But he didn’t go inside.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Lo.”

He gave me an inch.

I strained for more and wrapped my arms around him, lifting my knees high at the sides.

“Again, poppy.”

“Love you, Lo,” I breathed.

I got another inch.

I bit my lip and slid a hand up his back to clench my fingers in his hair.

His voice was rough when he ordered, “Again.”

“Love you.”

Another inch.

“Love you, honey,” I repeated without his prompt this time.

And that was when I got it all.

Then again, I already had it all.

Apollo had given it to me.

He was just giving me more.

He moved and I moved with him, hearing his quickened breathing in my ear, feeling it tingle over my skin.

He moved faster, thrust harder, and I listened to his breathing as it turned labored, my body tingling everywhere, pressure building.

I clutched at him with my hands, pressing my thighs tight to his sides, and gasped, “Baby.”

“Take it, Maddie,” he grunted, driving deep.

I took it, holding tight, pushing my face into his neck, he kept pounding into me as my cl**ax shook through me and I held on.

Then he sank his teeth into my earlobe, the nip of pain radiating down and becoming something else altogether, before he released it and groaned in my ear.

I held his weight, absorbed his warmth, his strength, as mine left me and his left him.

Then I felt him kiss the side of my neck.

Down, pulling out slowly, he kissed my shoulder.

Down again, he kissed my chest.

And down, he kissed my midriff.

And down yet again, where he kissed my belly.

Lifting his head, he caught my eyes and slid back up. He touched his mouth to mine, lifted slightly away, and reached to the nightstand.

He brought a cloth back and his eyes came back to mine as he gently pressed it between my legs, cleaning him away, before he tossed it to the floor at the side of the bed.

His arms going around me, he took me with him as he rolled and lifted to blow out one lamp, doing the same with the other.

Finally, he settled us with me on top of him, taking my weight, hopefully absorbing my warmth, but also pulling the covers up high over us.

I pressed my face into his neck as I wrapped my arms around him as best I could.

“Happy?” I whispered.

“Absolutely,” he whispered back.

“Hold tight to that, baby.” I kept whispering, and his arms went super-tight around me.

And against his skin, I smiled.

Chapter Thirty

The Plan Is in Place

“Oh my goodness,” Élan breathed. “Is that the Black Prince?”

I didn’t answer at first. I was too busy staring at the man and woman standing at the top of the steps of an a-freaking-mazing palace that was in an a-freaking-amazing city at the base of some, you guessed it, a-freaking-mazing mountains.

I knew the woman was Cora, the Gracious.

I also knew the man was Prince Noctorno of Hawkvale, ruler of Bellebryn, known as the Black Prince. I’d seen his pen and ink pictures in the papers from the Vale too.

They just did not do him justice.

In any way.

And staring at him as I drove our sleigh closer to the steps (or, more to the point, the horses moved there without much direction from me seeing as I wasn’t paying attention), I was wondering if all this craziness wasn’t about Frey commanding dragons and such, Lahn being mighty and such, Tor sharing his soul with his wife (and such), and Apollo commanding the wolves.

I was thinking those witch bitches were jealous because our men were hot.

Seriously.

I fought to find my voice and said, “I think he is, honey bunch.”

“Wow,” she replied.

She could say that again.

I pulled her closer as I started paying attention and guided our sleigh to a stop. This I was able to do after I tore my eyes off the tall drink of hot water that was the Black Prince. I then looked to the other person on the steps with Tor and Cora.

She was a woman with very straight posture, her eyes aimed down the length of her nose, wearing a cloak made of dark brown pelts so lustrous, they were almost (almost) as fabulous as Élan’s hair.

A woman who took regal to extremes.

A woman who had to be Finnie’s mother (kind of, she was the other Sjofn’s mother, but she’d claimed Finnie).

Queen Aurora.

I no sooner stopped the sleigh when Finnie dumped Viktor right in my lap, put a hand to the side of the sleigh and threw her legs over it.

She then raced up the steps and even as the Queen of Lunwyn stared down her nose at her and didn’t move a muscle, Finnie didn’t hesitate to throw herself in the woman’s arms.

I watched the queen roll her eyes to the chilly blue skies.

I also watched her arms close tight around her adopted daughter.

How sweet.

I could watch no more because Apollo filled my vision and he did this to reach in the sleigh and lift Élan over the side.

She giggled when he did this for no apparent reason other than it afforded her the opportunity to giggle.

So I smiled when she did for no reason except I thought she was cute.

I moved Viktor to my hip as I stood and the fur blankets dropped away from my lap.

Apollo opened the door to the sleigh and Frey was there.

He reached for his son and I handed him over.

He took hold with a murmured, “My gratitude, Maddie,” then turned and sauntered up the steps.

I exited the sleigh at the same time Apollo called, “Chris!”

Chris had dismounted and was moving our way. I felt Apollo’s hand clasp mine and bring it up. He smoothed it around the inside of his elbow and I moved closer to him as he took Élan’s hand.

To my utter delight, delight that meant my head whipped around and tipped back so I could aim my beam of happiness to Apollo, Chris took his place beside me.

Taking in my smile, Apollo’s lips twitched and he turned his attention to the palace.

Thus, we all moved to the steps.

And when we did, Apollo murmured, “This pleases me.”

It pleased me too.

Big time.

“What, Papa?” Chris asked.

“That Maddie will be meeting Prince Noctorno in a normal fashion, not in the throes of a needed rescue.”

I wasn’t beaming at that. I turned a glare in his direction.

He grinned down at me.

Chris burst out laughing.

I instantly quit glaring.

Apollo tucked me closer to his side and turned his attention to the steps, leading us up.

I wished they had cameras in this world so I could have a picture of our progression. I really, really did.