Chapter Three #2
Tem knew it wasn’t enough. At a minimum, reparations should be made for the pain the humans had caused the basilisks over the centuries. Dinners did nothing to fix the problem on a granular level. A weekly meal was the bare minimum Leo could offer them. But he was offering nonetheless.
“He’s trying, Caspen,” Tem whispered. She was keenly aware of the thoughts she was harboring in the back of her mind—of the wedding ring still on her finger.
Caspen’s reply was short: “I will decide later.”
Tem sighed. It wasn’t the answer she’d hoped for. But there was no arguing with him when he took that tone; he was as immovable as the mountain itself. She had no other choice but to wait until he was ready.
“Come,” Caspen said, cutting off any other thoughts. “It is time for mating season.”
Tem had completely forgotten about the event today.
She still had no idea what it was, and she was still too afraid to ask.
But she followed Caspen out into the passageway, joining the stream of basilisks to the courtyard.
By the time they arrived, the courtyard was already full.
The large circular room was packed; it was the most basilisks Tem had ever seen in one place.
The last time she’d seen such a crowd was during the ritual, and that had only been the Drakon quiver.
Tem was still getting used to the presence of so many nude bodies. Not to mention being constantly naked herself. More than once, she found herself instinctually reaching for her sleeves or her collar, only to remember there was nothing there.
She stayed by Caspen’s side as they entered the crowd, dodging throngs of basilisks engaged in conversation and…
other activities. The clamor of overlapping voices reminded her that basilisks lived in constant community.
Even Tem’s mind was no longer a refuge. There was no privacy here, no isolation.
No matter where she turned, Caspen was in her head.
I do not have to be.
She smiled, knowing he had heard her. I like having you in my head.
That is nice to hear. But should you ever need solitude, you need only ask for it.
Caspen’s voice was not the only one in Tem’s head.
Snippets of other basilisks’ conversations flashed through her mind as they crossed the courtyard—arguments, declarations of love, words conveyed in the heat of pleasure.
The latter occurred more times than Tem could count.
She was just about to close her eyes to get a reprieve when suddenly, a male basilisk approached them.
He looked vaguely familiar, but before Tem had a chance to place him, he leaned in to kiss her. She yelped audibly, lurching backward in surprise. The basilisk halted immediately, looking questioningly up at Caspen.
“She is not used to our customs yet,” he said. “She means no harm. Let her adjust.”
The man bowed and walked away.
“What was that all about?” Tem asked, staring after him.
“There is no cause for alarm. He was merely greeting you.”
“Greeting me?”
“A kiss on the lips is the proper way to greet the queen. It is a way to honor your position.”
Tem frowned. “If that’s the case, then why hasn’t anyone else tried to kiss me?”
Caspen laughed. “It is only when a fellow member of the council wishes to address you directly. It is like a handshake to us.”
Considering what happened at council meetings, Tem wasn’t at all surprised that a kiss on the lips was on par with a handshake. Now the man’s familiarity made sense. Tem had seen him before…when his head had been between her legs. The memory made her blush.
Thankfully no one else tried to kiss her as they continued their lap of the courtyard.
Everywhere they went, people parted for them, sometimes bowing, other times simply staring.
More than once, basilisks fell to their feet before them, having sex right in the middle of their path.
It was becoming somewhat of an obstacle; every time it happened, they had to step around.
“What are they doing?” Tem asked after the third couple fucked in front of them.
“They are hoping you will join them.”
“What? Why would they want that?”
“Because it would be an honor.”
Tem looked up at him. “An honor?”
Caspen’s hand, which had been resting on the small of her back, brushed up her spine. “You are the highest-ranking woman in our society. It is a revered position.”
Tem wrinkled her nose. She hardly felt worthy of that position.
As usual, Caspen read her mind. “You survived the ritual, Tem. The king gave you his blessing, as did my quiver. You have earned your place. If you wish to join them, you are free to do so.”
Tem couldn’t believe that.
“You are the queen, my love. You are entitled to anyone you want, at any time.”
Her eyebrows shot upward. “Entitled?”
“Yes.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Caspen let out a small sound of amusement. “You are reacting like a human.”
“I am a human.”
“You are part human, Tem. You must remember that basilisks do not share the same customs.”
“What customs?”
Caspen’s head tilted slightly to the side, as if considering what to say. Finally, he settled on “Consent.”
Tem looked at him in disbelief. He let out a soft laugh.
“I know what you are thinking. And it is not what I am saying.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I am saying that it is normal for us to touch one another without asking permission first. Consent is assumed unless stated otherwise.”
It was the exact opposite of how humans navigated sex. She knew basilisks were different—that their culture revolved around sex in a way she was still getting used to—but assumed consent was a foreign concept to her.
“So is everyone going to assume that I want to…”
“No.” Caspen shook his head. “You are the queen. It is different for you. And for me.”
“How so?”
“Our status means we are expected to initiate. We are allowed anyone we want, at any time. We need only make our desires known, and they will be fulfilled.”
“But that’s unbelievable.”
“Perhaps to you. But to us, it is natural, and it is the way things have always been done.”
“Are you telling me your father just walked around and…slept with anyone he wanted?”
“Yes.”
“And that was just…allowed?”
“Not only was it allowed, it was considered an honor to be chosen by him.”
Tem crossed her arms. “And is that what you’re going to do?”
Caspen smiled. “No. I am not.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am very sure.”
Tem frowned. While her human side didn’t like the idea of Caspen sleeping with anyone else, the last thing she wanted was to prevent him from participating in his own culture. If she stood in the way of such customs, she ran the risk of him resenting her.
Caspen took her hand in his. “I have told you before, Tem. There is no one else I want.”
She shook her head. “You say that now, but you might want someone else eventually. I don’t think I can—”
He pressed his lips to hers. I will not want anyone else. Now or eventually.
The words were exactly what Tem needed to hear. But they were hard to believe, especially after what he’d just told her about how basilisks viewed sex.
If you don’t want anyone else, why wouldn’t you expect the same from me?
The kiss deepened. Because you are new to my world, Tem. I wish for you to experience all that is available to you.
But if you—
I have already experienced everything there is to experience, Tem. No one else compares to you.
You’ve experienced…everything?
A smile tilted his lips. Everything.
Tem pictured Caspen with a man. It turned her on.
Caspen smiled, and Tem wondered why the thought of Caspen with a man turned her on yet the thought of him with a woman was terrifying.
In her heart, she knew it was because she was afraid he would compare her to another woman.
But he himself had told her that no one else compared.
Perhaps it was time she started believing him.
They continued their walk.
Most of the basilisks mingled joyfully in the middle of the courtyard, but several stayed along the perimeter, their arms crossed, clearly displeased. One group of men stared at Tem with such vitriol that she recoiled, pressing herself against Caspen.
“Who are they?” she whispered.
Caspen followed her gaze. His jaw tightened. “They are Senecas.”
“Why are they looking at me like that?”
“Because you are married to a Drakon.”
Tem understood how her father’s quiver—her quiver—might disapprove of her marriage. Surely, they expected her to marry a Seneca. Still, some solidarity would have been nice. Tem already felt out of place here; it was difficult to face rejection from her own quiver.
“Many of the Senecas chose to leave with Rowe,” Caspen continued. “Those that remained are still wary of our union.”
“Where did they go?”
“The sea,” he said. “Basilisks originated there.”
Something fell suddenly into place. You smell like the sea.
Caspen told her that long ago. Tem had thought nothing of it, never considered that it might have any sort of significance.
Was that why she was so drawn to the salt spray on her mother’s dresser?
Had it reminded her of her true home—not the cottage where she was raised but where her family originated?
And how did her mother acquire the salt spray?
Had she been to the place where basilisks originated?
Tem wanted dearly to explore that train of thought, but they’d reached the center of the courtyard, and something else distracted her.
An enormous tiered fountain stood before them, made of off-white marble.
Snow-white liquid spouted from the top before cascading down the tiers in shimmering waves.
Even from here, Tem could sense the richness of the substance as it poured from the fountain. It looked like white gold.
“What’s that?” she asked.