Page 49 of Split or Swallow

“And which ways are those?”

“You can’t prepare me for the prince without actually doing so.”

“I have prepared you enough. You will only be required to kiss him tomorrow.”

“And if I’m required to do more?”

“You will not be.”

“You don’t know that. There’s already been an elimination. That wasn’t supposed to happen either.”

Caspen frowned, and Tem knew she had an opening.

“What if we’re required to stay at the castle after tomorrow night?”

Traditionally, the final three girls were chosen at a formal ball, after which they moved into the castle for the last part of the elimination process. It was meant to increase their proximity to the prince, to ensure he had a chance to sleep with each girl.

“You will not be,” Caspen said again. “It is too early.”

Tem shrugged. “That’s what you think. But the royals make their own rules. You told me that yourself.”

Caspen’s frown deepened.

“I would have been informed if that were the case.”

“Are you sure? Doesn’t seem like the royals care about keeping you informed.”

The skull in the study flashed through her mind, and she wondered if it flashed through Caspen’s. He sat up.

“Enough, Tem.”

She sat up too. But instead of retaliating with another dig, Tem placed her hand on his cheek, cupping the carved edge of his jaw in her palm. He was right; it was enough. Tem knew she was lashing out for reasons that had nothing to do with him. She was nervous for tomorrow, she was frustrated with herself, she was feeling desperate and unsteady and utterly out of control. She was consumed with need.

Tem wanted more. She’d wanted more since the very first night she’d come into this cave. But she couldn’t rush Caspen. He was immovable—an ancient basilisk who wouldn’t be swayed by her or anyone else. As much as she wanted more from him, she wouldn’t get it until he was ready to give it. So for once, she stood down.

“I’m sorry,” Tem said quietly.

Caspen’s eyes met hers. He gave a small smile.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.”

They spent the rest of the evening doing nothing more than kissing. Whenever Tem tried to take things further, Caspen stopped her. Every time her hand went below his waist, he pulled it back up. Every time her knees opened, he closed them. When he walked her to the head of the trail, his gold eyes lingered on hers before he kissed her, gently, on the forehead. Then he was gone.

A dress arrived for her, just like last time.

This one was deep maroon, with gold embroidery at the waist. It was low cut; Leo would love it. Tem pulled it on slowly, wondering once again what it meant that Caspen was dressing her in something that would make her attractive to another man. She put the necklace on too, centering the gold claw on her chest. The other claw was inside her. Unlike last time, Caspen didn’t send her any pulses. Instead, he was completely absent from her mind the entire afternoon, and even when the carriage arrived to take her to the castle, there was nothing but a gaping emptiness where his presence used to be.

The castle was just as she remembered it. Tem once again gave her name at the door before being ushered into the same ballroom as before, the impossibly high ceilings making her head spin. The crowd was rowdier than the last time she’d been here. It seemed that the royals had no shortage of alcohol. There were bottles of whiskey and tankards of mead lining the tables scattered throughout the room. Tem looked around for Gabriel but didn’t see him anywhere. She did notice Lilly, who gave her a cheeky wave before disappearing into the crowd.

Leo was sitting at a table, his arm draped around the blonde girl he’d ranked first during last week’s elimination. She was practically in his lap, laughing at his every word. When Tem passed them, Leo arched an eyebrow and raised his whiskey in her direction. She ignored him.

Instead, she poured a whiskey of her own, downing the fiery liquid in a single gulp. It burned on the way down, just like it did the last time she’d had it. But it also steadied her nerves, and Tem basked in the brief moment of peace as the alcohol numbed her senses. That was when she heard it:

Help.

The word was barely audible at first—nothing more than a whisper in the corner of her mind. Tem froze at the sound, and for a single, panicked second, she thought it might be Caspen. But when the voice came again, she knew it wasn’t his.

Help me. Please.