CHAPTER SIX
Tem had never been so tired in her entire life.
The night at the castle hadn’t turned out at all the way she’d expected. Between her interactions with Leo and the surprise elimination, Tem didn’t know what to think of the entire process. Had she blown her chance with the prince? And if she had, did she even care? She didn’t know the answers to those questions. All she knew was that tonight she would be back in the caves with Caspen.
She was desperate to see him. She wanted to make sure he wasn’t angry with her over what happened with the skull. She wanted to ask him about the dress—whether it was meant as a symbol of his affection, or whether it was meant to catch the eye of the prince. She wanted to see him naked, and she wanted him to see her. But she didn’t know where they stood.
So when she walked into the cave to find him standing there, she had absolutely no idea what to expect.
“Tem,” he said quietly.
“Caspen,” she said back.
He only said her name—nothing more. He didn’t tell her to undress, like he had the last two times they had met. He didn’t bring up the dress he had given her, or the little gold necklace. He didn’t ask how it had gone with the prince, or congratulate her for making it through the first elimination. He just stood there, staring at her for a long moment before gesturing to the mat next to the fireplace. Tem crossed to it slowly, watching him as she did so. They sat at the same time, their bodies six inches apart.
Caspen still didn’t speak. Instead, he raised his hand to her face, cupping her cheek in his palm and brushing his thumb over the curve of her bottom lip.
Tem knew, without a doubt, that she was about to have her first kiss.
For some reason, kissing seemed far more daunting than what they had already done. There was something simple about touching him, and him touching her back. But a kiss required connection—it required them to move in tandem, to establish a rhythm with each other and an intimacy that she’d never experienced with another person before. To kiss someone was to taste them, and to let them taste you. Tem couldn’t imagine a greater responsibility.
Caspen’s fingers laced into her hair, wrapping around the nape of her neck and pulling her closer. Without thinking, Tem pressed her palms against his chest, holding him back.
“Wait,” Tem whispered. “Please.”
Caspen raised an eyebrow. “Wait for what, Tem?”
“I don’t know. I’m just not ready.”
To her surprise, Caspen laughed softly.
“Of course you are not ready. It is impossible to be ready for something you have never done before.”
Tem swallowed. He wasn’t making her feel any better. Caspen seemed to sense this, because he pulled her even closer, brushing his lips lightly along hers—not kissing her yet—only touching her skin with his. It felt like sparks exploding across her mouth.
“Just take what I give you,” he breathed. “And when you are ready, give it back to me.”
He waited until she nodded.
Then he kissed her.
When his lips pressed against hers, all Tem’s fears disappeared. So this was what it was like to be kissed. It felt like she’d finally found something she’d been missing—like everything that had been off-kilter her entire life was finally balanced. Caspen’s lips were soft and full, moving against hers more gently than she thought was possible. Tem let him guide her, following his lead as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. Tem received it curiously, tracing it with hers, savoring the warm wetness before returning the favor.
They kissed for a long time. Tem didn’t know how long. But somewhere along the way, her dress slipped from her shoulders. Then Caspen’s shirt came off. Then they were both naked, intertwined on the mat, kissing like they had all the time in the world to do so. Caspen touched her gently, running his palms over her breasts, her hips, her thighs. He teased her nipples with his fingers, hardening them between his knuckles before cupping her entire breast and squeezing. She’d never been touched like that before. It felt so good she never wanted it to stop.
Caspen’s body was almost too warm for comfort. But she welcomed his skin against hers, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing herself against him. The claw was still inside her, and Caspen had begun sending pulses, slow and lingering, their rhythm corresponding with the way they were kissing. Each one made her ache for him even more. Eventually he slid the claw out, replacing it with his fingers. She spread her legs so he could go deeper, arching her back to meet his touch, moving her body in tandem with his. She couldn’t hold back her moans. There was no point in even trying. All she wanted was for him to never, ever stop touching her.
Tem clasped her hand over his, holding it in place so she could slide herself up and down his fingers, grinding back and forth, back and forth, until she felt her orgasm building. Caspen’s pupils dilated as he watched her pleasure herself, and she wondered if he enjoyed this even more than doing it himself.
With her other hand she reached between his legs, pressing her palm against his cock—not even stroking it yet—just feeling how hard he was for her. She wrapped her fingers around it, pulling him even closer.
“Fuck me, Caspen,” she breathed.
“Not tonight, Tem,” he said against her lips.
Tem didn’t understand. She wanted to have sex. She was ready to have sex. But for some reason, Caspen was withholding it from her. He defined the boundaries of their relationship—if it even was a relationship. But Tem knew it was. She knew they had crossed a line somewhere, probably the first night they met, when she’d asked him to undress and she’d touched herself in front of him. She was not just his student, and he was not just her teacher. They were more than that. They had to be.
“Please,” she tilted her hips, pulling his fingers deeper.
“Do not ask me again,” his voice was strained—he was begging her.
“But I want you,” she whispered.
Pain flitted across his face. She knew she hadn’t imagined it.
“You will have me,” he said. “Just not tonight.”
He didn’t say he wanted her too.
Tem pulled away. She felt suddenly exposed, like she’d revealed far too much of her heart to someone who didn’t care to see it.
“Tem,” he tried to pull her back, but she didn’t let him. She stared at the fire, watching the flickering flames, imagining they would consume her. She heard Caspen sigh.
“It is too early, Tem. We have barely begun our lessons.”
Lessons. Student and teacher. Boundaries. Caspen’s favorite defense.
“And how would you grade me so far?” she said sharply, looking him in the eye.
A long pause. “Do you truly want an answer?”
She clenched her jaw, biting back pain. “Yes.”
He studied her face before replying:
“You do not follow instructions. You are stubborn. And impatient. Those are not qualities that the prince will appreciate.”
Tem couldn’t believe what he was saying. She glared at him.
“Isn’t that your fault? Maybe you should be a better teacher.”
Caspen shook his head. “It is not possible to teach an unwilling student.”
“Don’t give me that shit again. I’m perfectly willing. I just made that crystal clear.”
“You are perfectly willing to have sex. But not to do any of the other things I mentioned.”
“You want me to be patient? To follow instructions? You think that’ll make the prince want me? Trust me, he only wants one thing. And you’re not teaching me how to do it.”
It seemed like the angrier Tem got, the calmer Caspen became. He was perfectly still, looking down at her with his arms bracketed on either side of her body, holding her in place beneath him. His cock was still hard.
“The prince will expect you to yield both your body and your mind. If you cannot give him both, then there is no point in training you at all.”
“Maybe I don’t want to yield my mind. Why should I?”
Caspen didn’t answer. Tem propped herself up so their faces were an inch apart.
“Why shouldn’t he yield?” she insisted.
“Because he is the prince.”
“So he can do whatever he wants?”
“The royals make their own rules.”
“That’s not fair.”
“No. It is not.”
Tem blinked. Had Caspen just agreed with her? It seemed like his reply had slipped out before he could stop it—like he hadn’t meant to say it.
They stared at each other for a long moment. His next words were barely a whisper:
“You are not meant to be tamed, Tem.”
What was he saying? That he didn’t think she had a chance with the prince? Tem bristled at the thought. If her own teacher didn’t believe in her, then he was right: there was no point in training her at all. Or was he saying that he didn’t want her to have a chance with the prince? That he wouldn’t change her, even if he could?
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
She meant to say it harshly, but it came out as a whisper.
Now Caspen was the one to pull away. He sat up suddenly, and Tem felt a rush of cool air as his body heat left her.
“We are done for the night.”
Tem’s mouth fell open in shock.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Get dressed.”
“But—”
“Get dressed, Tem.”
Tem flinched. He had never raised his voice at her before. His face was a cold mask of detachment, his aggressive tone in horrible contrast to the way he’d been treating her all evening. There was nothing gentle about it. Tem was reminded, suddenly, that underneath the man, he was a monster.
Tem got dressed.
Caspen disappeared while she was pulling on her clothes, and when he reappeared, he had a tray of food. But instead of sitting and eating with her, he set the tray down on the mat and left without another word. The cave was glaringly empty without him, and Tem fought to hold back tears. How had the night ended so badly when it had started so well?
It was then that she realized he had taken the claw with him. She didn’t bother eating. She just ran home.
The next time she came to the cave, it was clear that they were back to square one.
For the next three nights, Tem sat on the mat, stroked Caspen’s cock until he came, then ate her food alone. Caspen didn’t give the claw back; he didn’t talk to her. He didn’t even look her in the eye. The meetings were so impersonal that Tem couldn’t help but wonder if this was how they were for the other girls and their basilisks. Would this have been what happened if she hadn’t asked him to undress the first night they met? Was this what it was like to have no connection to the person she was touching? She didn’t know how long it would go on this way. All she knew was that she hated it.
Things were no better during the daytime. Tem spent every waking hour doing farmwork or running errands, anything to keep her mind off Caspen’s unbearable indifference. Her visits to the bakery were nothing short of agony. Vera’s cruelty knew no bounds: she’d taken Tem’s low podium rank as permission to return to her preferred method of torture, which was finding every opportunity to disparage the fact that Tem was a chicken farmer. Her taunts were rudimentary, but effective. Tem weathered them in silence, delivering the eggs to the bakery and receiving her payment without saying a word. Vera clearly thought that Tem was unworthy in every single way. Tem almost agreed with her.
Even her home was no longer a sanctuary. Her mother hovered nervously, watching Tem’s every move as if she knew the training wasn’t going well. Gabriel was no help either. He was sequestered away in the castle, working long hours in the kitchens to accommodate all the extra guests. Tem hated going to the Horseman alone, and even when she braved it, Vera was always there, ready with a fresh wave of taunts.
On the fourth night, Tem decided she’d had enough.
She went to the cave, like she always did. She sat on the mat, like she always did. But the moment Caspen went to untie his trousers, Tem spoke abruptly:
“I’m not doing that again.”
Caspen blinked. She took advantage of his surprise, crossing her arms and continuing:
“You came in less than a minute last time. I’d say I’ve mastered that particular exercise, wouldn’t you?”
It was meant to dig at him in more ways than one. Despite his obvious attempts to distance himself from her, there was no denying the hold she had on him. It was almost too easy getting him to come. All it took was for Tem to sit a little too close, to let her breath skim over his shoulder, and Caspen couldn’t resist his climax. She savored the feeling, knowing it was her one advantage in their silent battle of wills. But she was done being silent.
Caspen’s eyes narrowed. Finally, he looked at her. It felt like an eternity since she’d stared into his golden irises. She used the opportunity to lean in, forcing him to maintain eye contact.
“I’m. Not. Doing. That. Again.”
There was a moment of silence, and in it, Tem could almost see the two sides of him fighting with each other: one side that wanted to keep her at arm’s length, and the other that couldn’t resist her. Tem wanted him to give in. But the only way to win was to do the exact thing he thought she couldn’t do: be patient. So she sat there, silently, and waited.
Finally, just like she knew he would, Caspen gave in.
“What would you like to do instead, Tem?”
Tem knew what he expected her to say. But she didn’t want to have sex—at least, not tonight. Instead, she said:
“I want to talk.”
Caspen blinked again.
“About what?”
That was easy.
“You.”
Now he looked surprised. He tilted his head in that reptilian way of his, assessing her with uncanny intelligence.
“Very well,” he said slowly. “What do you wish to know?”
She would have to be careful with her first question. She didn’t want to scare him off or make him regret talking to her. She would start small, and build from there.
“Do you have any siblings?”
If he had looked surprised before, now he looked downright confused. It was a ridiculous question—she didn’t even care about the answer. But it was meant to disarm him, and by the expression on his face, it did just that.
“Yes,” he said. “I do.”
“How many?”
He shifted, as if considering standing up and leaving. Instead he stayed where he was, his eyes still on hers as he answered:
“Four.”
“What are their names?”
Caspen hesitated. Tem thought he might not answer. And then:
“Apollo, Agnes, Cypress, and Damon.”
They were odd names. Tem used them as inspiration for her next question:
“Do basilisks have last names, like humans do?”
“Yes. In a sense.”
“In what sense?”
“We take the name of our quiver as our last name.”
“Quiver?”
“It is like a clan.”
“So what’s your clan name?”
“Drakon.”
Tem paused.
“Caspenon Drakon,” she said, trying the syllables out on her tongue. “That’s your full name?”
“Yes.”
“Sounds sort of silly, don’t you think?”
Caspen let out a bark of laughter the likes of which Tem had never heard from him before. His normally fierce eyes crinkled around the corners, softening his entire face into something almost human. At his reaction, Tem laughed too. It was the first time they had done that together.
“It’s true,” she insisted. “It rhymes.”
Caspen shook his head, still smiling. “That may be the case. But I would not suggest saying that to another basilisk, should you ever meet one. They will not take kindly to it.”
“I didn’t realize snakes were so easily offended.”
Caspen’s smile only widened.
“I would not suggest calling us ‘snakes’ either. Not unless you have a death wish.”
“Seems like a lot of rules to follow.”
“Knowing you, you will not follow any of them.”
There was a pause, and in it, Tem savored the way he was looking at her—like the barrier he’d erected the last three days was falling. She wanted nothing more than for it to stay down.
Caspen spoke next: “What is your last name?”
“Verus.”
He lifted his chin, considering her.
“Temperance Verus,” he said quietly.
She loved the way her name sounded in his mouth.
“That’s me,” she said just as quietly.
Eventually, Caspen relaxed.
He stretched out on the mat as they talked, one arm behind his head, the other resting on Tem’s legs. It was a small gesture—and yet Tem felt as if they were deeply connected by it, as if he were literally holding them together with his hand. He didn’t pull her closer or do anything to deepen the moment. But it still felt intimate, and it was exactly what Tem had been craving from him for three long days. They talked for hours, about nothing and everything. Eventually, Tem lay down too.
They didn’t kiss. Instead, Caspen undid the lacings of her dress one loop at a time, pulling it off her body until she was in nothing but her underclothing. Then he pulled that off too, and she was once more naked beneath him.
He still didn’t kiss her. It seemed like all he wanted to do was to touch her. Caspen brushed his fingertips gently up her thighs, over her hip bone, and along the curve of her hip. He traced up the center of her stomach, resting his palm in the valley between her breasts. Tem wondered if he could feel her heart, which was beating so fast she could practically hear it. His hand was moving again, sliding up to wrap around her throat. Her pulse thrummed in her temple, pounding an incessant rhythm into her brain.
Without thinking, Tem’s hand went to his neck. Caspen’s eyes widened at the motion. Then they narrowed, and she heard his voice in her mind:
Squeeze, little viper.
Tem squeezed. She felt the cords of his throat contract beneath her palm, the hard line of his esophagus compressing between her fingers. What would happen if she kept squeezing? Would he let her? She was holding his life in her hand, just as he so often held hers. Tem recognized that this was a moment of trust between them—that she was meant to decide how it ended.
When she released him, he released her too.
They stared at each other for a long time. Caspen was the one to break eye contact, leaning forward and pressing his lips to her jaw. He trailed his kisses downward, gently biting her breast. Tem let out a tiny moan when he did it, and she felt him smile against her skin.
“So sensitive,” Caspen whispered, his fingers brushing over her nipple, coaxing it into an obedient point. “I could make you come just from this.”
Tem scoffed.
“I doubt it.”
Caspen’s nostrils flared.
Then he lowered his head, taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking it between his teeth. Tem gasped. She’d never felt anything like that before. Her hand darted immediately to the back of his neck, her fingers lacing tightly into his hair. She needed something to hold onto—something to steady her against the sheer ecstasy he was making her feel.
Tem couldn’t believe what Caspen was doing. He alternated between sucking her nipple and teasing it lightly, working it back and forth with his tongue. Every few minutes he would stop, using his fingers to soften it before taking it in his mouth once more. He swirled his tongue in continuous, lazy circles, tracing the peak of her breast until Tem was completely wet between her legs. She could feel it dripping onto the mat. She’d never wanted to touch herself as badly as she wanted to right now. But if she did that, Caspen would win.
I will win regardless, his voice reverberated through her mind.
“No talking,” Tem chastised him. She could barely get the words out.
Just when she was used to one motion, he did something different, sliding her nipple first through the ridges of his teeth before flicking it lightly with his tongue. He was teasing her, she realized, taking her to the edge and then back again, bringing her closer and closer each time. But Tem was stubborn. She wouldn’t let him win this. She tried to think of something—anything to distract her.
Chicken shit. Vera’s insufferable giggle. Mother fussing around the house.
It was no use. There weren’t enough distasteful things in the world to combat the euphoria that was spreading through Tem like fire.
Caspen’s mouth completely covered her nipple. This time when he sucked it, he did it for so long and so tightly that she let out a helpless whimper, arching her back and grasping him desperately. As soon as she was sure she couldn’t take another second, he pulled suddenly away.
Tem gasped in surprise.
It was that, finally—the absence of sensation—that brought her straight to the edge. Her fingers tightened in his hair, trying to pull him closer, but his head didn’t budge. Instead Tem watched as Caspen’s tongue closed the distance, gliding over her nipple just once, leaving it glistening in the firelight.
Then he blew on it.
Cool air caressed her gentler than a whisper, and Tem felt the last of her self control finally break as her nipple immediately became so hard it ached. Her body had betrayed her. She could resist no longer.
Orgasm hit her like a tidal wave, crashing forth from the deepest eddies of her body and pulling her into an endless well of pleasure. She rode the wave gladly, basking in the sweet release, allowing herself to come undone just for him. Without hesitation, Caspen plunged his hand between her legs, and the moment he touched her clitoris she cried out, bucking her hips to meet him. Caspen matched her energy, fingering her hard, his mouth returning to her nipple so he could play with both parts of her.
It was incredible. There was no other word for it. Tem could barely catch her breath; she felt as if she were seeing stars.
“Caspen,” she gasped.
He raised his head so they were at eye level, his fingers slowing into a gentle caress.
“You should not have doubted me.”
She clung to him. It felt like her soul had been cracked open.
“I hate that you have this much power over me.”
To her surprise, he laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
His grin only widened.
“Of the two of us, I am not the one with the power, Tem.”
Tem had no idea how to react to that. To believe that she had power over Caspen was to believe that she had influence over a centuries-old creature who could turn her to stone her with a single glance. It wasn’t a fantasy she could afford to indulge. And yet, she knew their relationship had progressed far beyond the bounds of student and teacher. She shouldn’t even be here—the other girls had surely long since gone home, and she was still in her basilisk’s cave, naked, talking to him as if they were lovers. It was impossible. And yet, she wouldn’t want it any other way.
“Lucky for you, I’m a merciful ruler,” she touched one of his shoulders and then the other, mimicking the motion for granting knighthood.
He grabbed her wrist, kissing the freckles on the palm of her hand.
“Lucky me indeed.”
They ate together that night, and every night after. Caspen returned the claw to her, and sent pulses constantly—in bed, in church, on the way to the bakery. On one particular day they came so frequently that Tem had to pretend to be sick, waving her mother away and insisting that she needed to sleep it off. She spent the day naked in bed, soaked in sweat and her own wetness, wondering how the hell Caspen had enough time on his hands to think of her this often.
Tem suspected that his behavior had something to do with the upcoming elimination.
The letter arrived while Tem’s mother was out running errands, so Tem was alone when she received the large white envelope stamped with the wax seal of the royals. Its contents were brief—a simple invitation requesting her presence at the castle the following night. Tem turned it over in her hands, marveling at the thick paper laced with gold leaf.
Then she began to worry.