Page 214 of Split or Swallow

Tem felt a dull stab of fear, and realized it was for Leo. There was already friction between the basilisks and the humans. If Bastian planned on fueling that friction into fire, the human prince would be the obvious target.

“And what exactly is your father’s plan?”

“The answer to that is…complicated.”

“Why?”

“Because it involves you.”

Tem blinked.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“But how?”

Caspen reached for her waist. It was not a gentle grip; he held her as if he was afraid she might run away. He stared into her eyes for a long moment before asking softly:

“Have you ever wondered why you cannot lie, Tem?”

She blinked.

“Excuse me?”

“Even when the situation demands it—even when your life depends on it—you always tell the truth. Am I wrong?”

Tem scoffed. “Of course I don’t like lying. Nobody does.”

“It is not that you do not like to lie. You cannot.”

Tem thought about all the times she had lied, and how difficult it had been for her. How her throat had tightened, how she could barely get the words out. She thought about when Leo had asked her if she loved Caspen. How her answer had physically pained her.

Caspen pulled her closer.

“Lying is nearly impossible for a basilisk. It costs us something to do so.”

She stared up at Caspen, who was looking down at her as if he were bracing for impact.

“Why are you saying this to me?” she whispered.

“Twenty years ago a girl left the training process. She was pregnant by her basilisk.”

Tem already knew where this was going. She knew it in her bones. And yet, she whispered:

“No.”

“Yes,” Caspen insisted. “Yes, Tem.”

Tem wanted to block her ears—wanted to do anything but hear the next thing that came out of Caspen’s mouth:

“Your mother is the one who left.”

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

“That’s impossible.”

Even as Tem said it, she recalled the conversation she’d had with her mother mere days ago: