Payback

For a second, Daphne thought that it was perhaps a trick that Atticus was pulling. She wouldn't be surprised if it was― he now had all the magic in the world. How hard could a simple illusion be?

However, when a flurry of feathers and hair rushed into her face, pressing her into a tight hug, Daphne heard a choked sob leave her own lips. Atticus's hands left her body just half a second before Zephyr practically flew into her arms. If it weren't for the fact that she had steadied herself, she might've even toppled over from the sheer force.

She didn't dare to breathe too hard, afraid that if she made any huge movements, everything in front of her would shatter and she would realize this was nothing more than a cruelly realistic dream. However, slowly, Daphne placed her arms on Zephyr's back, her hands running down the plush red and orange feathers that lined his wings and a portion of his unclothed back.