He slid his hand down the side of my thigh then pushed my knee back up against my chest. He braced his hands on the bed and swung his hips hard, our bodies crashing into each other. I knew we needed to stop. I knew we needed to prepare for the night. But I couldn’t get enough of him and it hadn’t even been that long for me. I’d just had him a couple nights ago when he had to feed. And yet each climax that rolled through me was as strong as the first one.

My body was mush. Delicious mush. As yet another climax claimed me, I gripped his face and whispered, “I love you.”

He fell apart instantly, his hips thrust three more times before they stilled completely. His breath was hot as it swept across my face. “I love you.”

I let out a sigh that was more of a swoon, but he’d earned it. “You’ve been holding back on me,” I whispered before I could stop myself.

He propped himself up on his elbows and used both hands to push my hair back off my face. At some point in the day, he’d gotten comfortable with my face not looking like my face. His lips curved into a cocky grin. “Your body feels surprisingly fragile.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I am not fragile⁠—”

“No, but your mortality is.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “Now that I’ve felt how delicate this body is I feel I’ll want to be more gentle⁠—”

“Planning on having me again already?”

He growled deep in his throat and shook his head. “It shall consume my thoughts for three centuries until I may have you again.”

“Good.” I grinned. “Hey, you distracted me⁠—”

“Oh, my apologies, m’lady⁠—”

I snort laughed then flipped him onto his back. I lifted off of him then sat up and looked down at his beautiful face. “I had a point.”

He arched one eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and jumped to my feet. If we didn’t get out of this bed now we never would. “As I was saying before . . . the sun has not set. Can we get to her throne before nightfall?”

“No, we cannot.” He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “Every day, a few minutes prior to sunrise, Sweyn’s throne is lowered down to her private quarters. Her locked private quarters. A few minutes after sunset, the throne is lifted back up to the main floor. There is no getting inside Sweyn’s private chamber unless she has invited you in . . . and there are but few reasons for said invitation.”

I cursed and dove for my linen chemise.

“Hold on.” Everest sat up with a scowl. He cocked his head to the side. “Why do you need to get to her throne?”

“That’s where the missing page is.”