Page 104 of Between Two Kings

“Any choice concerning my body is my choice to make,” Tem said quietly.

Silence fell again.

Tem knew she was pushing this too far. Nobody at this table besides Evelyn wanted this for her. But Caspen, despite his intent to protect her, could not prevent this. Only Leo could protect her. And if he was unable to do so, he would suffer the consequences.

Leo’s eyes found hers.

Tem had never been able to read his mind the way she could Caspen’s. Leo wore his emotions on his sleeve, so it had never really been necessary. But now, in the lingering silence, she wished she knew what he was thinking. Did he understand the gravity of the situation? Did he realize that they were on the brink of complete regression? If the bloodletting continued, everything they’d been through was for nothing. The wedding, the crest, his entire marriage to Evelyn. If Leo allowed this to continue, he was no better than Maximus.

But Leo’s loyalty was to his future wife. And that wife was no longer Tem.

His eyes dropped. “Tem can make her own choice,” he whispered.

Beside him, Evelyn preened. She looked at Caspen triumphantly, her shoulders thrown back as if she’d just won the world’s greatest prize. Then her gaze moved to Tem, who finally understood the loathing in it. This was all about power for Evelyn—she wielded what little she had in order to make it clear that Tem, and the basilisks, were below her. Tem would be disgusted if she wasn’t already used to people like her. What disgusted her more was how Leo had allowed it to happen. Progress, when unmaintained, was not progress at all. It was just another lie.

“Then it’s settled,” Tem whispered. “We can begin next week.”

At her words, Caspen stood abruptly.

Everyone stared up at the basilisk, his shoulders squared, his fists at his sides. Tem hadn’t felt afraid of Caspen in a long time. But she was afraid now.

“Tem,” he said quietly, with no emotion. “I will see you at home.”

Tem didn’t dare speak. She had no idea what to say. There was nothing to say.

They all watched as Caspen left the room. His mind was closed off to her; now he was the one shutting her out. It was the second dinner in a row that he’d stormed out of, and she found it significant that he’d left without her. Did he want her to stay? Did he think she wanted to stay? Tem had no idea what else she could possibly accomplish here, especially on her own. She was just about to follow Caspen when Evelyn stood too.

“Leo,” she said, somewhat less calmly than Caspen. “Finish this. I will see you upstairs.”

Then she left the room too.

Tem and Leo stared at each other. It was only them now.

“Finish this?” Tem snapped.

He shook his head. “She didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then what did she mean?”

When he didn’t answer, Tem stood. Immediately, Leo stood too. “Tem, wait—”

Leo reached for her, then dropped his hand. They still hadn’t touched since the annulment. Tem wondered if it was deliberate—if he was withholding himself on purpose for fear of what it might incite.

“Wait for what, Leo?”

“Tem, please. Let’s just talk.”

“I don’t want to talk,” Tem snapped.

“She doesn’t know what she’s saying.” Leo was still standing, leaning toward her. “She’s just trying to protect her people.”

“Well, that’s nice. I’m trying to protect mine.”

“I know you are. That’s why we’re doing this, why we’re having these dinners—”

“These dinners are useless if they’re just a way to reinstate the bloodletting.”

“That’s not what they are.”