Page 215 of Between Two Kings

When she opened her eyes, Apollo’s stared back at her. She smiled, and so did he. It seemed like the time to kiss him had passed, like their moment was ending. But Tem did it anyway, pressing her lips gently to his. It was the complete opposite of the aggressive way they’d been kissing just moments ago. This was intimate; this was slow.

Tem traced his tongue with hers. You taste like peaches.

Do I?

Yes.

Fascinating. He sucked on her bottom lip, pulling it between his. You taste like the sea.

Tem shouldn’t have been surprised by his answer. Caspen had once told her she’d smelled like the sea. Why shouldn’t she taste like it as well?

Does the sea taste good?

He smiled, releasing her lip. It does.

With that, their moment was over.

Tem looked around the arena, blinking at the sudden rush of sound. Being with Apollo was like being in a tunnel: close and suffocating. Now Tem felt as if someone had lifted the curtain, and she was suddenly reminded that they were in an arena full of basilisks, in the middle of the tournament.

Apollo lifted her slowly off his cock, and Tem knew he was letting her feel every inch of him as he slid out of her. She realized suddenly that her knees were bleeding; the friction of the sand had torn them to shreds. Apollo pressed his palms against them, healing them with a cooling rush. Then he pressed a tiny, gentle kiss to each one. The gesture surprised Tem. It was not in his nature to nurture. She didn’t think they had the type of relationship that warranted aftercare. For the first time, she wondered if she was seeing yet another new side of him: a side of tenderness. He took her hands in his, brushing his fingers over her freckles. They stood together, looking out at the crowd. Despite the deafening hiss, there was no hive orgasm this time. But that didn’t surprise Tem. Her and Apollo were not her and Caspen. Their union would not incite the same reaction that she had brought forth during the ritual. A face stood out to her in the crowd: the new mother who had given her blessing to Apollo. She was descending the steps and entering the arena.

The rest of the contenders were all standing, turning to face Tem. Caspen was still in the stands, and something told Tem he would remain there. She looked up at him, reaching for him with her mind even though she knew he couldn’t hear her. What did he think of what he’d just seen? Tem would find out soon enough.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Adelaide approaching.

“Well done, Temperance,” she said. “You have completed the tiers. It is time for your heart to make its choice.”

Against her instincts, Tem glanced at Apollo. He was looking at Caspen.

By now, the new mother had reached them. It was then that Tem noticed she held a goblet in her hand, similar to the goblet of elixir. Only this chalice contained a different liquid, one that Tem had seen many times in the village, in bottles held by babies.

The woman held it out to her.

Tem turned questioningly to Adelaide.

“She offers you a holy substance,” Adelaide said, “the ultimate symbol of life. Nothing is more sacred to us. Once you drink it, your heart will make its choice.”

Tem looked once more at Caspen.

“It will force you to be truthful,” Adelaide said quietly. “So make sure you are ready.”

The woman nodded at Tem. Tem nodded back. Was her prediction about to come true? Only Kora could tell. She took the goblet, tilted her head, and drank.

Immediately, something tugged at her—a physical sensation, yanking her chest in two directions. She felt an undeniable pull toward Caspen—so strong it nearly hurt, straining against her rib cage. It was not unlike the sensation she’d felt before, on the night before the training began. Caspen had come to her in a dream, his presence as warm and as real as a flame. She’d been drawn to him then and she was drawn to him now, her body turning in his direction.

But Caspen was not the only draw.

Something else pulled her heart’s focus: someone else. As strong as the sensation she felt for Caspen was the sensation she felt for someone who wasn’t even here.

She loved them both. She always had.

Tem threw herself into her basilisk side, concentrating on nothing but the way she felt for Caspen, willing it to take over her. She thought of the night they met, how they’d undressed in front of each other; how she’d known, even then, that their paths were destined to cross. She thought of his body and the way it conformed to hers. They fit together perfectly, the way two lovers should.

It was not enough.

Leo crept in, as he always did. She thought of his hair, his laugh, his gold incisors. She pictured the way his hands grasped his whiskey glass: tightly, so his veins stood out. Tem thought of their time together, how she had fallen for him slowly, almost against her will. But she had fallen nonetheless.

Temperance, Apollo’s voice came to her. You are taking too long. What is happening?