"Thank you for coming into Faerie to look after me," she replied.
Charlotte pushed her glasses up her nose. "You can thank Valentine for that. He wasn't going to let any of the healers anywhere near you," she said, and sat on the edge of the bed.
Yelena licked her dry lips. "Really? That's a bit silly. We have good healers here."
"But none that Valentine trusts. Especially not any that the feral dragon version of Val trusts. He wouldn't let you go until Taranis came to Ireland to get Reeve and me." Charlotte shook her head. "Stupid men. He got frostbite for it and was still hovering about like someone was going to jump out and assassinate you in your sleep."
Yelena blushed, and Charlotte was kind enough not to mention it. "How's Avallach?" she asked.
"Sore and grumpy. A few broken bones are healing, and he's got bad dehydration like you. Mostly, he is pissed off."
Yelena sniffed back her tears. "And Valentine's frostbite? I saw the bandages."
"He is healing and is also pissed off, but that could just be him. Everyone has been giving him some space. Emyr and Owain are a little in awe of him," Charlotte said, and got Yelena to sit up and put more pillows behind her. She helped her drink some water, and Yelena felt steadier.
"It's a hard thing to impress those two," Yelena commented.
"Apparently, Valentine went feral and shifted without warning. They couldn't stop him and couldn't control him. He turned the whole place you were being held into ashes," Charlotte said, a concerned note in her usual calm voice. "Even the stone somehow. Like a volcano had destroyed the lot."
"Magnificent," Yelena whispered, just imagining it.
Charlotte's brow rose. "That is one word for it."
"He scared the tar out of them, is what he did," Taranis said, standing in the doorway of her room.
Yelena beamed at him. "Hello, Master."
"You haven't been my apprentice in a long time to keep calling me that, little dragon," he replied and took up the seat Valentine had vacated.
"Drink this for me, and I'll leave you two to talk," Charlotte said, holding out a vial of a pale blue liquid. "Don't ask me what's in it. Apollo made it specially for you."
Strangely touched, Yelena drank it. It tasted vaguely of blueberries. "Thank him for me. Is he here too?"
"No. I'm keeping as much of the family out of Faerie as I can until this business with Midir is resolved," Taranis grumbled. "Charlotte and Reeve are the exception because nothing else would calm Valentine down."
Charlotte bent down and kissed Yelena's forehead. "I'm glad you're back. We'll talk later." She patted Taranis on the shoulder. "Don't keep her up too long."
"Yes, mother," he teased.
Charlotte gave him a warning look before slipping out of the room.
Taranis fixed his eyes back on Yelena. "Okay, little one, we are alone now. Tell me what in the darkest hells is going on."
11
Yelena sipped her water and told Taranis about her vision weeks ago in the camp. She spoke of what she had seen Midir do if he ever got hold of Valentine.
Taranis let her talk, refilling her water glass as she emptied it. She told him about Cathal's ambush, how he knew exactly where to find them.
Finally, she spoke about Cathal's interrogation and how he had revealed that Midir had been seeing visions of Valentine.
"I had to protect him, Taran. I couldn't let them hurt and twist him. You know Midir's power to take the minds of other creatures. I couldn't lose him," Yelena finished, her tears back and flowing freely.
Taranis was pale. "My poor girl. I'm so sorry you had to suffer through all of this. I know you are loyal to me and Mag Argatnél, but I never wanted you to have to prove it this way."
"Therewasno other way!" Yelena insisted. "I saw this place destroyed. I saw Valentine as Midir's weapon. It would have killed him to cause that kind of suffering on his kin..."
Taranis squeezed her hand. "Hush, darling. It's okay. I understand. You protected all of us, especially Valentine. We can't let him fall into Midir's hands. The power he has is not something any of us can understand."
