"I don't know how to do feelings and relationships," Valentine said, picking up the pillow and putting it back on the armchair.
"Does anyone? You are very smart, big brother. You will be able to figure this out. I know it's hard for you, but try not to overthink this to the point you talk yourself out of it before it even starts," Reeve replied. He got off the couch and stretched. "Worry about it later. We both have a meeting to get to."
Valentine hesitated a moment before he pulled Reeve into a hug. "I am sorry I made you shift as a result of my spell."
Reeve hugged him back. "You are my big brother, and you are a pain in the ass, but I love you. I'll wait till Bas and Apollo are here before we give you a good kicking for binding your dragon, so consider yourself warned. You're going to need three heads to try to stop us. Gods, three heads. Only you, Val."
Valentine laughed and let him go. "Don't be jealous that I'm three times smarter than you."
His youngest brother only rolled his eyes. "More like your brain is split three ways, and so you're a bigger dumbass than normal."
Valentine flipped him off. "Try to wear something that doesn't have holes in it to this meeting. Taranis is worried, and we shouldn't add to it by being unprofessional."
"You're up to something," Reeve said, narrowing his eyes.
Valentine shrugged. "When am I not?"
27
By the time Valentine had showered and changed, people had already started to gather in Taranis's meeting room. Valentine didn't recognize four of the fae there, but he saw Lord Afon with them and figured they must be the other lords.
The knights were there too, flanking Quinn, Charlotte, and Reeve. Yelena was sitting by Avallach, and the chair opposite her was empty. Valentine slid into it before anyone else could. She was wearing blue, but it was a few shades richer than her usual pastels. He had a feeling it was as close to a compromise as she would make for the time being.
Afon was staring at her in a calculated way that made Valentine's magic itch. Afon's eyes slid to Valentine, and they narrowed further.
Valentine wanted to ask what the asshole's problem was, but he bit it back. He didn't want to embarrass Taranis by being the uncouth stray Afon thought he was. If Yelena could tolerate his shit for decades, Valentine could do it for a single meeting.
Taranis greeted everyone as they came in, his hand resting lightly on Quinn's shoulder. Valentine didn't know if it was toreassure himself or his queen. He knew he would have felt better sitting beside Yelena.
Something curled around his ankle, and he glanced down as casually as he could. A silver wisp of her magic was wrapped around him. He covered his mouth to hide his smile and risked glancing across at her.
Yelena's eyes flicked to his, and she ever so slightly raised a brow before focusing back on whatever Charlotte was saying to her.
Heat and desire burned in Valentine's gut, and his magic threaded around hers in greeting. The tense line in Yelena's shoulders softened, and he could feel her relief washing back over him. She didn't want to be there any more than he did.
"Thank you for coming, everyone. Let's get this started," Taranis said, sitting down at the head of the table beside Quinn. "Bring it in!"
Two servants entered the room, carrying a large silver mirror. Valentine had only seen one similar to it before, and that had belonged to Kian. There were ancient fae glyphs carved around its border that hummed with so much magic that it made Valentine's skin itch.
The sun outside the window dipped below the horizon, signaling the time between times. The mirror glyphs hummed with Taranis's magic. It often appeared scarlet like Valentine's own, and he wondered if it was part of being an alpha.
The surface of the mirror rippled like a stone thrown into quicksilver, and a face appeared in its depths. He had long golden hair and eyes as green as spring. On his head was a crown that looked like it was made of crystal. It wasn't until the mirror went clear that Valentine could see the cold bastard in those perfect green eyes.
"Taranis, you have aged since we last spoke," Midir said, instead of a hello.
"It happens to the best of us eventually." Taranis looked deceptively bored as he leaned back in his chair. "Shall we get to the point of the meeting? Your bastard general decided to send spies into Lord Afon's lands in the north, and they then killed my people and tortured two of my knights."
The hair on the back of Valentine's neck rose. He hadn't known that Afon had been the one to report Midir's activity. It didn't excuse how he talked about Yelena, but if he thought he was about to be invaded, then it was little wonder that he was so pissy all the time.
Midir laughed softly. "And by the destruction I found left behind at one of my forts, Cathal paid the price for that indiscretion."
"Not nearly enough," Valentine growled before he could check himself.
Midir's green eyes snapped to him and widened. "There you are. I have been looking for you, sorcerer."
"So I hear," Valentine replied, letting his own streak of cold bastard be seen. "It's always good to put a face to one's enemies."
Midir's expression cooled, and he turned his attention back to Taranis. "Give me back my access to my barrow opening in Ireland again, and I will leave your borders alone. I have no wish to fight other fae."
