Split or Swallow

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Tem let the silence sit, forcing Caspen to speak again:

I know you are angry with me. But you should know that the Drakons have given you their blessing.

The news had no impact on Tem. She deserved his quiver’s blessing after everything she’d gone through. She expected nothing less.

Caspen continued:

And I know you are with the prince.

Now Tem spoke:

It’s none of your business who I’m with.

A testy pause.

I am not criticizing you. It is your right to spend time with whomever you choose.

His words were taut.

Is that all? I’m about to eat breakfast.

Caspen’s presence loomed larger, and she knew he wanted to keep her with him.

There is something else. I must attend the council meeting tonight.

You told me that already.

I wish for you to attend with me.

That was a surprise to Tem.

Why?

We are now officially engaged. That means you are the future queen. Your presence is expect?ed.

He was the second person to call Tem the future queen. The first was Leo.

Is it safe for me to attend?

Caspen paused. And then:

I will ensure that it is.

Tem heard the resolve in his voice. It brought her little comfort.

Tem? Caspen said when the silence dragged on. Will you attend?

Tem sighed.

I’ll decide later.

Another long pause.

Of course. I await your decision.

Tem severed their connection without remorse.

“Tem?”

She blinked. Leo was staring at her.

“What?” she asked.

“Where did you go?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you…went somewhere just now. Were you talking to him?”

Tem was surprised he could tell. There was no point in hiding it.

“Yes.”

Leo’s brow furrowed. “What did he say?”

Tem hesitated. Was she really going to talk to Leo about her mind connection with Caspen? The day could hardly get any stranger.

“He wants to see me tonight.”

Leo’s lips formed an unhappy line.

“Do you want to see him?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“Yes.”

“I imagine that would make him angry.”

It is your right to spend time with whomever you choose.

“Yes. It does.”

“Is that why you came?”

Tem blinked.

“What?”

Leo shifted, leaning toward her.

“Did you come here just so you could make him angry?”

She considered the question. There wasn’t one singular reason why she’d come here. A combination of things had collided into a single, perfect circumstance that resulted in her having breakfast in Leo’s bedroom.

“Partly. But I also came because I wanted to.”

Leo’s eyes held hers. She had no idea whether he believed her. When he didn’t reply, Tem whispered:

“Should I leave?”

He shook his head.

“I’d rather you didn’t.”

“Even after what I just told you?”

To her surprise, he smiled.

“Especially after what you just told me.”

Tem’s stomach turned over. There was so much more she had to tell him. They hadn’t even touched the tip of the iceberg. Leo didn’t know she was a Hybreed, that she was capable of cresting , that there was a mutiny being planned as they spoke. He didn’t know anything that mattered.

When Leo saw the expression on her face, he sighed, and said:

“One thing at a time please, Tem.”

Tem pursed her lips. He was right. One thing at a time.

“You’ve made it clear you won’t have a bath,” Leo continued. “Or champagne. So tell me, Tem, is there something else you’d care to do?”

She thought for a moment.

“Will you read to me?”

Leo arched an eyebrow.

“What shall I read?”

“ The Raven and the Swan .”

Leo tilted his head, studying her. Then he said:

“Very well.”

He stood, crossing to the bookshelf. On his way back to her, he lifted a blanket from the end of his bed and draped it over her shoulders. Tem was moved by the unexpected gesture. It reminded her of when he’d given her his cloak in the graveyard. The blanket was warm, the fire even warmer. Leo read calmly, and Tem found herself drifting off to the sound of his voice.

When she woke, she was still in the chair, wrapped in the blanket. Tem glanced over to see Leo fast asleep, his long legs still crossed, the book still open in his hands. The fire was almost out, and afternoon sunshine was peeking through the bedroom window.

“Leo,” Tem whispered.

He didn’t wake.

“Leo,” she whispered again, reaching over and tugging on his sleeve.

His eyes opened and he sat up, looking around at her.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Tem said. “It’s afternoon. You fell asleep.”

Leo stretched, uncrossing his legs.

“On the contrary— you fell asleep. I didn’t think it polite to wake you.”

Tem gave him a look.

He smiled, then it faded.

“In truth, you seemed like you needed it,” he paused, and his voice dropped. “I’ve...never seen you so peaceful.”

Tem stared at him. He was being sincere.

“Oh,” she said. “Well. Thanks, I guess.”

“My pleasure.”

There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other. Then Leo’s mouth twitched.

“ Speaking of pleasure,” he said, snapping the book shut and setting it on the arm rest. “We could—”

“No,” Tem said firmly. “We couldn’t. You’re about to ruin a perfectly nice moment.”

“Hm,” he said, still smiling. “I rather think it would enhance the moment. But if you insist—”

“I do insist,” she said, standing up. “Can you just take me home, please?”

“Very well, Tem,” he stood too, shaking his head in amusement. “I shall take you home.”

Tem followed him out into the hallway and down the stairs. To her intense relief, they didn’t run into Maximus on their way out.

When the carriage arrived at Tem’s cottage, she turned to Leo.

“Thank you,” she said.

He arched an eyebrow.

“For what?”

“Forbeing my refuge.”

He took her hand in his, pressing his lips to her knuckles.

“It was an honor.”

Tem rolled her eyes. His grip tightened.

“I mean it. I know my time with you is somewhat…borrowed. But any moment with you—no matter how brief—is glorious.”

Guilt twisted Tem’s gut. Leo may be understanding now, but his patience was bound to run out. The prince was accustomed to getting what he wanted—and he wanted her. He would not tolerate her connection with Caspen forever. And if he were to learn exactly how deep that connection truly went, she doubted he would ever forgive her.

“Leo…”

He cut her off with a kiss.

Tem didn’t bother resisting. They melted into each other, kissing without a single care, safe in the knowledge that nobody could see them within the four walls of the carriage. Leo’s tongue was relentless, and so was Tem’s. It felt as if they were making up for lost time, their bodies doing what their minds truly craved. Tem’s hand went to his lap, palming his cock, feeling how hard he was through his trousers. Leo groaned, cupping his hand over hers and squeezing until she groaned too.

Tem pulled away.

“Unbutton your trousers,” she ordered.

Leo gave her a cunning smile.

“I thought you weren’t interested in pleasure.”

“Well. Now I am. Unbutton them.”

“No. Not until you say it.”

“Say what?”

“That you want me.”

Tem scoffed. She began to stand, but Leo yanked her right back down.

“Say it, Tem,” his lips were an inch from hers. “Say you want me, and my cock is yours.”

They stared at each other. The air in the carriage was warm, and already smelled like sex.

Tem thought about Caspen, and how angry she was at him. She thought about how he’d lied to her— betrayed her. Why should Tem be loyal when Caspen was anything but? She was half basilisk, after all. There was a part of her—a significant part—that craved Leo in the same way Caspen craved her. Why should she deprive herself of him?

It was a good thing Leo wasn’t asking her to lie.

“I want you,” she whispered.

The smirk returned.

“Good girl. Now unbutton them yourself.”

Tem didn’t hesitate. Her fingers flew along the seam of Leo’s trousers, undoing the buttons before reaching down his undergarments and grabbing his cock. Leo inhaled sharply when she did it, and a second later, she had him fully exposed. He was completely erect—his cock just as long and pretentious as she remembered it. Tem dipped her head immediately. Leo gasped in surprise as she took him all the way down her throat.

“Tem,” he breathed.

Pride curled within her. She lifted her head before lowering it again, creating a steady rhythm.

“You’re so fucking good at this.”

Tem barely heard him. She was concentrating on how hard he was in her mouth, how significant it felt to suck on the part of Leo that made him him— how badly she wanted to take him even deeper.

Leo’s hand went to the back of her head, his hips moving to meet her. His fingers twisted in her hair, holding Tem in place as he thrust lazily up and down. He was taking his time, and Tem didn’t mind.

She let out a tiny moan when his cock hit the back of her throat.

“ Fuck , Tem.”

The thrusts became quicker. It was amazing to see the effect she had on him—to see how impossible it was for Leo to control himself around her. Tem felt such power in that moment—such undeniable control—and she wanted nothing more than to keep it.

On his next thrust, she sat up, releasing his cock from her mouth and using her hand instead. Leo grabbed her chin, turning her head to his.

“Sit on my cock, Tem.”

Tem let out a soft giggle.

“No.”

“Tem, I swear to Kora—”

But Tem wasn’t listening. She lowered her head again, taking him once more down her throat. Leo’s hand returned to her hair, twisting it around his knuckles so he could hold it away from her face.

“Need to fuck you—need to fuck you so badly—need you—”

Each phrase was punctuated by the rise and fall of her head as she slid her mouth up and down, again and again. Tem wasn’t used to this much verbal accompaniment. Caspen spoke occasionally, but it was usually to issue a command or impart selective praise. Leo was constantly vocal, and Tem found she enjoyed it. It was satisfying for her to hear, in real time, how he felt about her.

“Let me fuck you, Tem, please. ”

The hand that wasn’t holding her hair was roaming along the lacings of her dress, beginning to pull it off her.

But Tem was not going to fuck Leo today.

Not here, not in a carriage, not twenty yards from her cottage. Not when her body still bore the effects of the ritual. She wanted to fuck the prince in a bed— his bed—and she wanted to do it right. For now, she merely wanted to show him that she cared—that she was grateful for his hospitality, and that his obsession with her would be worth it.

She sat up straight.

“You can’t fuck me, Leo.”

“I assure you,” he said as his hands—both of them now—worked to unlace her dress. “I can.”

“No,” she grabbed his wrists, pinning them against the back of the carriage. “You can’t.”

They stared at each other, both breathing hard. Leo’s hair was disheveled, his cheeks tinged with pink. Tem was sure she looked similarly windswept.

“And why not?” Leo asked.

“Because I said so.”

“That’s hardly a reason.”

“It is, actually. And it’s the only reason you’re getting.”

“Tem,” he arched his head back in exasperation. “Knowing you has been the single most torturous experience of my life.”

Tem pressed her lips to his exposed neck, murmuring her next words against his skin.

“You’re the one who asked me to torture you, remember?”

“I’m rather regretting that now.”

“How about a compromise?”

“What sort of compromise?”

“I’ll take this off—” she released his wrists and pointed at her dress, “—and I’ll finish what I started—” she pointed at his cock, which was still hard, “—but you can’t touch me.”

Leo let out a bark of laughter.

“ Hardly a compromise. That’s simply more torture.”

Tem shrugged.

“Or I can go inside and you can finish by yourself. Your choice.”

Leo’s mouth twisted.

“Wicked, wicked girl.”

Coming from him, she knew it was a compliment.

“Do we have a deal?” Tem insisted.

Leo rubbed his hand over his face. “Yes, fuck .”

“Good.”

Before he could change his mind, she left her spot beside him on the bench and knelt on the floor of the carriage. Leo’s temperament changed as soon as she was on her knees. Hunger flared in his eyes—pure, animalistic craving the likes of which she’d never seen on him before. His cock, which was already hard, became noticeably harder. Leo leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs, watching Tem with possessive focus as she slowly pulled her dress up over her head.

The moment she was naked, something crackled into existence. Tem felt the energy in the carriage shift—as if a bridge had opened between them. Leo’s gaze travelled slowly over her body, and Tem let it. His eyes traced down her neck, lingering on her breasts before following the curve of her waist. Then finally, they landed on the center of her. He licked his lips.

Why not give him one more gift?

Tem slipped her fingers gently between her legs.

For once, Leo had nothing to say. He simply watched in reverent silence as Tem played with her clitoris, rubbing it with her first two fingers. Then she took those fingers and pushed them deeper, touching herself slowly, letting Leo see exactly what he wasn’t allowed to do. She didn’t bring herself to orgasm. Instead she raised her fingers and brushed them over the head of his cock, coating it with her wetness.

“Remember our deal,” she whispered.

Leo clasped his hands slowly behind his head before leaning back and looking down at her through hooded eyes.

“I will not survive you,” he said, his voice a guttural whisper.

“Do you even want to?”

He didn’t answer.

Leo watched as Tem turned her head, parted her lips, and touched them to the base of his shaft. At the same time she palmed his balls, cupping them firmly and pressing her thumb into the nook where they met his cock. Tem worked her tongue slowly up the shaft, licking him from base to tip. When she reached the head, she sucked on it for at least ten full seconds, and by the time she was ready to move on, Leo’s moans filled the carriage.

Tem used her hand to give him three strokes in rapid succession. Then she lowered her head once more, this time angling herself so he could see every inch of his cock disappear down her throat and reappear again. It felt so good to give him this—to show him the wait had been worth it.

Eventually, Leo began to break.

He extended his hand slowly, touching only the taut skin of her cheek while her mouth was around his cock. Tem swatted him away, and he retreated. But a moment later he did it again, caressing her jaw with only his pinkie finger.

She straightened.

“Leo,” she warned. “I will leave.”

He groaned, throwing his head back in agony.

“ Tem ,” he rasped. “You’re killing me here.”

“I know.”

Tem went to dip her head again, but paused instead. Why not kill him a little more?

Moving slowly so Leo was sure to see every second of it, Tem brought her hands to her chest, lifting her breasts so his cock was cradled between them.

Leo gripped the carriage seat with his fists, and she knew it took him everything he had not to touch her. His fingers tore into the cushioned fabric as she held her breasts in place and slid them up and down his cock, watching him as he watched her, seeing the way he could barely keep his hands at his sides. Just when she knew she was pushing him to his limit, she held still, tilting her chin up and tacitly signaling him to take over.

Leo shifted his hips, tentatively at first, as if to see what would happen. When Tem remained in place he jerked them quickly upward, sliding his cock through her cleavage at a rapid pace. His head fell back—he couldn’t even watch her anymore. The next time his hips rose Tem freed her breasts, seamlessly replacing them with her mouth.

She took him deeper this time, knowing in her gut that the prince was close. She matched the pace he had set a moment ago, dipping her head again and again, working his cock until it was slick with her saliva. Tem’s moans joined Leo’s. She wanted him to hear how much she liked doing this—how satisfying it was for her to satisfy him. Tem knew he was mere seconds away.

Leo cried out:

“Fuck, Tem—fuck— fuck— ”

His hand returned suddenly to her hair, and for a moment, she thought he was breaking their deal. Instead Leo pulled her sharply off his cock, his other hand shooting forward so he could finish into his palm. They both stared at his cum. Without thinking, Tem leaned down.

She knew Leo had a perfect view of her as she extended her tongue and licked the glistening substance from his palm with slow, soft strokes.

“Tem,” he whispered as he watched. “Fuck.”

She sat upright and smiled.

“Is that your favorite word?”

“When it comes to you, it is.”

“I want you to finish in my mouth next time.”

“So there will be a next time?”

Tem rolled her eyes.

Then she pulled on her dress. Instead of kissing the prince goodbye, she simply exited the carriage, leaving Leo with his cock still out. The footman whistled at her as she walked down the garden path, but Tem ignored him; she was far too happy to be embarrassed.

The late afternoon air contrasted starkly with the heat they’d generated in the carriage, and Tem paused at her front door, her fingers on the handle. Was it even worth going inside? She was in no mood to return to the conversation from that morning. Tem had nothing new to say, and she doubted her mother did either.

Seconds ticked by.

Her only other option was to go to the caves to attend the council meeting. But she wasn’t sure she wanted to do that either. Caspen had lied to her. He’d concealed his knowledge of a deeply important, vital part of Tem’s identity that would affect every aspect of her future. That wasn’t something she could easily forgive. And yet, now that she knew she was a Hybreed, she wanted nothing more than to explore that side of her. Tem had always known there was no future for her in the village. Perhaps her future was in the caves.

But what kind of future would it be? One that began in violence—with the crest ? It was unfathomable to Tem that Bastian would expect her to do something so pivotal. The magnitude of her role in his plan was not lost on her. He thought of Tem as nothing more than a pawn: a game piece in his reckless play for power. But Tem was so much more than that. She would not be manipulated; she would not be used. Whether she performed the crest or not, it would be on her own terms, not Bastian’s. Nobody would choose Tem’s future but her.

She dropped the door handle. It was time for her first council meeting.

Caspen wasn’t waiting for her in the cave this time, and she wondered whether that was because he hadn’t expected her to come. Either way, Tem traversed the passageway alone. When she reached his chambers, she paused.

Would Caspen be angry that she had cut off their connection so abruptly earli?er? Would he know she had pleasured Leo in the carriage? In Tem’s eyes, Caspen did not have a right to be angry about that. Not when he’d kept her in the dark for so long. Why shouldn’t she have secrets of her own? Tem opened the door.

Caspen was by the fire, and when he saw her, obvious relief flashed over his face.

“Tem,” he said quietly. “You came.”

“Yes,” she closed the door. “I did.”

Tem joined him by the fire. Caspen was naked, and without a word, Tem undressed too. She was no longer shocked by his customs, and had no desire to rail against them. They were her customs now. Caspen’s eyes went instantly to her body, and a moment later, he was hard.

He touched his finger to her bottom lip.

“I can smell him on you, Tem.”

She didn’t reply. It should have occurred to her that there was no way to keep her dalliance with Leo a secret. Caspen was too intuitive—too much of a predator—not to sense where his prey had been.

“Are you angry?” she whispered.

He pulled her bottom lip with his thumb, opening her mouth.

“You are mine, Tem,” he said simply. “Whether you give your body to anoth?er does not change that.”

Tem thought about how basilisks were so very different from humans—and how she carried both traits within her. Adelaide’s beautiful blonde face flashed through her mind.

“Are you…giving your body to another?”

His mouth twitched.

“There is no one else I want. My body and my heart belong to you.”

That was all it took to soften her.

It was just so easy with Caspen—so right. Tem felt their connection even when her mind was closed off to him—even when she was so angry she couldn’t think straight. He was her other half. He was hers .

Caspen’s hands cradled her face before brushing down her neck. He cupped her breasts—not unlike the way Tem had just cupped them for Leo—holding them in both palms.

His thumbs teased her nipples, hardening them.

Don’t we have a council meeting to get to?

The basilisk smiled.

That we do.

He released her breasts, instead taking her hand in his. They wound through the tunnels together, and already Tem was beginning to feel nervous.

Is there anything I need to know before we get there?

Caspen’s hand tightened in hers.

The purpose of this meeting is to guarantee that the Drakons remain in power. My father hopes to unite the quivers against the royals, and he thinks if the Senecas know we have a Hybreed, they will fall in line.

Tem looked up at him.

Does he know that I haven’t agreed to his plan?

Caspen clenched his jaw.

Yes. He knows.

Then why would he want me at this meeting?

Because we are newly engaged.

I don’t understand.

You and I have a significant connection. Your presence contributes to my power. It may work in our favor.

Tem took a moment to process this. She’d never thought about how she might contribute to Caspen’s power—how their relationship would benefit him political?l?y. Before she could ask anything further, Caspen stopped in front of a large wooden doorway.

It is time.

Tem turned to him. She opened her mouth to say something—anything—but before she could, Caspen pressed his lips to hers. He was not gentle; she could feel his anticipation. Even now his power was growing—the same energy Tem sensed on him whenever he was about to transition was present now, thrumming between them. Caspen’s tongue found hers, and she wondered if he could taste Leo’s cum.

I can.

Despite this admission, he didn’t stop kissing her. His hands grabbed her ass; his cock pressed against her. Tem felt desperately warm, and was suddenly grateful she wasn’t wearing any clothes. By the time Caspen pulled away, wetness was dripping down her leg. He traced his finger up her thigh, trailing it through her center before raising it to his lips. He licked his fingers slowly, and Tem couldn’t help but think of how similar it was to what she had just done for Leo. Caspen smiled, as if he knew it too.

They entered the council meeting together.