Page 76 of Between Two Kings

“Of course, we’re also looking into getting white roses. But those are proving difficult to track down. Isn’t that right, darling?” She looked expectantly at Leo, who was staring into his whiskey glass.

“Quite difficult,” he said dully.

Mercifully, dinner was served.

The silence continued as the butlers served them roast beef, but at least now there was food to concentrate on. To Tem’s surprise, it was Caspen who spoke next.

“Have there been any more protests?”

Tem frowned. Why was he asking? He didn’t care about the villagers.

“Yes,” sighed Evelyn. “There have been.”

Two words flashed through Tem’s mind: Feed us.

“That is a shame,” Caspen said.

“It is.” She glanced at Leo, who was still trying to drown himself in his whiskey. “We are exploring…solutions.”

Caspen raised an eyebrow. “Such as?”

Ah. That’s why he was asking—it wasn’t to gauge the situation with the villagers. It was to see what plans the royals had for the future of their kingdom. Those plans would directly affect the basilisks.

Evelyn was still looking at Leo, who was looking anywhere but at her.

“We…haven’t decided yet. But we are looking into our options. Things cannot go on as they have been. It’s important to leave a legacy for our children.”

Tem nearly choked on her wine. “Children?”

Evelyn touched Leo’s arm. “We want two, don’t we, darling? A boy and a girl.”

Tem suppressed the urge to vomit.

Tem. Caspen’s voice boomed in her mind.

She knew he could hear her thoughts. It wasn’t possible to hide them at this point. Tem’s displeasure was so loud, she was surprised Evelyn couldn’t hear them too.

I’m trying.

You must try harder. You cannot afford to lose your temper.

Tem knew he was right. They had to do this, for the greater good. But he was asking the impossible. Evelyn was right there. Her big doe eyes stared at Tem with calculating curiosity, as if she were sizing her up. And how dare she? Evelyn was the one who’d left Leo in the first place.

But was Tem really any better? She’d left Leo too.

The thought only made her angrier. She’d left him so he could be happy. And his happiness, for reasons Tem could not and would not fathom, hinged on the unremarkable person before her. Evelyn couldn’t possibly satisfy Leo. She looked like she’d never had sex in her life, much less be willing to suck his cock in a carriage simply to torture him. Leo required challenge and strength and power. Evelyn possessed none of those.

Tem. Caspen’s voice came to her again.

What?

Control yourself.

It wasn’t an order. It was a warning.

Tem could feel heat rising in her core, the monster within her no longer lying dormant. Her basilisk side felt as if it were clawing for release, climbing steadily up the walls of her insides. Fury was imminent. She’d transitioned only once since the wedding. Yet she felt as if she were about to now, the urge rapidly consuming her like a forest fire.

Tem closed her eyes, trying to take a deep, calming breath. But nothing helped. She was too far gone—too close to the edge.