Chapter Forty-Four #4
Basilisks were always being vague. But somehow this made sense to Tem. She understood how Apollo loved her: not like Leo did and certainly not like Caspen. Love can take many forms, just as Adelaide had said. He loved her the way she loved him—without expectation or judgment. Freely.
“You must go, Temperance,” Apollo said. “Please.”
“But I—”
“I know you wish to fight.” He placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. “But I cannot protect you from my brother and Rowe at the same time.”
Tem opened her mouth again, but Apollo shook his head.
“You will not stay here. You will take your human prince”—he jerked his head at Leo, who was watching their interaction with barely contained bewilderment—“and you will get to safety.”
Tem stared at him. She thought about their history together, how he had gone from her pursuer to her protector. She hadn’t always felt safe with Apollo. But she felt safe now.
“Please,” Apollo whispered. “I beg of you. Go.”
When just a moment ago he’d been yelling, now she could barely hear him. The words were strained, as if it took great effort to say them. Tem could hear the cries of battle just outside the door.
“I can’t just let people die when there’s something I could do to stop it.”
Apollo’s expression softened. “Their choices are their own. Basilisks believe in fate.”
Tem shook her head. This was wrong. Wrong.
“I—” she began, but before she could finish, Apollo’s lips were on hers.
He kissed her softly, with more tenderness than he had ever shown her before.
Tem heard Leo make a disgruntled sound, but she ignored it, kissing him back as screams echoed down the passageway.
The sound of her name pulled them apart.
“Tem?” It was Gabriel. He was accompanied by Damon, who immediately addressed Apollo.
“They must leave. All of them.”
“I am well aware,” Apollo said. “But they are rather difficult to convince.”
“Rowe has infiltrated the caves. He seeks Tem.”
“I am well aware,” Apollo said again. Before he could say anything else, Caspen’s voice entered both their minds at the same time.
I am coming back.
Apollo’s eyes widened. He looked desperately at Tem. But she just shook her head as Caspen said, You must leave, Tem. Get as far away as possible.
No, Caspen. I have to fight Rowe.
You have to do nothing of the sort. Apollo, make her leave.
I am trying, Brother. She will not listen.
She never does.
Will you two stop it?
Tem slammed her connection with Caspen shut, turning to Apollo. “I’m not leaving.”
“I cannot protect—”
“I know you can’t protect me from both. So choose one. Protect me from Caspen.”
The screams were becoming louder.
“Hold him back, Apollo. I will handle Rowe.”
Apollo shook his head. But Tem knew he would do as she said. Unlike Caspen, who would never allow her to run toward danger, Apollo had always trusted Tem to make her own choices. Apollo understood who she truly was. “I do not know how long I can hold him.”
“Just give me as long as you can.”
Apollo didn’t reply. But his jaw was set, and so was Tem’s. With one last glance at her, he left.
Tem turned to Damon. “Get them both out of here.”
He bowed his head. “Of course.”
“You can take them to my parents’ cottage. They’ll be safe there.”
“Your Highness.” Gabriel winked at Leo. “Ready for a field trip?”
Leo turned to face her. “I can’t lose you again, Tem.”
“You won’t.”
“I need you to come back to me.”
“I will.”
Leo cupped her face in his hands, pulling her close.
He kissed her—perhaps a little harder than necessary—and Tem felt how terrified he was for her.
He’d just gotten her back. She’d just gotten him back.
If there was to be a future for them, it would start after the events of tonight.
And Tem dearly wished to be there to see it.
Finally, Leo pulled away. Then he followed Gabriel into the passageway.
“Who was that man kissing Tem?” she heard him ask Gabriel as Damon ushered them away.
“That’s Apollo,” Gabriel replied. “Caspen’s brother.”
“His brother?”
Then they were gone.
Tem focused immediately on the task at hand, opening her mind to the collective consciousness of the basilisks. It was full of communal pain—all throughout the mountain, her people were dying. Their deaths pressed against her like a thousand grains of sand, suffocating her, closing in.
Focus, Temperance. Find Rowe.
Apollo’s voice grounded her. She ran through the passageway, following the screams to the courtyard.
The sight before her immediately brought her back to the weasel attack.
Bodies were strewn in piles, blood seeped over the floor.
The room was littered with severed limbs; the Senecas were tearing the Drakons apart.
Tem didn’t linger. She didn’t wait to see if she recognized anyone.
Instead, she kept running, heading for the lake, not stopping no matter how deafening the noise became.
The caverns were utter chaos.
Tem saw the Senecas’ strategy immediately; they had corralled the remaining Drakons here, pushing their backs against the water so there was nowhere to run.
Here, at the edge of Kora’s bathing place, battle raged.
Some basilisks had transitioned, whereas others were still human.
They collided in horrible tangles of scales and hands and teeth, ripping each other apart.
Blood soaked the shores; Tem’s footsteps sank deep into the wet, glistening sand.
It was impossible to move quickly but she attempted to anyway, keeping to the edge of the cavern and searching for Rowe.
It did not take long to find him. She felt him before she saw him, his presence so powerful, it seemed to warp the air.
He was still in his human form. Blood covered his bare chest, accumulating between his legs and dripping from his golden cock in a cruel imitation of cum.
Chaos reigned around him, but he wasn’t fighting anyone. He was standing on the shore, waiting.
Waiting for her.
Tem pushed her way through the crowd, heading straight for him. The moment Rowe saw her, a knowing smile split his lips.
Temperance. How nice of you to join me.