Chapter Forty-One #2
The scarcity in the village was nowhere to be found here.
Evelyn hadn’t been kidding when she said they would spare no expense.
Great boughs of holly were wrapped around the columns, framing the ballroom like vines.
Table after table was piled high with every type of food imaginable.
Tem thought of the barren full-moon feast and fought the urge to vomit.
There were other notable details as well.
White flowers. Just like the ones Tem had picked.
At first, Tem thought it might be a coincidence.
But then she saw the harpist in the corner—the same one who had played at her wedding.
There was no doubt in her mind that Evelyn had asked the maids what Tem had chosen, then chosen it for herself in turn.
Tem broke out in a sudden sweat. She shouldn’t be here. It was wrong. But she couldn’t leave. Caspen himself had insisted they attend. If she showed her hand—if she displayed any weakness or emotion whatsoever—Evelyn would win.
So she held her head high and stepped into the crowd.
Caspen never left her side. Despite their circumstances, Tem felt a sudden surge of appreciation for him—for just how difficult it was for him to be here.
Every royal they passed looked upon him with pure terror.
They recognized his height, his golden eyes.
They knew he was a basilisk and that he had trained Tem.
He was the Serpent King, after all. Many of them had been at the wedding of Leo’s mother, and Caspen had trained her too.
There was no end to his influence. His legacy was not the only presence the basilisks had here.
Tem saw gold everywhere—in the veins of the marble columns, in the grout between the tiles.
Caspen’s people were tortured here. Her people were tortured here. And Evelyn wanted to bring it all back.
They made the rounds of the room, hardly speaking with anyone. Finally, she saw a familiar face:
“There you are, dearest.” Gabriel bound up to them, wrapping Tem in his arms. “How are we tonight?”
“Could be better.”
“Good thing I’m here to cheer you up.” He moved on to embrace Caspen, who received it with a bemused expression. “I know where they keep the good booze.” He brandished two glasses of whiskey.
Tem took them both, downing them one after the other.
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Celebrating tonight, are we?”
When Tem didn’t reply, he turned to Caspen.
“I heard about the weasel,” he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “I’m so sorry.”
Caspen shook his head. “You have nothing to be sorry for. It was not your doing.”
“I know. But I tried to warn you, and I couldn’t.”
“What?” Tem asked. This was news to her.
“Vera was in the Horseman bragging about it just before it happened. When I asked her where she got the idea, she said she was just following orders. I ran to the caves, but they’d already sent someone with the weasel.”
Tem and Caspen both stared at him, stunned.
“Orders?” Tem said. “Who is Vera taking orders from?”
At that exact moment, the sound of clinking glass filled the room.
“I’d like to make a toast,” Leo said. He was standing next to Evelyn, who clung tightly to his arm.
Tem turned to Caspen. We don’t have to stay. This is going to be boring. And probably horrible.
Caspen’s hand darted around her waist, as if to hold her in place. We shall stay.
They watched as the crowd cleared around Leo and Evelyn, giving them space to speak. Leo raised his glass.
“I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for coming back so soon.”
A gentle ripple of laughter. Tem had forgotten how good Leo was at disarming people with his words. He waited until the crowd was quiet before continuing.
“For some, the path to love is simple,” he began. “For others, it is not so easy.” He paused, turning to Evelyn. “You were my first love, and I was yours. Our paths may have diverged, but we found our way back to each other again.”
It was an odd speech—notably different from the lyrical way he usually spoke.
He wasn’t really saying anything. Leo seemed to be listing a series of facts, neither positive nor negative.
It was true that he and Evelyn had been each other’s first loves.
It was true that they had diverged, then come back together.
But what Leo neglected to say was how any of that made him feel.
He looked straight into Tem’s eyes as he delivered his final line. “Somehow I always find my way back to you.”
Again, it was simply a statement. But it was enough for the crowd; they erupted into applause, cheering as Leo gave Evelyn a kiss. Tem’s stomach roiled at the sight.
Leo raised his glass. “To finding your way back.”
The audience raised their glasses. “To finding your way back.”
Tem drank the last dregs of her whiskeys. It was all she could do.
The celebration resumed, and Gabriel disappeared to the kitchens. Tem and Caspen found themselves near a group of royals whom Tem recognized from her own wedding. They were talking to Evelyn and Leo.
“We’re so excited to start a family,” Evelyn was saying. “Isn’t that right, darling?”
Leo took a long sip of whiskey. When he didn’t reply, Evelyn continued.
“Everything worked out just the way it was supposed to.”
“I’ll say,” one of the royals said. “The last one was a chicken farmer, wasn’t she?”
It had been a long time since that simple taunt had made Tem blush. But it did so now, and she turned to Caspen. “Can we go?”
He was looking at the man with fury in his eyes.
Tem placed her hand on his arm, holding him steady. “Please, Caspen. I just want to go.”
But the man wasn’t done. “Seems like you upgraded. You wouldn’t want your children playing in chicken shit, would you?”
Immediately, Caspen opened his mouth to retaliate. But Leo beat him to it.
“Watch what you fucking say about my wife.”
Tem’s mouth fell open, and hers wasn’t the only one.
Evelyn stared at Leo with unbridled fury, her lips a tight, unforgiving line. There was no trace of hurt in her eyes—only anger. She reached for him immediately, clamping her fingers tightly around his arm.
“We’re leaving,” she hissed. “Now.”
Leo didn’t protest. He followed Evelyn out to the patio, and she slammed the double doors shut behind them.
They were still visible through the glass panes, and Tem could see her beginning to yell.
Tem knew she should turn away. But she couldn’t.
Beside her, Caspen’s hand was gripping her waist. Tem felt for his mind, but it was closed off.
She couldn’t fathom why. Perhaps he felt rage in that moment.
Perhaps not. All she knew was how she felt, which was utterly enraptured by what was happening before her.
She was watching their relationship fall apart.
She could see it splitting at the seams like an old winter coat.
Evelyn’s expression was one of complete fury and betrayal.
“Caspen,” she whispered, touching his arm again, repeating her earlier plea: “Can we go?”
He didn’t say a word. He merely placed his hand over hers and steered her out of the ballroom.
Tem half expected him to take them outside, into a carriage, and back to the caves.
Instead he guided her up the stairs, not stopping until they were back in their bedroom.
The moment the door closed, he drew her into his arms.
Tem burrowed against his chest. All she wanted was comfort. All she wanted was him.
His mind was still closed. Tem didn’t know whether it was accidental or on purpose, and she was too afraid to ask. Instead she spoke out loud.
“He didn’t mean that. He just…” But she trailed off.
Caspen was the first to break the silence, finishing her sentence. “He loves you.”
He said it quietly. It was not a revelation—merely a fact. Tem didn’t know how to respond, so she simply said nothing. She had no idea how long they stood there. It wasn’t until a knock came on the door that they finally drew apart.
Caspen opened it to reveal Leo. He looked completely worse for wear. Tem had never seen him so worn down.
“May I…” Leo began quietly. An eternity passed as his eyes traveled from Caspen, to Tem, then back to Caspen. “…speak with Tem?”
The entire world went silent. Tem could hear nothing but her heartbeat, which was pounding like thunder in her chest. Tem looked at Caspen. She braced for impact.
But Caspen was only looking at Leo. He studied the prince with careful intent, clearly drawing some sort of conclusion. His nostrils flared. Tem held her breath.
“That is a question for Tem,” Caspen said. Then he stepped to the side.
Leo’s eyes met hers. “Tem,” he said, even quieter this time. “May I speak with you?”
Her mouth was completely dry. It took nearly all of her effort just to nod. As soon as she did so, Leo nodded back, turning and crossing to his bedroom. Tem looked up at Caspen, who was watching her closely.
“Do you want me to go?” she whispered.
Was she imagining it? Or did a smile cross his lips? “I want you to decide for yourself.”
Tem went. Just before she reached Leo’s bedroom, she looked over her shoulder to see Caspen one last time. But he was gone.
Leo closed the door after her. Tem couldn’t believe she was back in Leo’s bedroom for the second time in the span of an hour.
This time, it was Leo who handed her a drink, and this time it was whiskey.
She wondered wildly where Evelyn had ended up.
Was she sequestered in another bedroom somewhere, drowning her feelings in expensive champagne?
No. Tem would have bet everything she owned that Evelyn was still downstairs socializing, keeping up appearances, no matter the cost.
Leo still hadn’t spoken. In the silence, Tem thought of all the things she wished she could do. She wanted to run to him, to throw her arms around him, to press her lips to his. It was torture not to.