Page 124 of Split or Swallow

Leo looked down at Tem.

“For her.”

Caspen stiffened. His hands were slowly forming into fists.

“She’s really something, isn’t she?” Leo said nonchalantly.

Tem wondered if he had any idea the danger he was in.

“Yes,” Caspen said through his teeth. “She is.”

“Of course,” Leo shot a grin at Tem. “She’s also rather difficult.”

Caspen didn’t acknowledge that. His voice was monotone as he asked:

“Are you satisfied with her performance?”

There was a pause, and Tem’s stomach squirmed as she remembered the point of this meeting was to grade her.

Leo laughed. “Define performance.”

Caspen’s gaze slid to Tem before snapping immediately back to Leo.

“You have not yet slept together?”

His words lingered in the room like smoke.

Leo took a sip of his whiskey. “You sound surprised. Don’t you two communicate?”

A pulse went through the claw. If only the prince knew how they communicat⁠ed.

“I assume you’ve slept together,” Leo continued without missing a beat. “Care to tell me what I have to look forward to?”

Tem’s mouth fell open. Leo had always been cavalier about sex, but hearing him discuss it so flippantly was still a shock.

Caspen bristled. Tem’s palms began to sweat again.

“She will satisfy you,” he said stiffly. “And if she does not, it is my failure. Not hers.”

Tem processed his words. She’d never thought about the training in that way. She hadn’t considered that she was a reflection of Caspen, and if the prince didn’t choose her, it was just as much his fault as hers.

“Hm,” Leo swirled his whiskey. “You assume you know what will satisfy me.”

Caspen rolled his shoulders. Tem said a silent prayer to Kora for Leo’s life.

“I assume nothing beyond what I know of human men.”

Leo frowned, and for the first time since the conversation began, his tone hardened:

“And what do you know of human men?”

Another pause. Caspen’s eyes locked onto Leo’s, and Tem felt a tangible shift in the energy of the room as he said:

“That they are easily satisfied.”

There was no mistaking the challenge in Caspen’s voice. He’d essentially called Leo simple. Predictable. He was belittling him, implying that Leo—and all humans—had no depth. Tem knew it was not an insult the prince would tolerate.

Leo’s fingers tightened on his whiskey. He bared his gold, tapered teeth.