CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Caspen
Caspen should have known Rowe would attempt something tonight.
It was too great an opportunity for him to pass up—Daphne alone, vulnerable, afraid.
What was Kronos thinking leaving his guest unprotected?
Daphne was precious to the Seneca; after the way they performed in the first challenge, anyone could see that.
Something was shifting within Caspen—something strange and new.
Daphne had seemed so surprised to see him defending her.
Truth be told, he had surprised himself.
Caspen made the rounds of the courtyard, seeing nothing and everything at once.
His father was standing with Agnes, clearly reprimanding her.
Caspen had made a point not to tell Bastian about her little foray into the village, but rumor had somehow spread anyway.
His father would use it as evidence that the humans were violent.
He might even use it as an impetus for another war.
Caspen rolled his shoulders, looking out over the crowd.
Harmony kept her distance, and he found he was glad for it.
Kronos’s victory in the first challenge meant that the bond he shared with Daphne rivaled that of the bond Caspen shared with Harmony. In fact, it probably surpassed it.
The thought made him irate. For all the trouble Harmony gave him, Caspen had thought she would be his key to victory. Perhaps he thought wrong.
Eventually Caspen retreated to the fountain to drink elixir. He was just pouring himself a goblet when he heard “You let him win.”
Caspen turned slowly, bracing himself for Bastian’s wrath. His father’s arms were crossed, his jaw clenched. He looked every inch a king.
“I did not let him do anything. He won of his own accord.”
“It should have been you.”
“Do you think I do not know that?”
“You are losing to a Seneca and a human. Are you not embarrassed?”
“I am doing the best I can,” Caspen snapped. “It is you who are embarrassed.”
“And why should I not be? You are a disgrace.”
Caspen shook his head, downing the elixir.
“You chose your guest carelessly,” his father continued. “Harmony is not a source of strength for you.”
Caspen was beginning to suspect that himself. The thought was too painful to admit.
“She is poison, Caspenon. When will you accept that?”
Caspen had no answer for him.
“You share her with Apollo. She will never be fully yours.”
“Apollo’s feelings for Harmony are irrelevant. They do not change how I feel about her.”
His father only shook his head. “It is time to grow up, Caspenon. You cannot play these games forever.”
“It is not a game, Father. It is my life, and I choose how to live it.”
“Then you choose to waste your life.”
“That is your opinion.”
“That is a fact.”
Caspen was done with this conversation. The elixir was beginning to go to his head.
“I will see you tomorrow, Father.”
“You will,” Bastian said. “And I expect you to win.”
Without another word, Caspen left him. He ended up in his chambers, alone, staring into the fireplace.
No doubt Harmony was with Apollo tonight.
It was just like her to choose Caspen for the Ranking yet spend her nights with his brother.
No clarity. No commitment. No communication.
She was an enigma, and Caspen was no closer to understanding her despite centuries of knowing her.
He settled back on his pillows, allowing the flames to lull him into a trance.
The second challenge was tomorrow, and if Caspen did not win it, he might as well drop out of the Ranking.
It was bad enough that Kronos was close to overtaking him—worse still that Apollo was as well.
Caspen’s brother had chosen Adelaide as his partner.
She was a worthy choice, to be sure. Apollo’s performance in the first challenge was proof enough of that—not only did it threaten Caspen, but it had done so publicly. Nothing could be worse. It spoke to the fractures in their family—fractures that could crack open at any moment.
Caspen fell asleep on his back, the elixir still in his hand.
When he woke, he made his way quickly to the vial room, following the crowd of basilisks already headed there.
Eleven stone chairs were arranged in a perfect circle in the middle of the floor, their seats facing outward.
The vials loomed behind them, ever-changing, blood bubbling as it rose and fell.
Basilisks from both mountain quivers were mingling—but not the group who had come from the sea.
They remained aloof, standing outside the crowd, watching the proceedings in silence.
Something about them made Caspen uneasy.
His gaze fell on Kronos, who stood with his arms firmly around Daphne.
Every once in a while, he would bury his face in her curls, as if to breathe in her scent.
The next time he did it, Daphne tilted her head up toward him.
Their height difference was significant; Kronos had to bend down to reach her.
She whispered something in his ear, and he smiled.
Then he kissed her with such tenderness Caspen nearly looked away.
Instead he continued to watch, seeing how they melted into one another, two beings becoming one.
He wondered what it would be like to connect with someone that way.
“Are you ready for the challenge?”
Caspen turned to see Harmony. “Always,” he replied.
“Confidence,” she said. “A first for you.”
Her words were a taunt. Caspen would not bend to them. “Where were you last night?” he asked even though he already knew.
Harmony flipped her hair over her shoulders. “I was occupied.”
Caspen did not bother asking with whom.
A hush fell over the room as his parents entered.
Bastian clapped his hands. “Welcome to the second day of the Ranking.”
The crowd quieted, everyone turning to face them.
“Today we will see who is the most desired candidate for king,” Bastian began. “The first challenge belonged to the hosts. This challenge belongs to the guests.”
A murmur swept through the crowd. Caspen eyed the chairs, positive he knew what came next. It was not a surprise when his father said, “Will the hosts please step forward and take a seat?”
Caspen did not bother saying goodbye to Harmony.
He stepped forward in silence, choosing a chair facing the vials so he could track his progress during the challenge.
Caspen had been seated for hardly a moment when Apollo sat beside him.
He sighed. Of all the seats available, of course his brother chose that one.
“This challenge will have several rounds,” Bastian continued.
“When I clap my hands, the guests will walk around the circle. They will continue until I clap my hands again. At that point, the guests will mount the host of their choosing. Each round will eliminate one guest. When a guest is shut out of the circle, their host leaves with them.”
A murmur of excitement began. The crowd liked this challenge; it would be entertaining to watch.
“Of course,” Bastian continued. “There are the same number of guests and hosts. We need one more person to truly make it a challenge.”
He turned to Deltene, who gave him a resigned smile.
“My wife, your queen, will participate. When she leaves, she will choose a host to leave with her. Their guest will remain.”
Immediately, Caspen looked around for Solomon. He was seated on the other side of the circle, his back to the vials. His guest was a Seneca woman—someone who could not hope to compete with the connection he had with Deltene.
Caspen immediately entered his mother’s mind. You cannot mount Solomon, Mother.
She shot him a glare. I know that, Caspenon.
If you fuck him—
I do not need to be told what will happen.
You must leave in the first round.
Do not command me, Son. I know what is at stake.
But Caspen could think of nothing else. If Deltene mounted Solomon here—if she fucked the man she was in love with and severed the blood bond—chaos would break loose.
But Caspen could not worry about his mother right now.
He could only focus on what needed to be done.
Harmony was already approaching him, a devious smile on her face.
His only comfort was that she wanted him to win as badly as Bastian did.
As long as she acted like his teammate, there was no reason why victory would not be theirs.
“We will play until there are two guests and one host left,” Bastian said.
The crowd cheered even louder. Nearly everyone was seated—everyone except Kronos. Daphne was pushing against Kronos’s chest, urging him to step forward. The Seneca shook his head. Caspen frowned. Could it be possible that—
“Kronos,” Bastian called. “It is time. Step forward.”
But Kronos remained in place. He shook his head again. “I choose not to participate.”
The crowd went absolutely silent.
Bastian frowned. “If you do not participate, you forfeit the challenge.”
“Then I forfeit.”
Immediately, the blood in his vial plummeted.
Beside Kronos, Daphne looked horrified. Caspen could not understand her expression.
Kronos was the one who should be horrified—forfeiting this challenge all but guaranteed he would lose the Ranking.
He would need to achieve an extraordinary win in the third challenge, which was impossible to predict.
If anything, Daphne should be honored that Kronos was willing to do this for her.
There was only one reason why a basilisk would abstain in such a way: They did not wish to have sex with anyone other than their guest. Kronos was choosing to be faithful to Daphne.
It was unheard of. No one—not even blood-bound couples—were exclusive in basilisk society. As far as Caspen knew, monogamy was a singularly human custom, and one that could not benefit Kronos in any way.
Everyone, including Caspen, watched this interaction in stunned silence.
Beside him, Apollo whispered, “Can he even do that?”
“He can do whatever he likes,” Caspenon said. “But it is unwise.”