Page 289 of Split or Swallow

“I’ve never seen one before, you know,” she purred, swirling her glass.

“Seen what before?” Tem asked.

“A snake.”

“Oh,” Tem said. Then she frowned. “They look just like humans.”

“Attractive humans, I’ve heard. What’s it like to fuck one?”

Tem’s eyebrows flew upward. She glanced at Leo, who was mercifully engaged in conversation with the man on his left. She cleared her throat.

“It’s…life changing,” Tem said honestly.

“Oh, I’m sure it is,” the woman crooned, leaning even closer. “Maybe I’ll get lucky at the wedding.”

Tem blinked. “Will the basilisks be attending?”

“They should be. At least, that’s what my sister says. Did I tell you about the time she—”

But Tem was no longer listening. If the basilisks were attending the wedding, that meant they would seize power the moment she performed the crest. It meant there would be no time to ensure a smooth transition from one king to the next—no time to ensure things happened in an orderly fashion. The change would be immediate. Lawless. And possibly dangerous.

When the main course was cleared, a butler served dessert.

A white ceramic dish containing a chocolate soufflé was set in front of Tem. It was covered in powdered sugar. She touched it with her fork, disturbing its pristine surface.

Leo watched as she took the first bite.

“And?” he said.

“Pretty good.”

“I suppose that’s better than pretty bad.”

“Marginally.”

Leo laughed, and at the sound, Tem chose to do something she shouldn’t. She leaned closer, lowering her voice so only Leo could hear:

“Do you really want to make your father angry?”

He arched an eyebrow. “Always.”

At his reply, she whispered:

“Feed me.”

For a moment, Leo did nothing. Then the familiar smirk returned to his face.

He took the fork, scooped up a bite of the soufflé, and held it out to her. Tem leaned even closer, taking the bite slowly, keeping her eyes on Leo’s while she did it.

Maximus watched the entire time, his expression irate.

When Tem finished the bite, she pressed her lips to Leo’s cheek, leaving a smudge of powdered sugar on his skin. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

“And you thought I was depraved,” he whispered.

She wiped the sugar gently from his cheek.

“Takes one to know one.”