Page 6 of Ink Sworn (Greatdrakes #3 | The Fae Universe #24)

T wenty minutes later, Valentine paused on the stairs, his bag over his shoulder, as he watched Cosimo approach Taranis in front of the great doors. He moved behind a statue, not wanting to intrude.

"I'm sorry," Cosimo said and ran his hands through his black and silver hair. "I snapped at you like a bastard before I could think, and you didn't deserve it."

"I can see where your sons get that strong streak of asshole they all have." Taranis sighed dramatically and pulled him into a hug. "Think nothing of it, little brother. It's not only your sons who are contending with their dragons waking up."

"I feel like I'm losing my mind," Cosimo admitted. "I've never felt so overprotective of my sons, and I feel like I'm failing them because I can't help them with this. I can't even help myself."

Valentine hadn't heard him talk like that since their mother had died. He didn't know how to help his father either. Not then, and not now.

Taranis rubbed Cosimo's back. "It's not only up to you anymore. The boys are handling their dragons themselves, and their mates are helping them. Maybe you need to focus on letting others help you too."

"I know. I just…I don't know how," Cosimo replied. He looked up at the fae king. "You will look after Valentine?"

"Of course, but I have a feeling he's going to be looking after us instead. He's got power like I've never felt before. It's so deep, so…" Taranis struggled for the word and gave up. "It might be a good thing for him to be in Faerie for a while. It's safer for that kind of magic."

"Why are we spying?" Quinn whispered behind Valentine, making him jump. She gave him a wicked grin and poked him in the side. "What's going on?"

"Dad is apologizing for being a dick. Uncle Taran looks stressed," Valentine said, adding, "I didn't want to interrupt."

Quinn nodded and threaded her arm around Valentine's.

"Taran is more than stressed. I love him to distraction, but he needs to go to Faerie to do his dragon king thing and go on a rampage or something.

This beef with Midir was already pissing him off, but to take the baby of his knights?

Midir has got some big, big balls going after Yelena, that's for damn sure. "

Valentine forced his jaw to unclench. "I suppose that if he couldn't get to you, then Yelena would be his next weakest spot."

"She's not a weak spot. She's the strongest warrior he has, despite the innocence she sometimes projects.

It makes me wonder how the hell she got taken in the first place," Quinn replied.

Valentine had wondered that too. A hundred warriors, even fae warriors, were no match for two dragons.

She tugged at his arm. "Come on, they look like they have finished their heart-to-heart. "

They made their way downstairs, loud enough that Taranis and Cosimo were warned they were coming. Valentine accepted the hug from his father and tried not to worry about him.

"Try and get some sleep, old man. You're looking stressed," Valentine said, patting him on the back.

Cosimo frowned at him. "Maybe stop stressing me out then. Take care of yourself. Listen to the knights and don't do anything too reckless."

"I'll try," Valentine replied. That was about as much of a promise as he could make. He had fought for control his whole life, and now it was unraveling.

Perhaps Faerie would be a better place for him when he finally lost what precious control he had left. The other dragons would be able to control him if he were in danger of hurting anyone. Better they do it than his family, who would hesitate to put him down. The knights wouldn't.

Valentine didn't hear the rest of the goodbyes, too lost in his own spiralling thoughts. He couldn't stop seeing that cursed cage hanging over the battlements. He pushed his power down as it burned his fingertips.

After magic had been restored, flowing more easily between the worlds, Taranis had created a portal to Mag Argatnél above the castle.

Only he could open it, and only dragons could fly through it, which meant Owain was waiting for them outside in his dragon form.

He was a deep russet color with a bulky body that matched his tank of a fae form.

It was going to be a short flight, so Valentine and Quinn had dressed in warm clothes instead of proper flying leathers and would ride clutched in the dragon's claws.

Owain held out his paw, and Valentine didn't hesitate to climb into it.

He was becoming more and more anxious the longer they waited.

He wanted to get Yelena out of that damn cage and tell her.

..he didn't know what. He would figure that out when he got her to safety.

All he knew was that he would kill anyone who tried to stop him. His dragon growled in approval.

Owain lifted lightly into the air, deceptively graceful for a dragon of his size. Valentine tried not to wonder how it felt to be able to spread his wings and take off whenever he wanted to.

He was too close to giving in and giving up. He had wanted to ask Caelan about controlling the shift so he wouldn't lose his mind to his dragon. That was before he had found out they were Yelena.

He should have gone to her instead of writing that last letter. Maybe if he had, she wouldn't have ended up in a cage and missing a hand.

Cold wind and magic blasted Valentine as they crossed through the sky portal and into Faerie. The sudden changes cooled the rage burning through him, and he leaned closer to the gap in Owain's claws to see the landscape around him.

They were flying inside a ravine, jagged white and gray rock on either side of them. Owain maneuvered around the twisting paths with the ease of someone heading home.

Wards prickled against Valentine's skin, and then the famed mountain fortress of Mag Argatnél was in front of them.

The sides of the mountain were carved with pillars, wide archways, and colossal dragons in a Celtic knot design.

It had always reminded Valentine of Petra in Jordan, but with a fae twist and on a much, much larger scale.

Valentine knew it was more than just an aerie for the dragon kind—it was a home and safe haven. The mountain was full of halls, homes, marketplaces, and passages that also reminded him of a hive more than a city.

Owain landed on a platform leading into the high peak that was Taranis's palace.

Valentine had only been there once before and hadn't seen much of the city, only a few chambers of the palace.

He'd had plans to explore it, but too much had been happening at home for him to feel like he could take the time off.

There was always something getting in the way, and now they had to prevent a war with Midir. Somedays it felt never-ending.

Valentine climbed out of Owain's claws and moved to help Quinn step down from Taranis's grip.

"The flying never gets old," she beamed. Her wine-red hair was wind-swept despite the braid she had tied it in. Her smile was so contagious that Valentine managed a grin back. "You stick with me, Val, and watch just how much Taranis's court squirms at the sight of me."

Valentine raised a brow. "They still haven't got used to you being mated?"

"They would have rather Taranis stayed single and miserable forever than be mated to a human," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"They so much as look at you in a way that's disrespectful, and I'll tear their wings off," Taranis growled, wrapping a protective arm around Quinn's waist.

She went up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "You charmer."

"About time you lot get here," Emyr declared, striding through the landing area.

She was dressed in armor with a fur collared cloak around her shoulders, her hair back in twin golden braids.

Von often commented that she reminded him of the goddess Freya, and it was a good comparison.

She was as tough as any of Taranis's dragons and twice as ruthless.

"Nice to see you too," Quinn said and made her bend down for a hug.

"My queen, always a pleasure," Emyr greeted respectfully before turning to Taranis and saying much less respectfully, "I'm about to go insane with these fucking lords. Let me go and find Avallach and Yelena in your stead. I need to get out, and you shouldn't leave the city right now. "

"I agree," Quinn said, holding tighter to Taranis. "We don't know how they caught Yelena and Avallach, and I don't want you going into danger."

"Not here five minutes and you are already siding against me," Taranis complained.

Quinn raised her chin. "You don't know if they are using Avallach and Yelena as bait. Until we get them back, you're not leaving my side."

Taranis's eyes glowed hot, but his mate always got her way. "Fine! Emyr, I release you to go with Owain and Valentine to find them. We need to make a plan and talk somewhere private first."

Emyr cast a glance in Valentine's direction, her nostrils flaring. "Oh, the little dragon sorcerer has come to play, has he? The lords are going to love this."

Valentine's smile was sharp as a blade. "They aren't my concern."

Emyr only wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him in for a tight squeeze. "Watch your temper, and we can get out of here faster. You're crackling with power, little one. It would be a shame to waste it."

"I have seen where they are," Valentine said, keeping his voice low as they followed the others. "I think Uncle Taran has a traitor somewhere."

"Shh, later. Too many ears," Emyr said and gave him a knowing look. "I'm glad you will be with us for the hunt. Yelena isn't the only one who has missed your handsome scowling face."

I miss her too , Valentine's dragon grumbled, and he bit his tongue so he wouldn't say it out loud.

There were many reasons why he had kept his dragon locked down for so long, and now it was going to be more vocal than ever. Just what he needed.