CHAPTER TWELVE
Tem went straight to bed without washing up.
She told herself it was because she was tired, but she knew in her heart it was because she didn’t want to wash Leo’s scent off of her. His cologne lingered in her hair, on her dress, on her hands. It reminded her of the way his body had felt when it was pressed against hers—how he’d hiked up her dress and touched her. Tem pictured those long fingers of his, imagining what else they could do. She fell asleep thinking about Leo.
She woke up thinking about Caspen.
It was her first day without the claw, and Tem felt its absence the moment she opened her eyes. She touched her clitoris tentatively, missing the way it used to cradle her.
“Tem, dear?” her mother knocked on her door. “Are you awake? They expect us at the square.”
It was then that Tem remembered what day it was.
Every autumn, the village celebrated the anniversary of their victory in the war with a weeklong festival honoring the royals. It was a time of reverence and gratitude, culminating in an extravagant celebration in the town square. Tem and her mother provided rooster feathers to symbolize the defeat of the basilisks. This year the festival was even more important: it was rumored that a special ceremony would occur.
The Passing of the Crown was a longstanding tradition in the royal family. Whenever a prince was about to take a wife, the king would pass him his crown. It wasn’t an official transfer of power—rather, it was a way for the current king to acknowledge the future king’s potential. The gesture represented a father’s faith in his son’s ability to rule. It was an extremely important event, and a way for Maximus to give Leo his blessing.
Tem rolled onto her back, closing her eyes.
Do not trust the king.
She still didn’t know where the voice had come from. But she knew it was somewhere in the castle, and Tem vowed that the next time she was there, she would find it.
Tem joined her mother in the chicken coop, gathering feathers for the festival. When they arrived at the town square it was packed with people. Tem immediately found Gabriel and joined him in hanging golden flags from the eaves of the shops surrounding the square.
The day passed in a series of menial tasks.
Tem alternated between thinking about Leo and thinking about Caspen. She wondered if either of them were thinking about her. Her attempts to contact Caspen had been fruitless: the wall between them remained firmly in place, and every time Tem tried to send a thought down the corridor in her mind, it was met with resistance. Eventually, she stopped trying.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Gabriel prompted. They were hanging flags outside the butcher shop.
“I’m thinking.”
“About?”
Tem sighed.
“Last night.”
She told Gabriel everything that had happened at the castle, leaving out only her conversation with Caspen and the disembodied voice. He asked her to describe her sixty seconds with Leo in excruciating detail, giggling with unrestrained glee at everything that had occurred behind the closed door.
“So?” He asked when she’d finished.
“So what?”
“So who’s a better kisser? The snake or the prince? Come on Tem, you can tell me.”
“I am not answering that.”
“I’ll bet it’s the prince,” Gabriel continued as if she hadn’t said anything. “He seems like he’s got something to prove. Guys with something to prove are always better in bed. It’s like they’re grateful to be there or somethi—”
“If you say one more word about this I’m telling Henry what you did with Peter.”
Gabriel’s eyes widened.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would.”
Gabriel placed his hand over his heart in mock hurt. “Sex has changed you, Tem. You’re not the woman I used to know.”
“I haven’t had sex yet.”
Gabriel waved his fingers dismissively.
“You’ve had a cock in your mouth, Tem. Some would consider that sex.”
“Henry. And. Peter.” Tem hissed.
“Alright, alright,” Gabriel hung another flag, his lips pursed thoughtfully. “But this discussion isn’t over.”
Before Tem could protest again, Vera appeared. She cast a disapproving look at Gabriel before turning to Tem.
“Did you enjoy the Frisky Sixty, Tem? I know I did.”
Tem sighed. She was already in a foul mood and Vera was only making it worse.
“Good for you,” she said stiffly.
“The prince enjoyed it too.”
“Good for him.”
Vera wrinkled her nose, clearly wishing for more of a reaction.
“He requested me first, after all. So he was obviously eager to see me.”
“Or eager to get it over with,” Tem snapped back.
Gabriel let out a snort. Vera glared at him.
“And when did you take your turn, Tem? Rumor has it you went last.”
Of course a rumor like that would spread. Vera was probably the one spreading it.
“I may have been last,” Tem said through her teeth. “But I also stayed longer than sixty seconds.”
Vera’s face darkened.
“What?” She snapped.
Tem squared her shoulders. “The prince didn’t even want to touch the hourglass. I had to remind him to turn it over.”
Vera gaped like a fish, her eyes popping out of her heart-shaped face. It was the perfect retort; there was no way to disprove it since Vera had left before Tem went into the library. Even better given that it was actually true.
For once in her life, Vera took the hint and disappeared without another word.
“Feeling petty today, are we?” Gabriel said.
Tem threw him a look.
“What?” he grinned. “I like it when you’re petty.”
“Please shut up.”
Gabriel pressed a kiss to her cheek before graciously letting the silence sit.
Hours passed. They hung the rest of the flags. Eventually, Gabriel left to work dinner service at the castle.
Tem needed the alone time anyway.
She spent the afternoon helping the carpenters set up the stage for the Passing of the Crown. Tem wasn’t particularly skilled at woodwork, but she was no stranger to manual labor, and she found that losing herself in the hammering helped to soothe her anxiety. By the time she was ready to head home, night was falling. Tem took the trail through the woods, winding slowly amongst the trees.
The wall was just looming into sight when she heard a voice behind her:
“Hey!”
Tem turned around.
The voice belonged to Jonathan. He was flanked by another boy who Tem recognized from school. His name was Christopher.
“Your name’s Temperance, isn’t it?” Jonathan asked, walking right up to her.
“Yes,” she said. “But I go by Tem.”
“Right. Tem.”
Both boys were grinning at her, but they weren’t friendly grins. They were predatory and unpredictable, and Tem felt a sudden urge to run.
“We heard you’re with the Serpent King. Is that right?”
Tem cursed Vera and her big mouth.
“Yes,” she began slowly. “But I—”
“So he’s taught you quite a lot then, I’d assume?”
Tem shifted uncomfortably. It was getting dark, and the boys were blocking her path home. She wanted to leave, but she couldn’t get around them.
“I’m…still learning,” she mumbled.
“Is that right?” Jonathan’s grin widened, and so did Christopher’s. “We’d like to learn too. Right Chris? Maybe you could teach us something.”
He looked at Christopher, who nodded greedily, his eyes never leaving Tem’s.
“I really need to get home,” she said, her voice cracking.
“No. You really need to teach us something.”
Jonathan stepped closer, and Tem stepped back. She was utterly defenseless—she wished suddenly that she had kept one of the hammers from earlier.
“Please—” Tem begged, “—I have to get home.”
Jonathan grabbed her dress, twisting the fabric in his hand.
“But we’re not finished,” he sneered. “We haven’t even started.”
Tem tried to yank herself away, but Christopher was suddenly behind her, pulling her arms back as Jonathan ripped the front of her dress open.
“No—” Tem cried, “—leave me alone—”
“Why?” Jonathan asked. “I’m just helping you out. You should get used to being touched like this—” he grabbed her breasts, hard, and she yelped in pain, “—after all, this is what the prince will do.”
Tears filled Tem’s eyes as she heard Christopher laughing in her ear. Jonathan was hurting her—his cruel hands were far different from the way Caspen and Leo touched her, and she wished desperately that she was anywhere else but here. Jonathan stepped back, untying his trousers.
“Why don’t you show me what you’ve learned?” he sneered, dropping them to the ground. Tem stifled a wave of disgust as she realized he was already hard, his cock standing up to reveal his balls. He was less than half the size of Caspen, and for some reason, the thought gave her strength.
Tem knew what to do.
She stood suddenly still, no longer struggling as Jonathan stepped closer, stroking his cock with one hand.
“Come on, then,” he said with a grin. “Show me what you’ve learned.”
He was just close enough to make it work.
Without a second’s hesitation, Tem flung her leg up as hard as she could, crushing the hard bone of her knee into the soft tissue of Jonathan’s balls. He screamed, doubling over and falling to the ground. Christopher’s grip on her loosened as he gasped in surprise, and Tem took the opportunity to wrench herself from his hands.
Without thinking, she leapt off the path, heading up the hill and making for the caves. She could think of nowhere else to go—in the other direction was only forest, and she wouldn’t make it all the way home before the boys caught her.
“Hey—” she heard Jonathan yell behind her, “—come back you little slut!”
But Tem was sprinting hard, her breath coming in short gasps as she flung herself through the door in the wall. The second she passed through it, Jonathan’s taunts ceased. Tem didn’t slow down, letting her feet carry her up the slope to the base of the mountain. She barreled straight for the furthest cave, scrambling through the entrance and scraping her palms on the rocks. It was completely dark inside—the fireplace wasn’t lit, and the air was cold. What if he wasn’t here? What if the boys followed her, and now she was cornered? What if—?
“Tem?”
Caspen emerged from the shadows. He was wearing a loose linen shirt and trousers, his eyebrows raised in surprise. With a snap of his fingers, the fireplace flared to life.
“What are you doing here?”
“I…” Tem started but didn’t know how to finish. Now that she was here, she realized just how foolish of a plan this was. Caspen owed her nothing. Why should he grant her refuge? She had showed up completely unannounced, while they were on less than friendly terms. What if it made him angry?
Caspen stepped closer.
“You should not be here,” he said, confirming her worst fears.
Tem nodded desperately.
“I know. I’m sorry—it’s just—there were these boys, and they—they—”
But she stopped again, too ashamed to go on. Instead, she took a step back, ready to leave before she made things worse.
“Wait,” Caspen said. His gaze fell to her torn dress, which she was holding together with her hands. He frowned.
“What did they do?”
There was genuine concern in his voice. At his tone, she swallowed, trying to calm herself down.
“They…touched me.”
Caspen went completely still.
“The way I do?”
“Yes. Well, no, not really.”
Tem could feel herself blushing. But she couldn’t seem to stop the words:
“They were rough. I…didn’t like it.”
Caspen’s eyes flicked back to her ripped dress. He stepped even closer.
“What are their names?”
Tem clamped her lips. Something about the way he asked it made her certain she didn’t want to answer.
“Tem,” his voice was a low, controlled growl. “Answer me.”
“Jonathan…and Christopher. They’re a year older than me. Jonathan…” Tem dropped her voice in shame. “…he was the one who touched me. Christopher only helped him.”
Caspen was standing with his fists clenched at his sides. When he didn’t say anything, Tem mumbled:
“I shouldn’t have disturbed you. I should go—”
“No,” Caspen shook his head. “You will stay.”
Tentative relief shot through her.
“Take that off,” Caspen nodded at her dress, which she was still holding together tightly.
Tem hesitated. She didn’t want to be naked right now, especially after what had just happened. She hadn’t come here for one of their lessons—she had come here for comfort. Perhaps she had been foolish to expect the basilisk to provide it. Perhaps he expected payment for his protection.
Before Tem could decide how to respond, Caspen pulled off his shirt. He held it out to her, and she took it cautiously.
“Thank you,” she whispered. He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. He continued to watch as she let her dress drop to the ground. Before she could cover herself with his shirt, Caspen stepped forward.
“You are hurt,” he said. Tem followed his gaze to her breasts, where Jonathan’s greedy fingers had left several grape-sized bruises.
“I’m fine,” she shook her head.
Caspen reached for her, and she jerked away sharply, pulling the shirt up to block him. Caspen dropped his hands, his eyebrows knitting together.
“I only mean to heal you, Tem. Nothing more.”
“Oh,” Tem said. “Sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he paused. “I will do it later, if you prefer.”
His voice was soft. Tem wasn’t used to that tone from him. Their relationship had only recently become a collaborative one, and she didn’t know what to make of the way he was treating her tonight. But she knew one thing: Caspen would never touch her the way Jonathan had.
“You can do it now,” Tem whispered.
She lowered the shirt slowly.
Caspen’s eyes lingered on hers before returning to her chest. He stepped closer, cupping her gently, his hands warm against her breasts. The fire dimmed as a coolness spread from his skin to hers. When it was done, Caspen brushed his thumbs over her nipples, caressing them tenderly, as if his touch could undo Jonathan’s. Tem closed her eyes, savoring the way it felt.
“You should only know pleasure,” Caspen murmured, tracing the curve of her breasts before filling his palms with them. “Never pain.”
“Tell that to Jonathan,” Tem said without thinking. It was the first thing that popped into her mind, and she immediately regretted it.
Caspen’s eyes narrowed. He looked her in the eye, and she saw all the anger in the world there.
“I intend to.”
Tem had never heard such fury in his voice before.
“I…don’t want anyone to get hurt,” she whispered.
Caspen smiled coldly, dropping his hands.
“We can’t always get what we want, Tem.”
He turned away and she was left there, shivering. She pulled his shirt on quickly. It smelled of smoke. When she was covered, Caspen beckoned to her.
“Come.”
“Where are we going?” Tem asked.
“To my chambers.”
“Oh,” Tem said. She’d always figured Caspen spent his nights curled up in the cave, nestled amongst the stones while wearing his true form.
“Follow me,” Caspen nodded at a passageway nearly invisible in the shadows. “And keep your eyes down.”
The temperature rose significantly as they left the dim light of the cave. Caspen’s shoulders were broad in the dark, and Tem stayed close behind him as they wound through a stone tunnel, passing doorway after doorway. Tem realized suddenly why Caspen had told her to keep her eyes down. If a basilisk wearing its true form emerged and looked her in the eye, she would die.
There was no light in the tunnel, and Tem found herself tripping over the rough stone floor. At one point she lost her balance and Caspen’s hand darted around her waist, preventing her from falling.
“Steady, Tem,” he said quietly. He kept his arm around her until they reached a door identical to all the others. Caspen pushed it open.
“After you,” he said.
Tem entered slowly, her eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness. With a snap of his fingers, Caspen lit a torch, and suddenly she could see the room they had entered.
It was massive.
There was an enormous bed against the far wall, covered in deep maroon sheets and silk pillows. The mattress was set directly into the stone, with a small set of steps leading up to it. A full-length gilded mirror was propped in the corner, and Tem stared at her reflection as Caspen snapped his fingers once more, filling a fireplace with flickering light. It was warm here—just like the tunnel. The stone floor was smooth, and adorned with rich rugs.
“Is it what you expected?” Caspen asked, his eyes on her.
“I’m…not sure,” Tem answered honestly. She hadn’t expected anything, really. “It’s more…human…than I thought.”
“That is because when I dwell here, I wear my human form.”
“Where do you dwell when you wear your true form?”
The corner of his mouth twitched.
“Elsewhere.”
It was clear she wouldn’t get a more specific answer from him. She wasn’t sure she even wanted one. It was a deeply intimate thing to show someone where you slept. Tem was already grateful to be here, and didn’t want to give him any reason to kick her out.
“Thank you for having me,” she said quietly. “I know it’s an imposition.”
Caspen crossed his arms, the muscles in his bare shoulders rotating under his skin.
“You are not an imposition.”
It was all he said, yet somehow it put her at ease. Caspen was looking at her calmly, and she knew he wouldn’t lie about something like that. She wasn’t even sure he could lie. Legend said that basilisks burst into flames if they spoke anything other than the truth.
“What is on your mind, Tem?”
She blinked, startled at the question. It was significant that he had asked. They both knew he could easily explore her thoughts himself. But he seemed to be treading carefully in light of what had just happened.
“I was wondering if the stories were true.”
“Which stories?”
“The ones about basilisks.”
“That depends,” Caspen said, tilting his head. “There are many stories about us.”
Tem nodded, trying to muster the courage to ask what was on her mind:
“Do you really burst into flames when you tell a lie?”
To her surprise, Caspen threw his head back in laughter. Tem had never seen him laugh like that before, and she couldn’t believe she had caused it.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, suddenly self conscious.
Caspen smiled.
“Your question,” he replied. “It is not what I expected. And to answer it, no, I would not burst into flames. But lying is…uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable?”
“Yes. It requires effort, and our bodies reject it.”
Tem nodded. So there was some truth to the legends after all.
Caspen’s mouth tilted in an amused smile.
“Is there anything else you wish to ask me?”
Tem considered the question. There were plenty of things she’d always wanted to ask him, but now that she had the opportunity to do so, she couldn’t remember any of them. There was only one pressing matter she could think of:
“Why do you have a mirror?”
Caspen arched an eyebrow.
“To check if I have anything in my teeth.”
It took Tem a good long moment to realize he was making a joke.
“Oh,” she said. “Right.”
She had no idea how to react to his humor. Caspen was watching her with such obvious amusement that she couldn’t help but blush.
“You are wondering how I can look in a mirror without dying,” he said before she could figure out how to recover.
“Well…yes.”
“The same way I can look at you now without killing you. My gaze is not lethal when I wear my human form.”
Tem frowned. “But that means that you can…”
She trailed off. She was going to say that if it was true that he could look in mirrors when wearing his human form, it meant he could bypass the mirrored wall that surrounded the village.
“What is it that I can do, Tem?” He asked softly.
But there was no point in saying it. If the basilisks were going to invade the village, they would have done so long ago. The fact that they hadn’t meant that they knew the wall was useless, and chose to remain outside of it anyway. Tem couldn’t imagine why.
So she shook her head.
“Never mind.”
“Very well,” Caspen replied slowly, as if he didn’t quite believe her. “If you think of anything else, do not hesitate.”
Tem never expected to get such an open invitation from him. But she nodded, and he nodded too. Then he said:
“Would you like a drink?”
She blinked in surprise. “What kind of drink?”
“Anything you wish.”
Tem couldn’t have named a single drink if she’d tried. The evening had already been so overwhelming it felt like her brain had been squeezed through a sieve.
“I’ll have whatever you have,” she said finally.
He nodded.
“Very well. I shall return in a moment.”
In his absence, Tem sat tentatively on the end of the bed.
She wondered whether anything like this had ever happened to the other girls. Had Vera seen her basilisk’s chambers? Or was this a habit that was specific to Caspen—something the Serpent King did with everyone he taught? Up until now, her interactions with him had been strictly surface level. Even when they were connected with their minds, they didn’t discuss anything of true significance. Now they were spending time together in a different way: talking and getting to know each other, as if they were dating.
Tem stifled the thought. They were not dating, and the basilisk was not her boyfriend. He was a fearsome creature—one who was her mentor and her teacher, training her for a role. He could not possibly care about an ordinary girl like her. Not to mention that their last conversation had consisted of Tem telling him to remove the claw so she could undress in front of Leo. Caspen was probably furious with her.
And yet.
He had healed her. He had taken her into his private chambers, and he had protected her. Those were not the actions of someone who didn’t care. He could have sent her away when she showed up with her ripped dress. Instead he chose to comfort her. Surely that meant something. Tem stared at the fireplace, losing herself in the flames. She knew what she hoped would happen tonight.
But would it?
Some time later, Caspen returned with a bottle of dark liquid. Tem thought it might be wine, and when he poured her a glass, she knew from the smell that she was right. Caspen sat next to her on the bed before pouring himself a glass too, and they drank together in silence. The wine was sweet, and made Tem feel even warmer than she already was. Sitting and drinking with Caspen reminded Tem of the meals they had shared, and another question occurred to her. She remembered he had encouraged her to ask. So she said:
“What do you eat when you wear your true form?”
Caspen was unperturbed by the query, answering easily:
“Many different things. Fish, if I feel like swimming. Small game if I feel like hunting. It depends on my desires.”
She nodded, processing the information. For all their proximity to the basilisks, nobody seemed to know anything specific about them, and Tem found it fascinating to finally learn some of the things she had always wondered about. Now that she had started, she couldn’t resist asking more:
“What does it feel like when you transition? Is it like putting on different clothes?”
Caspen smiled, leaning back on the bed and propping himself up to look at her.
“It is more like taking off clothes. My true form is the most natural version of me. It is the way I am meant to exist, so it takes no effort at all to inhabit it.”
“So it’s not painful?”
“Not in the least,” he shook his head. “It is ecstasy.”
“Then why use your human form at all? Why not remain as a basilisk?”
“Because nobody tries to kill me when I am human.”
“Oh,” Tem said quietly, feeling immediately foolish for asking. She knew all about the war; she shouldn’t have brought it up, especially when he was being so hospitable. “I’m sorry.”
Caspen extended his hand, placing his palm on her thigh.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.”
It was the second time he’d said that tonight. His hand was heavy on her leg, and she tried to ignore how close his fingers were to everything she wanted him to touch.
Tem took a huge gulp of wine.
“May I ask you something?” Caspen said quietly.
“Of course,” Tem nodded, surprised by the request. She couldn’t imagine what the basilisk could possibly want to know about her.
His hand tightened on her thigh.
“How did you get away from those boys?”
“Oh. Um…” Tem paused, embarrassed at having to recount the story. “Why do you ask?”
Caspen’s jaw clenched.
“Because I need to picture you getting away,” he said, his voice low. “Otherwise I only picture you getting hurt, and that I cannot bear.”
At his words, a chill ran down Tem’s spine. Once again, she was on the verge of convincing herself that he cared—once again, she was indulging in a fantasy that would never come to fruition. But she indulged it anyway, answering his question as steadily as she could:
“I…hit him with my knee.”
To her surprise, Caspen’s face split into a sudden grin. “Did you really?”
“Yes,” Tem said, thrown off by his reaction. “It was quite effective, actually.”
“I do not doubt it,” Caspen replied, still smiling.
Tem wasn’t sure what to make of his mood.
“Is that amusing to you?”
At her tone, Caspen’s expression sobered somewhat.
“Not inherently. I just know how much a knee can hurt.”
He tapped his finger gently on her kneecap.
Tem couldn’t help but smile. He’d probably been kneed many times during his centuries of training girls for the prince. She was happy she hadn’t contributed to that statistic.
They drank in silence again. Then Tem remembered something Caspen had said, and she knew she had to ask:
“What are you going to do to them?”
Caspen’s eyes flicked to hers. They both knew who she was referring to.
“There is no need for you to know,” he said quietly.
“I want to know.”
Caspen sighed, finally withdrawing his hand from her leg. He set his wine on the ground before reclining on his back, his gaze pointed up to the ceiling. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper:
“I am going to punish them.”
“But how?”
He still didn’t look at her. Tem set her glass on the ground and reclined too, positioning her body close enough to feel his heat.
“Tell me,” she murmured. “Please.”
Caspen sighed. He closed his eyes as if to block out her request.
“Tem,” he said quietly. “Let it be. Some things do not concern you.”
Tem had nothing to say to that. If he didn’t want to tell her, she couldn’t force him to do so. Still, she worried what powers he might possess. What could a basilisk do to ordinary boys like Jonathan and Christopher? Caspen could infiltrate minds; he had access to magic she could only imagine. There was no limit to the damage he could cause.
“It was nothing serious,” she said quietly. “They were just…playing around.”
Caspen’s temple tensed.
“You are not to be played with.”
A memory came back to Tem with striking force—the question she had asked Caspen the first time he’d touched her:
Am I to be played with?
His answer had been different then.
“They’re just boys,” she whispered.
“Boys who hurt you. They will answer for that. Now let it be.”
Tem pursed her lips. It was clear there was no arguing with him, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to anyway. It was true that Jonathan had hurt her, and part of her did want him to answer for it. But she worried that Caspen would take it too far—that he would cause irreparable harm. Tem didn’t want Jonathan’s blood on her hands.
But clearly it was out of her control.
Tem laid her head on the mattress, studying the sharp angles of Caspen’s face. He turned to look at her, his expression softening.
“I only wish to protect you,” he said quietly.
“This isn’t protection.”
“Then what is it?”
“Retaliation.”
“Would you have me do nothing?”
“I would have you be merciful.”
Caspen snorted.
“Mercy is for fools. I owe nobody my mercy.”
“Not even me?”
A pause. They studied each other in the flickering firelight.
“I owe you many things, Tem. But mercy is not one of them.”
Many things. What did he owe her?
Her heart slammed in her chest as he raised his fingers to her face, brushing gently along her cheek.
“Am I not allowed to protect you?” he murmured.
“You are,” she murmured back. “I just didn’t realize you wanted to.”
Caspen held her gaze.
“Protecting you is only the beginning of what I want to do.”