"No chance of that." Valentine kissed her nose and her cheeks. "I hate anyone but you touching me. Even platonically. I have to count in my head until I know it's okay to let go without offending them. I've never been physically affectionate, but I can't stop touching you. It's not just sex, either, though it is amazing. It's..."
"Grounding? Connection?" she guessed.
"Yes and yes, but more." Valentine bent to kiss her again when she put her hand over his mouth to stop him. She went still, her eyes glazing over.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Yelena pushed him off and rolled to her feet. "The magic in the city. Something is happening. I can feel..." she trailed off.
Then the mountain shook, and the screaming started.
30
Yelena tied up her robe and grabbed her sword hanging on one of her walls. She had lost her last one in the fight with Cathal, but she had learned to always have a spare.
"Are you armed?" she asked Valentine. He finished doing up his pants before pulling two long stiletto daggers from his boots.
"Literally always, baby. Want to tell me what's happening?" he asked.
Yelena opened her door. "I don't know, but it’s all fucking wrong. Keep a lookout. There are enemies in the city, and none of us can shift except on the platforms."
Valentine adjusted his daggers. "Doesn't matter who it is. We find them; we kill them."
"I won't let Midir take you from me," she snarled, panic and magic surging through her.
Valentine kissed her. "I love you. I have your back. Now let's go and find Taranis."
The confession momentarily dazed Yelena, but she had notime to dwell on it. Bells started to toll all over the city, and the halls of the palace were filling with people.
"What do the bells mean?" Valentine asked as they ran.
"Every level of the mountain has a different bell for emergencies. They are telling us where to go," Yelena replied, picking up speed.
Taranis was already shouting orders at the knights by the time they arrived.
"Charlotte! You get to the infirmary. I know you can fight, but we need you to focus on helping the injured more. Reeve, you are with Owain," he called over the noise.
"What's happening?" Yelena demanded.
Taranis spotted them. "Good, you're here. Portals are opening all over the city, and warriors are coming through. I don't know how Midir's magic is working to bypass the portal spell wards, but he's succeeding. You and Valentine get your asses moving to close any portals you find. We will take care of the rest."
"We will get it done," Valentine assured him, his magic already wrapping around his forearms in black and scarlet threads.
"Cut that out. I don't have time to fuck you right now, Valentine," Yelena chided, as they headed back out into the halls.
Valentine only grinned, feral as ever. "Magic first, sex later, baby girl."
Yelena laughed despite the situation and started running. She knew all the fast routes through the city levels, and Valentine didn't pester her with questions. He just followed her, having her back as he had promised.
As they went further into the city, they no longer had to follow the bells. They could follow the screams instead. Midir's warriors had flooded into the tailor's market and were attacking anyone they saw.
Yelena's power burned in her silver hand, and she grabbed a warrior with it and tossed him toward Valentine. He stabbed the warrior in the neck and chest in two quick strikes, and they moved on to the next.
Valentine's magic sizzled the air, scarlet whips ripping and slashing a path for them. They found the portal in an alleyway, and without needing to ask, Valentine combined his power with hers, and they disabled the opening with a muffling spell to cut off the intruder's magic.
A warrior rushed to stop them and only got two steps through before the portal snapped closed, cutting him in half while Yelena brought her sword down on his head.
"Did you feel that weird anchor the portal had?" Valentine asked, searching the alleyway.
