Page 182 of Split or Swallow

It was vile. Plain and simple. And yet, Tem understood it. Sex was currency to the basilisks. It made sense that the only way to infiltrate their ranks was through seduction—that the only way to earn their approval was to perform the act of sex itself. But not even Tem could deny that sleeping with Caspen’s father was at best, unusual, and at worst, horrifying. What kind of society would allow for such a thing?

Such was the basilisk way.

Tem sighed, yanking out another weed. If she did the ritual, she could be with Caspen fully, the way they were meant to be together. But if she did not, she would never be properly accepted into his world. She was at an impasse, and she had no idea what to do.

“My dear?”

Tem jolted back to the present, where her mother was looking at her expectantly.

“What?”

“You seem quiet. Are you well?”

Tem stared at the weed in her hand. Against her will, she began to cry.

Her mother immediately dropped her rake and embraced her.

“Whatever is the matter, Tem?”

Tem only cried harder. She had no words for her situation—no way to express just how helpless she really felt. It was, simply put, impossible.

Her mother held her until her sobs quieted. Tem marveled at the contact; it was the second time in two days they had hugged like this. She wondered suddenly if the elimination process brought other mothers and daughters closer together. It was a shared experience, after all. Her mother had gone into the caves just as Tem had—she had taken the same emotional and physical journey. For the first time, Tem considered confiding in her mother. She had been in love once. And love, if nothing else, was universal.

“Mother?” Tem asked against her shoulder.

“Yes, dear?”

“Why did you leave father?”

Her mother stiffened.

“Please,” Tem whispered. “I need to know.”

A long moment passed. To Tem’s surprise, her mother didn’t pull away. Instead she tucked her head against Tem’s so they were more comfortably intertwined, and Tem wondered if it was easier for her mother to speak on this topic when she wasn’t looking directly at her daughter.

“I left him because we could not be together.”

“Why not?”

“His family would not allow it.”

Tem considered this. Was it possible that this was where her mother’s pain began? Had her father’s family looked down on her, and she’d lost the love of her life because of it?

“I’m sorry, mother.”

Now her mother pulled away.

“Why, my dear?”

Tem shrugged. They held hands.

“Things have never been easy for you.”

Her mother shook her head.

“I only wish for things to be easy for you,” she paused, then smiled. “The prince favors you, my dear. He kissed you longer than anyone else. I think you have a real chance with him.”

Guilt twisted Tem’s stomach. She had just learned what it would take to be with Caspen, and she was seriously considering doing it. Things had escalated far beyond the scope of the competition: Leo’s favor was no longer the only thing at stake, and ultimately it didn’t matter whether she had a chance with him. If she chose Caspen, she would forsake Leo.