He smiled a little, remembering how this went, hands soothing down her arms and back.
"For both sides, yes. Though you try telling a war goddess who's been awake since very early in her life what she can and can't do." Dry amusement in his voice.
"I should..." he dug out his cell phone, barely shifting them at all. "Before my brother-dearest goes back there and starts fretting," his tone laced with perhaps more acid than he intended for even Star to hear.
"Ali? It's me. Carole and Nick are both in the kitchen with Danu, but I had to leave to get some information." His nose wrinkled at the audible "what?!" on the other end of the line. "Good. Ishtar was kidnapped a few weeks ago. I'm with her to learn whatever I can. What do we know?" He stiffened, voice going grim and dark. "We'll find her. If we have to send Morrigan and Badb through people to get her, we will."
Deep breaths, one hand still unconsciously tracing over Star's back. And then a very definite wince. "I expect it's something to do with who she is. If you're headed back over... I don't know. Try and get her to sleep. Tell her Macha's still in the city and we'll deal with how to tell her tomorrow. Preferably with a good head start."
A pause. "Yes. Thank some deity, somewhere. I should really get back to things here... You as well."