Page 40 of Condemned to Love

"Elowen's not fragile, Aldric," Raziel says gently. "She's survived more than most. Your job isn't to shelter her, it's to make her stronger."

I stop, wings drooping. "How do I do that when every fiber of my being wants to keep her safe?"

Raziel's hand lands on my shoulder. "By trusting her. By pushing her limits, not setting them. She needs your guidance, not your protection." He shrugged. "I've even dragged Selene out here, though it's difficult for me."

I nod slowly, taking in Raziel's words. He's right, of course. Elowen's proven herself time and again, and here I am, still treating her like she's made of glass.

"You're right," I admit, running a hand through my hair. "I've been an idiot."

"Not an idiot. Just…vrakken." Raziel chuckles. "Selene likes to tell me that we are all overprotective asses."

I snort. Sounds like something Elowen would say.

"Look," Raziel continues, his voice softening. "A true partnership isn't about protecting each other from the world. It's about facing it together, side by side."

I think about Elowen's fierce determination, the fire in her eyes when she fights. She doesn't need me to shield her - she needs me to stand with her.

"How do you do it?" I ask, genuinely curious. "With Selene, I mean. How do you balance the need to protect with the need to let her grow?"

Raziel's eyes grow distant, a small smile playing on his lips. "It's not easy," he admits. "But I've learned to trust in herstrength, her resilience. I support her, I push her when she needs it, but I never underestimate her."

His words resonate deeply. Isn't that exactly what Elowen's been asking of me all along?

"You need to see Elowen as your equal," Raziel says, his gaze piercing. "Not someone to protect, but someone to fight alongside. Trust in her abilities, Aldric. Respect her choices, even when they scare you."

His words hit home. I've been so caught up in my own fears, I've been stifling the very strength I admire in her.

"I need to apologize," I mutter.

Raziel claps me on the back. "Good man. And remember, a strong partnership is built on mutual respect and understanding. You're both warriors - treat her like one."

"Overprotective vrakken is right," I mutter.

Raziel nods. "But you can make it up to her. And then you need to train her harder than ever. Show her - and yourself - what she's truly capable of."

I square my shoulders, a new resolve settling over me. It won't be easy to quash my protective instincts, but Elowen deserves nothing less. She's a warrior, not a damsel. It's time I treated her like one.

I make my way through the base, searching for Elowen. My mind races, replaying all the moments that led us here. Her fierce determination in our first sparring match, the way she pushed through grueling training sessions without complaint, her quick thinking in strategy meetings. How could I have been so blind?

I find her in one of the smaller training rooms, viciously attacking a practice dummy. Her movements are precise, each strike calculated for maximum damage. Even exhausted and angry, she's a force to be reckoned with.

"Elowen," I call out softly.

She whirls, eyes blazing. "Come to tell me I'm pushing too hard again?"

I hold up my hands. "I came to apologize. I was wrong."

That stops her short. She eyes me warily, chest heaving from exertion. "About what?"

"About underestimating you." I step closer, wings rustling nervously. "I've been so focused on protecting you that I failed to see how capable you truly are."

Elowen's stance relaxes slightly, but her gaze remains guarded. "Go on."

I take a deep breath. "You're not just surviving our training, you're thriving. You've faced every challenge head-on and come out stronger. I realize now that my desire to keep you safe was holding you back."

As we stand there, silence stretches between us. I find myself noticing little details about her - the way her hair falls across her forehead, the set of her jaw, the strength in her stance. Something shifts inside me, a realization I'm not quite ready to face.

"Look," Elowen says, breaking the silence. "I know you meant well. But I'm not some fragile thing that needs protecting. I've survived more shit than you think already. I can handle whatever comes next."

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