"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. Wecan't let him fall into Midir's hands. The power he has is not something any of us can understand."
"I can," Yelena said softly. "I think he could be my mate."
Taranis's breath wooshed out of him. "Dagda's balls. I mean... I suppose it would make some kind of sense. But I didn't think wild dragons had mates."
"I didn't either, but my dragon seems to think Valentine belongs to her. Me. His magic is like mine. I'm just more experienced in hiding it. He can't control it properly yet, but I can help him. I know I can," Yelena insisted. She let out a bitter laugh. "If he will trust me enough to let me help, that is. I don't suppose he's going to come back now that I am awake."
Taranis rubbed at his forehead. "He seems taken up with a project when he hasn't been here with you. He's been driving the smiths in the city a little crazy, but I've made sure they give him whatever he needs. It's better if he's kept busy and channeling some of that power of his. I didn't know he could smith as well, but that's Valentine for you."
Yelena smiled because she understood that kind of obsessive energy, too. "He's going to be upset with me for the Caelan thing for a while."
Taranis patted her hand. "Probably not as long as you think. If you are mates, well, these things have a way of working themselves out. He was extremely worried when he knew that you had been taken. Apparently, as a dragon, he was even scarier."
Yelena chewed her lip, thinking of the binding sigil on Valentine's chest.
Taranis sensed her hesitation. He knew her too well. "What is it? What now?"
Yelena chose her words very carefully. "I don't think that was his full shift. Just part of it."
"Fucking hell, I'm too old for this. Just thinking about this gives me heartburn," Taranis said, rubbing at his chest. "You'll warn me if you sense him starting to lose control?"
Yelena nodded."I will. I told you. I am going to help him. He needs it, and I think we are all going to need him by the end of this."
"Can I helpyouin any way?" he asked.
"Give me a hand up? I want to go and see Avallach."
The beaten knight was in the room next to her with Emyr and Reeve keeping him company. He was bandaged and bruised, but he was smiling. Yelena hobbled in, her body still stiff and sore.
