Page 221 of Between Two Kings

The air seemed to go cold. Tem couldn’t understand how things had taken such a quick turn. One moment, she was having a conversation with Apollo, and the next, everything felt wrong.

“What are you doing here with her?” Caspen asked.

Apollo rolled his shoulders. “Am I not allowed to speak with whom I wish?”

“There is no reason for you to speak with my wife.”

“Possessiveness is unbecoming, Caspenon.”

“I did not ask for your opinion on the subject.”

“She is not your property.”

“She is mine.”

Here it was again—the implication that Tem belonged to Caspen. He had said it many times before, and it had always been true. But it wasn’t the whole truth. She belonged to Caspen, yes. But not only him.

Caspen’s eyes slid to Tem’s. They were turning black. “Unless…” he said slowly, setting the goblets down and crossing his arms. “She is not.”

Tem crossed her arms too. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I saw what happened at the tournament. I saw you hesitate.”

Tem’s stomach dropped. How long had she stood in the arena, making her choice? She’d hoped that her moment of crisis hadn’t been obvious. But if Caspen saw it, that meant everyone did.

“I saw you hesitate,” he said again. “And now I find you here, with him.”

Tem blinked. “What are you saying?”

“You love my brother.”

“What? Why would you think that?”

“Because it is obvious.”

Tem almost laughed. Nothing could be less obvious. “I don’t love—”

“You can admit it, Tem. It will not hurt me.”

Tem stared at him, her mouth open. Of course it would hurt him. But it wasn’t true—not even remotely. She did not love Apollo. She loved Leo, and it was going to be the death of them all. “I don’t love Apollo,” she said. Beside her, Apollo shifted. Tem had no idea whether she had hurt his feelings by saying that. But his feelings were the least of her worries right now.

Caspen’s jaw tightened. “Do not lie to me.”

“I never have.”

“You are lying right now.”

“No,” Tem said firmly. “I’m not.”

In the silence that followed, they both stared at each other. Tem couldn’t understand why this was happening. It was ridiculous. Caspen had been completely led astray—he’d interpreted everything incorrectly, drawn all the wrong conclusions. But the truth was so much worse. Falling for Caspen’s brother would be understandable—acceptable, even. Caspen had said so himself. To jump from one brother to the next was not only socially acceptable, it was expected. Tem wished she were in love with Apollo. That would make everything easier. But she was not. And Apollo knew it. And soon, Caspen would know it too.

“I don’t love Apollo,” she said quietly but firmly, every inch of her spine pricked with anticipation as she gathered the courage to say what she knew Caspen needed to hear: “I love Leo.”

A deadly silence fell.

In it, Caspen looked at her with a curious expression on his face, as if he were realizing something for the very first time. Even Apollo did not speak. He glanced between the two of them, clearly bracing for impact.

“You told him to find Evelyn.”