Valentine cleared his throat. "Before you yell at me..."
"Shut up, Valentine," Taranis snapped and pulled him into a hug. "Cosimo will do the yelling for me. As an uncle, I'm furious that you risked yourself on this gamble. As a king, I'm grateful."
Valentine hugged him back, relief on his face. "It was the only way."
"I know, but Cosimo is furious."
Valentine let him go. "He's back in Mag Argatnél with my brothers?"
"Safe and sound. This wasn't a fight I could risk the young in," Taranis replied, and raised a brow. "Why?"
Yelena took Valentine's hand again. "You can handle all of this without us?" She gestured at the shattered and bloody mess around them.
"Again, why?" Taranis asked, his hands going to his hips.
Valentine grinned. "I'm going to sneak out with Yelena through the portal back into Ireland. Keep Dad and the others busy for as long as you can. I want the Greatdrakes mansion free while I claim my mate."
"Unbelievable." Taranis rolled his eyes but gathered them both back into another hug. "Congratulations. I'm giving you a week, and then there will be a party."
"I don't want a party..." Valentine began.
"Yelena is my ward, and you are my chosen kin.There will be a party," Taranis growled, and they both nodded dutifully. "Now, get out of here before I change my mind. Tell Kenna and her hunters to stand down. We won't need them."
Valentine put an arm around Yelena and guided her back out of the way as Taranis started to give orders.
"Hold tight to me, Val," she said and drew up a glamor around them. She didn't want to be stopped by every celebrating warrior.
Valentine kissed her bloody forehead. "Good thinking, love."
They wove their way through the warriors and out through the portal to Ireland. Yelena dropped their glamor, and they both breathed in the cold, fresh air. It was a relief after the sweaty and bloody fug of the hall.
"It's nice to be home," Valentine said and was about to kiss her when Kenna Ironwood shone a light on them.
"Hey, Greatdrakes! What the fuck is happening?" she demanded.
Valentine shielded his eyes until the light dropped away. "It's over. We won, and the others are cleaning up the mess. Nothing is coming back through this portal tonight that's hostile."
"Good news," Kenna said, looking at their bloody and battered state. "How about a ride home for the heroes of the day?"
Yelena laughed softly and wrapped an arm around Valentine. "That would be wonderful."
40
It was over an hour's drive back to Dublin from where Midir had his ancient barrow in County Longford. Valentine helped Yelena take off parts of her bloody armor before they had gotten into the car, and they both had fallen asleep on the way home, wrapped in each other's arms.
To Valentine, it had only felt like he had been in Midir's kingdom for a few hours at most, but two days had passed for Yelena.
Valentine didn't think he would have handled the situation as well if their positions had been reversed. Two days with her gone in enemy hands? He wouldn't have tolerated that at all.
As it was, now that the immediate danger had passed, the dragon that lurked in his head was burning with need to get Yelena fed, warm, and safe.
Valentine made a mental note to ask Bas about how to be more nurturing because he had no idea what to do.
"This is your stop, Mr. Greatdrakes," their hunter chauffeur said, pulling up to the pavement at St. Audoens.
"Thanks for the ride," Valentine said before jumping out and offering Yelena a hand.
"You live in a church?" she asked, holding parts of her armor and looking about. He grabbed the rest, smearing gods only knew all over his already filthy clothes.
