It was almost dawn, and Percy was exhausted.

His feet were numb from the cold, as was the rest of him, though the smell of Kris on the warm coat he had pulled around him bolstered him a little. But Percy had drained his energy holding off that avalanche and had been so close to hibernation that he was numb to a lot of what was going on right at that moment.

Percy just wanted to sleep.

But he had known that this moment was coming, the moment he decided to help Kris and the rest of the valley. He had been ordered not to shift, and had been quite cognizant that there were people who were waiting for him to mess up. And now that he had, they had finally shown themselves.

The morrigan. Not THE Morrigan, but one of the morrigan, who had been assigned to imprison him when he had escaped. They had long memories and had probably not been forgiven for that mistake. At the time, he had been a young Demigen, not a threat to anyone, really. But now, with the knowledge he had of how to break Fae bindings and sense chains, as well as his centuries of power growth and experience, he had been a target.

Rupert, at least, didn't look gleeful about what was going on, though the man didn't seem sympathetic to Percy's plight anymore. So much for the new brand of leadership within the ranks of the active Demigen.

And Kris.

Percy had watched Kris, who was clearly as exhausted and cold as he was, struggle to understand what was going on. Kris, who had not known that Percy was in human form because he had no choice in that realm, Kris, who was being held and probably guided by the other morrigan.

Percy could not hear what was being said across the distance, not with everything else going on, but he saw the look of fury on Desrona's expression. He could see the Yeti bracing herself, preparing to fight, if not for him in particular, for her principles alone.

The humans were behind the sleigh, huddling in fear and confusion.

The moment Percy had mentioned permission, he say Kris understand, then he saw the man's attention grabbed by the morrigan again, and realized that he had made a mistake. Kris glanced around at the valley, toward the town, his expression pained as he realized what Percy was asking him to do.

And Percy realized he had asked the impossible.

He had not planned for them to threaten Kris, had not thought that Rupert would arrive with the morrigan, and now that it had played out, he wanted to take it back.

Kris' gaze met his and Percy offered a shake of his head, trying to make the man understand. Percy didn't want to take Kris and all that Kris protected and cared for down with him.

Rupert gave him a confused look, but the morrigan started cackling. "You? Percy Oddsonne, ask for permission from a Fae? The lies stop now."

Her words were the end of a truth spell, though Percy wasn't sure if she had intended to spread it through the group. The spell shimmered out toward him, but ended up reflecting off something else and rolling over everyone standing behind the morrigan as well.

Percy offered a shrug and remained silent, which he knew they would take for confirmation that he was lying. Watching Kris, who still wore that hilarious red hat, Percy didn't care about chains or imprisonment anymore.

The fae owed him nothing.

"He did." Kris spoke, then pulled his arm out of the grasp of the morrigan, giving the woman a hard look before looking back at Percy. "Percy asked for permission. And I granted it. I granted it in my territory for time immemorial. For him, and all Demigen, they are welcome, they are safe and they are free to be who they really are as long as they live in harmony with all others."

Percy's heart skipped a beat, then plummeted. "Damned Fae."

Kris grinned at him before turning to the morrigan. "And I will bring this to the council, along with the rest of the evidence, both of Percy's actions as well as yours."

"You dare threaten us?" The two morrigan stood together, facing off against Kris and summoning their power.

Even if he had not been drained, Kris would have had a hard time withstanding their wrath if they chose to lose control. And Percy stumbled forward, only to be caught by Rupert and held in place. "This is not your battle."

"If this isn't, then chain me to the bottom of the ocean." Percy tried to push past the Druden, despite the fact that his human form was barely standing on its own.

"Enough." Miriam spoke, her voice echoing across the valley with an ancient power that went beyond being Fae.

It reminded Percy of springtime and warm sunlight, life and regrowth, and everything fresh, like baby animals and budding flowers. Things that did not belong in winter, but contained their own power, even here.

The morrigan froze and turned to look at Miriam incredulously, their bravado and power fizzling out as they regarded the woman who had appeared to be not much more than a human or some mischievous Fae.

"Lady Oestre." Kris' voice was as surprised as anyone else, though he fell to one knee and ducked his head. "Forgive me, I did not recognize you."

Not Fae, but Elemental. A personification of one season of the Goddess, thought to be a Goddess herself by many. Elementals were reclusive, born of all aspects of power, but only truly, with their power during their season.

They had remained apart from the world since before Fae and Demigen had split.

They had not chosen sides, because to the Elementals, there were no sides. There was the cycle of life, death, and rebirth, which everyone and everything had a part in.

"You were not meant to." Miriam's voice was gentle until she turned to look at the morrigan. "I will be speaking to Bridget about this abuse of authority. We decreed your wars were to come to an end, and that meant that they would end, not continue as petty vendettas. Return to your brood and await her summoning."

The morrigan bowed deeply, not even daring to glance up from the grown they had been staring at since Kris had identified Miriam's true form as they summoned their powers and disappeared.

"Thank you, Rupert." Miriam inclined her head to the man who was holding Percy.

Rupert met Percy's confused look with a shrug. "They were concerned that you would not let it go, either. This was your chance to grow, and you did, Percy. Rest up. When you've recovered, come see me and we'll talk about what this all means."

Then Rupert was gone as well, and Percy stumbled, reaching out to lean heavily on the sleigh, struggling to stay standing.

Miriam smiled, and then the aura of her power, the smell of springtime that was so unnatural in the air, faded, and she returned to being the same woman she always had been.

Only younger. Maybe.

Percy couldn't remember if Miriam had ever appeared any age at all. He had just assumed that she was a woman over middle age, for reasons he couldn't quite recall at that moment.

"I think we've had enough excitement for the evening. And it is Yule-eve. We'll talk when your last flight is done, Kris." Miriam turned to walk back around the sleigh, urging the villagers to pack up and get on.

Desrona shook her head, tiredly walking over to him and sparing him a nod. "Strange friends we have here, Oddsonne."

She climbed onto the sleigh with the rest of the villagers and Miriam, and Percy turned back to find Kris in front of him. The man frowned, then wrapped him in a firm hug.

Percy returned the embrace, finding himself relaxing into Kris' warmth until Kris lifted him up and put him on the driving seat before climbing up beside him.

Percy smirked as Kris picked up the reins, but merely laid his head on the man's shoulder, staying silent as they rode back into town. They dropped off most of the villagers along the street, and when they arrived at Kris' and Percy sat up, he realized Miriam had also disembarked. Desrona's mate stepped out of the barn and grinned, prompting her to jump off the sleigh and run over to him.

The two yeti embraced and spoke in low voices that Percy did not bother to listen to. He was barely staying awake as it was, and it was none of his business.

"I told them that they could stay in my house." Kris offered absently, sounding vaguely confused.

Desrona turned to look at him, grinning again as she held her mate's shoulders in one arm. "It is too warm, and too small in your house, but the loft of your barn is perfect for us. Thank you."

Kris nodded and stepped down from the sleigh, handing off the reins to the sole human who had remained with them. "Thank you, Tommy."

Before Percy could climb down, Kris picked him up and carried him toward the house. "Before you even start, your feet are frozen and cut up. You're probably hypothermic, and you can accept some help."

Percy scowled, but didn't respond until they were inside Kris' cabin. The fire was out, but it was infinitely warmer than it had been outside, and Kris put him down on the couch and paused, standing in front of him with an exhausted expression on his face.

"You need to rest, Kris. I know how to warm myself up." Percy shrugged out of the man's coat, even as he nodded toward the stairs.

"You have to do it slowly. It's probably best that the fire isn't on. The heat would be too intense. But I'll wait with you and start a fire once you warm up a little more." Kris pulled off his boots, tossing them at the door before sitting down on the couch beside Percy.

They both leaned back, and Percy closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the other man, and the warmth that was causing his entire body to tingle with pins and needles.

Percy planned to stay awake, to respond.

And failed.