Page 117 of Split or Swallow

“Do you know when the basilisks will be here?” she asked.

Gabriel shrugged. “Any minute now.”

Tem scanned the room again, this time looking for Leo. She spotted him immediately, leaning against a marble column like he always was. Maximus was by his side, saying something in his ear. They both looked worried. Tem could imagine why.

No doubt the violation of the truce weighed heavily on the royals’ minds. It was no coincidence that the basilisks were coming to the castle tonight. Surely the royals intended to control the situation—to assert their dominance in a public setting.

Help.

Tem froze.

The events of the last few days had been so overwhelming that she hadn’t thought about the voice even once. But now that Tem was once more in the castle, everything came back to her in an arresting wave. She had promised herself that the next time she was here, she would find the voice. Tem turned to Gabriel, ready to excuse herself. Before she could say a word, he nudged her and whispered:

“Showtime.”

The basilisks had arrived.

The entire ballroom fell silent as the seven snakes entered. Their effortless grace was mesmerizing: they could have been gliding on ice.

“So,” Gabriel whispered. “Which one’s yours?”

All of the basilisks were objectively beautiful. But Caspen was on another level.

He stood half a foot taller than the others, his gold eyes appraising his surroundings with barely masked disdain. Wherever he moved, the crowd parted for him like water.

Tem simply pointed.

“That’s Caspen?” Gabriel hissed.

“Yes.”

“You little liar.”

“Excuse me?”

“You little liar, Tem. You failed to mention that he was a perfect specimen of a man.”

“He’s not a man.”

“Trust me, Tem. That’s a man.”

Tem rolled her eyes. “Would you please behave? This is hard enough without you gawking at him like he’s some kind of deity.”

“Have you seen him? He is some kind of deity.”

“For Kora’s sake.”

“I’ve never seen a more beautiful man.”

Tem sighed. Neither had she.

“I can’t believe you get to have sex with him.”

Tem sighed again. Neither could she.

The tinny sound of clinking glass cut through her thoughts:

“Attention, everyone,” Maximus was walking to the center of the room, his voice just as deep as Tem remembered it. Leo remained by the column, a glass of whiskey dangling from his fingers. When he met Tem’s eye, he winked.