“It has been fifteen days since his last letter,” I mused from my position at the window, my fingers tapping on the sill as I stared out onto the gardens, my son’s apricot tree blossoming under the noonday sun. “Do you think something has happened? Should we⁠—”

Strong, familiar arms snaked around my waist, soothing my imminent panic. I still chewed my bottom lip, but the solid chest against my back and the kiss on my nape definitely helped. “You said it yourself, you would know if anything happened to him. Your magic is connected now, yes?”

I nodded. Flick was right, of course. Luca and I shared a bond through our magic. It would alert me if his life force had depleted. I didn’t want to entertain that thought, but I couldn’t help worrying for him.

The missives came regularly. Every two weeks, to the day. My son seemed as fond of routine as I was, and never wavered in his three-page-long narrations of his goings on. That was why it struck me as odd that no communication had arrived yesterday. Or this morning.

Perhaps the courier was delayed? There could be trees obstructing the road… except there hadn’t been a storm in months, so that wasn’t likely. I hadn’t noticed anything amiss on my walk that morning, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t⁠—

“Zad…” Flick sing-songed, as if it wasn’t the first time he’d called my name. I blinked out of my trance, eyes watering a little as he guided me to face him with a gentle nudge on my waist. He gave me an encouraging smile. “He’ll be alright. Considering how similar you are, he’s probably found a new topic of interest and has gotten absorbed. A letter will come.”

I studied his soft expression, letting his words sink in before I nodded once again. He spread his arms, wordlessly offering an embrace, and I accepted without pause, leaning down and resting my chin on his shoulder. My eyes closed as I inhaled his scent, basking in the feel of his hands stroking my sides, comforting me in the ways only he knew how. Being in his arms, surrounded by the sensation of home never failed to have the tension draining from my body. It was cathartic, a safe space that held no judgment, and it allowed me to think rationally.

Luca would be fine. He was resilient, clever, and if the updates on his magic’s progress were anything to go by, he was powerful too. There would be no complication he couldn’t resolve, and whatever was keeping him occupied now would be no different. I just had to be⁠—

Knock, knock, knock.

My eyes flew open, my breath catching. I lunged backward, gaze swinging toward the door, and Flick had to swerve just to avoid a horn to the eye—wouldn’t have been the first time. I winced. “I’m sorry.”