pacing and turned to Matius, a bit taken aback when the mage laughed.

"What?"

Matius patted his friend's arm. "Listen to yourself! You obviously miss her, why don't you just go to Stadrhym too?"

Fenrin opened his mouth and then closed it, his grey eyes flicking down before he muttered, "I haven't been back in Valhym since..."

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"Since you were Fenrin Brynson, the dreaded Wolf? Sure I'm sure some people still remember, but don't tell me you're scared of a little bad blood. You're better than that, I don't think you have anything to fear from your old life there, so what's really bothering you."

"What if..." Fenrin deflated and Matius gave his shoulder a squeeze. "What if she doesn't need me anymore? What if I'll just be a bad reminder to everyone? Not to mention the king hates my guts."

He was low on magic, but still Matius snapped his fingers, the tart green apple falling precisely at the top of Fenrin's head. The man didn't even comment, just caught the fruit and held it, rubbing a thumb over its shiny surface.

"Fenrin, of course she needs you. She's going to need all the help she can get. The only place you're not needed is in the Hidden Valley."

Fenrin looked at him with surprise and Matius sighed. "Look, everything is different and I know that can be disorienting, but it's also a good thing! Jayln and I can handle the valley—I just gave up my job to do just that, you know—and it's not like the valley is the same either."

Matius laughed. "Last I heard there was a very large bird man with a broken wing waiting in my bed and that's certainly not what I'd expect to come home too. Sounds from Jayln's message that we've got a whole slew of new winged members of our little family. Plus we're going to have to deal with however the Solis Empire decides to rebuild. No matter where you go, you're going to have to adapt again, so you might as well follow your heart."

There was a moment where Fenrin hesitated, his whole body shifting like he was physically being pulled in two directions. Finally he grabbed Matius into a huge hug. The mage gasped and the man's muscular arms squeezed the air from his lungs. “Like uncle, like niece.”

"I'm going to miss you," Fenrin whispered and Matius gasped, tapping Fenrin's shoulder.

Once he was able to breathe again he rubbed his neck. "And I you, old friend."

For a moment they stood in comfortable silence until Matius snapped his fingers. "Well, you best be off, you've got a lot of ground to cover since you missed your ship. Be sure to send a message when you get there. Goodbye, Fenrin."

Not sure he'd be able to keep it together for his friend, Matius melted back into the wind, almost missing Fenrin's returning farewell.

He wasn't able to go far, his magic too depleted and when he landed, he spread his arms out wide and threw his head back. He felt tears finally escape and roll down his cheeks.

They were bittersweet tears. He was proud of Fenrin and as for Aziron, well, in his heart he'd wanted to be free of his split between his obligation and his family for a long time. Still, he’d miss both terribly.

But he was going home. Home to Jayln and the kids. The sudden need to hold them all in his arms as tightly as Fenrin had held him, spurred Matius on. Not able to ride the wind, Matius did what he almost never did and started walking.

Embarrassingly, he had a few irritating blisters and aching muscles by the time he reached the valley, using his magic on the third day to fly through the mountain entrance. He had to struggle to keep the wind on course as a large Avin woman swept through the entrance herself. It was going to be new to have to share the airspace.

Matius knew he should probably make some sort of public appearance. Answer the questions people had, but he was ready to be a little selfish so he rode the wind straight home.

The curtains fluttered and Jayln smiled as the familiar breeze flew in. She wasn't even sure her husband was completely flesh when she threw herself on him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her. They swayed in the kitchen, holding each other, hearts slowly healing from the seperation.

"I missed you," Matius whispered, burying his face in her auburn hair.

"You'd better have." She laughed before resting her head on his shoulder. "Longest weeks of my life."

She shifted a bit and Matius pulled back, raising an eyebrow. Jayln gave a half shrug. "Hurt my leg a bit in the fighting. Nothing serious."

"Well that won't do at all."

Matius reached down and bit back a grunt as he picked his wife up. She failed to hide her snort at his trouble. Still he managed it, hefting her up as she pecked him on the nose.

Determined, he carried her to their bedroom. His plans all fell apart, however, when he opened the door and found himself meeting the icy gaze of an eight foot tall winged man who stared grumpily up at him from the bed. Jayln burst out laughing, the movements making Matius lose his grip and she half-fell, half-lowered herself to the floor.

"Matius, met Aiden, Tia's brother."

"Ah...right." Matius's ear went pink and Jayln put her hand on his face fondly.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'd stand but I can't," Aiden said tersely in a low almost growling voice.

Jayln reached up to kiss her husband's cheek and he muttered in her ear, "I release one grumpy stray and you've already adopted a new one."

"He's temporary, I promise," she whispered back before turning to Aiden. "This is my husband, Matius. He can help you get back on your feet again."

"Foot," the Avin said with gritted teeth before moving painfully and rotating, the wing not bound to his chest with bandages knocked a cup off the nightstand in the small room. The blanket fell off him and Matius gave a sympathetic glance as the bandaged stub at Aiden's knee.

Matius rubbed his hands, he still had some magic left. "Well, I see you've got work already lined up for me, love. Alright, Adien, let's see what we can do about that wing."

Once Matius was finished, Aiden thanked him, his voice finally optimistic and genuine as he stretched his newly healed wing. There wasn't anything Matius could do for the leg, but Aiden gave him a steely look and told him 'he'd be just fine with wings alone if needed'.

Escaping to Hope's room where the eight year old was absent, Matius turned his attention to his wife's injury. She took off her pants and let him inspect the half-healed puncture on her upper thigh critically.

"Soli spear. Didn't move quite fast enough," she said, giving a small hiss as he ran his fingers on the harsh red edges of the wound. His hands glowed and although he had to shake dots from his eyes, soon his wife's leg was perfectly and deliciously smooth. He gave the spot a kiss and Jayln sighed.

Her fingers caught in his hair and she lifted him up to meet his lips again hungrily. He just had enough time and magic to blow the door shut before she pushed him backwards onto the soft rug.