Yelena smiled. "That would be nice. I want to experiment outside the city."
"Are you going to show me your dragon?" he asked hopefully.
Yelena raised a brow. "If you show me yours. We will have to fly to the place I usually practice."
Valentine rolled onto his back and touched the locking sigil on his chest. "Would you think less of me if I admit that I am nervous about what will happen if I do?"
"No," she replied simply. Cool silver fingers traced the design. "But you won't be alone, Valentine. I know you feel disconnected from everyone else, but you aren't. We are all here to help and support you, no matter what happens."
Valentine placed his hand on hers and held it to his chest. "What if I let it out and become a different person?"
"It doesn't work like that. Did Bas become a different person? Or Apollo? Look at your brothers. It will not change who you are. You will simply becomemoreof who you are."
Valentine chewed on his lip. "They didn't lock theirs up like I did mine."
"You let it out to save me, and you haven't gone mad. What makes you think you will now?"
Valentine stared up at the roof, struggling to find the right words. "I feel different since the change. I've been...emotional. I have always tried to keep myself in check because when I have felt things, they have been extreme. I lost my temper while tracking you. I could have been more strategic. I let my emotions get the best of me, and everyone died. I don't want to turn into some killing machine every time I get pissed off."
Yelena hummed thoughtfully. "I wouldn't use that example as an average day. According to what I was told, you shifted back, opened a portal back here, all the while under that so-called rage. No one should be able to open a portal into the city except for Taranis. You had the power at your fingertips, and you used it to get everyone to safety. I don't want to downplay your concern, but you are always more in control than you believe."
Valentine looked over at her. "I didn't feel in control, Yelena."
"You didn't hurt anyone who didn't deserve to be hurt. I won't let you lose yourself to the dragon. I promise," she said, and the certainty in her tone and strength of her gaze settled the nervous flutter in his stomach.
"You'll bring me back if I get lost?"
"Of course I will." Yelena bopped him on the nose. "You're the only one who gets me, silly. I can't lose a friend like that."
Valentine narrowed his eyes. "You chain all your friends to the bed?"
"Only my very special ones," she teased and bit her lip. "Why? Does that thought make you jealous?"
Yes. Valentine fought the growl that wanted to burst from his chest. "I don't know about jealous. Definitely murderous. See? Maybe me becoming more dragon is a bad idea."
Yelena moved and brought her face close to his. "Or the very best of ideas."
"I don't know if I should be more worried about my dragon or you," he whispered.
Yelena's smirk sent a thrill through his whole body. "Always be more worried about me." She lowered her head to kiss him when someone banged on the door to her chambers. Her eyes shimmered silver. "Damn it. They have found us. Better put some clothes on. We are about to have company."
Valentine sat up and found his shirt. His pants didn't survive her shredding. Yelena only blushed and laughed when he held up the scraps. She took a fresh linen towel from her bathroom and handed it to him.
"Put this on. You'll be fine," she said, an evil little gleam in her eye.
"I'm going to get you back for this," Valentine promised and tied the towel around his lower half like a sarong.
Yelena wrapped a floor-length robe about herself and somehow looked put together and amazing.
Valentine ran his hands through his hair to smooth it back and followed her out into the main area.
"Yelena Caelan Tuadach, if you don't open this door this minute, I will break it down!" Emyr shouted through the wood.
Yelena laughed and opened the door. Emyr and Avallach were on the other side, and both looked pissed. Their eyes fell on Valentineand his general state of undress, and whatever they were going to say died on their lips.
"What?" Valentine asked, crossing his arms.
"Well, I suppose that answers the question of where you went. Reeve was worried because your room hadn't been slept in. We thought you might have run off," Emyr said, coming into the room.
