I gaze into his eyes and smile.
“Eyes on me, Silas,” I say. “I want you to watch only me.”
Silas Nastronde, the King of Andorwood, is completely helpless under my weight. I kiss him slowly, biting his lower lip as I pull away. Shadows and light dance around my body, and I feel myself seconds away from losing control.
His piercing green eyes bore into mine as I ride his cock, feeling every delicious inch of him moving inside me. I lower my gaze, slowly sliding up to his tip, and hover there for a moment.
“Turns out, I want you to scream my name, Silas. The Gods can’t hear you, because I am your only God. You belong to me.”
His eyes widen with excitement, and I slam my hips down, going as deep as I can handle.
“And don’t ever fucking forget that.”
Pleasure explodes through us both, and my body tingles with lightning from the inside out. I arch my back, and Silas rips his hands from my hold, grasping onto my hips once more. His strong fingers dig into my skin. Silas groans deep and wild, throwing his head back and slamming his hips upward. The world pauses, my worries don’t exist, and I allow pleasure to slam through me.
I collapse forward, our chests resting together. He heaves under me and moves his hands into my dark hair that pools around us. We remain this way for a moment, lost in pleasure and one another.
Silas moves, flipping me back onto the bed, and props his elbow near my head. His hands trace alongside my profile as I work to catch my breath, before he drops his head onto my chest.
“Fuck, Briar.”
I smile proudly.
The dark shadows around us start to fade, and the sounds of the outside world fill the space once more. The crashing waves hit the cliff wall, the morning sun shines through the open windows, and the sound of movement echoes down the long hallway.
I close my eyes, and my body relaxes into the warm bed. I want to stay this way forever, in peace—in the stillness of a new day—and near Silas.
As much as I try to ignore our reality, the weight of the day slowly begins to press against my chest, and I look at Silas, turning to face him.
“I wish we could stay this way forever,” I say, as I cup his face.
He presses a kiss to my lips and smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“You always ask me, but I never ask you. Are you okay?” I sigh. “Last night was…a lot."
I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth. I should have allowed more time for us to remain in peace and together, uncaring of the troubles that constantly surround us.
Silas stares at me for a moment, his eyes hardening. “I’m fine.”
“Now who is lying?” I cut my eyes toward him.
“That man was never a father to me. He won’t be missed.”
The room is filled with a morning glow, and a burst of white light brightens the dark space. Silas squints against the glare, and I glance out the window once more. I wrap the sheets around me and prop on my elbows. The cherry hues of the sunrise remind me, and I sit straight up. Silas throws both hands behind his head, stretching his chest, and yawns.
“Tonight is the crimson moon,” I state, matter-of-factly.
“It is,” Silas responds, casually.
“The Archives will be the easiest to enter tonight.” I turn back to look at him, still lying shirtless on the bed. “We have to find a way to get in there.”
He rubs his eyes and sits up next to me, propping his elbow on his knee. “My mother is going to meet us mid-afternoon in her wing of the castle. We have a lot to discuss with her.”
I raise my brows at him.
“No,” he laughs.
“You should…”
