Page 29 of Ink Sworn (Greatdrakes #3 | The Fae Universe #24)

T here were times when Yelena wondered why she bothered attending meetings with the dragon lords. They looked down on everyone who wasn't Taranis, and they hated her most of all. She used to enjoy the knowledge that she got under their skin. Now, it just made her tired.

Yelena probably shouldn't have been so turned on by Valentine threatening to cut out Afon's tongue, but by the gods, she had never loved him more.

He hadn't bothered to hide his disgust for the lords, and she wished she dared to do the same.

She had wanted to drag him out of that room and find somewhere to lick him all over.

"Wait for me, little sister," Avallach called and caught up with her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Afon is always an asshole," Yelena replied as they walked together.

Avallach waited until the hallway was empty of ears before he said, "I promise we will make Midir pay for what he did to us. I just need to wait until the time is right, when it won't backfire on Taranis, and then I will make a plan."

"Count me in when you decide to make a move," Yelena replied.

Avallach glanced sideways at her. "We should probably ask Valentine to help as well. Unless I've lost the ability to read people, he is already plotting how he can take Midir out."

Yelena grinned. "I wouldn't put it past him. I swear Afon soiled his robes when Valentine used that teleportation spell. I taught that to him, and I've never been so proud."

"Someone should have taught Afon some manners long ago. So, about Valentine, you really like him, don't you?" he asked.

"I do." Yelena wasn't trying to hide it either. "It is good to have someone to talk to about magic."

"And he's easy on the eyes, even if he is a bit crazy."

"I like that too. Both things," she said, raising a brow. "Is this a big brother talk about the boy I like?"

Avallach nodded. "I like him as well, but he is intense about you. I wanted to make sure you felt the same, or if you wanted me to tell him to back off."

Yelena chewed her lip. "My dragon thinks he is her mate."

Avallach almost walked into a pillar. "I... What? How is that possible? You told me you couldn't have a mate."

"Turns out I was wrong. Please don't say anything. I am only telling you so that you believe me when I tell you that I am intense about him, too," Yelena said. She heard a gasp behind her, and she whirled about to find Charlotte.

"I... I'm sorry I wasn't eavesdropping. I only wanted to speak with you, and I couldn't help overhearing," she said. She was flustered in a way Yelena had never seen before.

"It's okay, Charlotte. Just don't tell anyone," Yelena replied.

Avallach huffed out a laugh. "It's glaringly obvious now that I think about it. He was completely unhinged the night he attacked Cathal's fort."

Charlotte was still looking shocked, so Yelena slipped her arm through hers. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Ah...girl things?" Charlotte said and looked at Avallach.

He bowed deeply. "I know when to take the hint, and the last thing I need is another Ironwood with a bloody vendetta against me. I will talk to you both later."

"It's how Ironwoods show that they like you," Charlotte replied with a smile.

Avallach grinned. "If you say so. Gods help us all when your sister is grown."

They waited until Avallach had gone before they resumed walking again.

"What's on your mind, Charlotte?" Yelena asked. She wanted to get back to her tower and have a few moments alone before Valentine arrived.

"I was going to ask you about Val, but you just answered so many of my questions," she said and patted her arm. "You are my friend, and he is my brother. I need to make sure you are both happy, that's all."

"I love him. It doesn't matter if my dragon is imagining the mating thing or not. He's my friend, and I will do everything I can to ensure Midir never gets anywhere near him," Yelena replied honestly.

Charlotte sighed. "With the way you two were arguing with each other, I never expected you to hook up with him."

"Oh, we are still going to argue. I don't doubt that," Yelena said with a bright smile. "We will just hook up as well."

"And he doesn't scare you? He did just try to cut out Afon's tongue."

Yelena shook her head. "He has never scared me. I appreciate that he is protective of me, just as he is of his family. He might be scary to others, but his heart is good, as you well know."

"I do. I only wanted to make sure you know it too.

More to the point, he has a soft heart under all that grumpy attitude.

It was already broken once when he found out that you had lied to him about Caelan.

As my friend, I would ask you not to do that again when he clearly loves you even more now," Charlotte said, and Yelena took note of the warning.

"I won't ever do anything to hurt him," Yelena assured her. "I'm surprised you think he was heartbroken over that. I thought he was just angry."

"No. He moped terribly, and his brothers had to have an intervention because he wasn't eating or sleeping.

I have never seen him like that over anyone.

I've never even seen him smile at his brothers the way he smiles at you.

He adores you, so I will say again, please be careful with his heart.

He is more fragile than anyone knows," Charlotte said and kissed Yelena's cheek. "I'm happy for both of you."

"Thank you. Please don't say anything about him being my mate.

I haven't quite figured out how to tell him yet.

I don't want to upset what we have by trying to move too quickly," Yelena replied.

She wanted to tell him, especially after showing him her dragon form, but she wanted to protect what they were building too much to upset it.

"It will come out when it's meant to. Just don't wait years and years like Reeve did to me," Charlotte said, and they both laughed.

"I won't." She hugged Charlotte. "Thank you for always being my friend."

"You're welcome." Charlotte leaned in and whispered, "And if you ever want to find a way to hex that asshole Afon, I will help."

Yelena only hugged her tighter and knew this was what having an Ironwood as your sister felt like.