Page 246 of Split or Swallow
Rowe was angry. At Caspen and at Tem. Before she could turn around, Rowe grabbed her arm, his grip painfully tight. His other hand went to her throat, his fingers tightening around her esophagus. But instead of choking her, Rowe’s eyes bore into hers, his pupils dilating wide. For a single, terrifying moment, Tem thought he might kiss her.
Instead, Rowe’s face twisted into a frown.
“Unbelievable,” he whispered. “He claimed you.”
Tem had no idea what that meant. But she knew she had to get away. Rowe was clearly unhinged, and there was no telling what he might do next. With one final yank, Tem wrenched herself from his grasp as forcefully as she could. To her surprise, he let her go, his face still frozen in shock. Every instinct screamed at Tem to run. Instead, she raised her chin and said:
“If you ever touch me again, Caspen will kill you.”
She didn’t even know whether the words were true. If Caspen killed Rowe, there would be an immediate war between the quivers. Tem didn’t want that to happen—especially not because of her. But Caspen was the only card she had left to play. He was powerful, and right now, she needed to remind Rowe of that.
Rowe didn’t answer. Tem ran.
She sprinted the rest of the way to Caspen’s chambers, frantically counting the turns one after another, somehow making it to the familiar wooden door. Caspen looked up in surprise as she entered.
“Tem? You are early.”
She immediately burst into tears.
“Tem,” Caspen crossed to her, taking her face in his hands and pulling it up to his. “What is the matter?”
She shook her head, trying to control her sobs.
“Talk to me, Tem.”
Caspen’s gaze fell to her throat. She wondered if he could see where Rowe had grabbed her.
“Tem, please,” he whispered. “What happened?”
She didn’t answer, still catching her breath.
“You look just as you did after those boys hurt you. I cannot bear to see you this way.”
At the mention of Jonathan and Christopher, Tem remembered the stone statues in the square. She imagined what Caspen might do to Rowe.
“It’s nothing like that,” she shook her head again. “Really.”
But Caspen’s mouth formed a hard line.
“Tell me what happened.”
His voice was quiet. There was no point trying to hide from him. Even if she could lie convincingly, he would never believe her. She looked up into his concerned eyes.
“I ran into Rowe,” she said finally. “He…was angry.”
Caspen immediately stiffened.
“About what?”
“The council meeting.”
A muscle twitched in his jaw.
“What did he say?”
Tem tried to look away, but Caspen held her face near his.
“He said I had no right to the throne.”
