Page 294 of Split or Swallow

“Yes,” Tem smiled.

He kissed her.

The moment his hands started to wander again, Tem swatted them away.

“Behave, Leo.”

Leo let out a groan of displeasure. He touched her for as long as he could, up until the very last second when Tem finally raised herself off of his lap. Even then he still touched her, stroking her exposed center as she bent over to retrieve her dress. When she stood, he leaned back to look up at her. She looked down at him, sprawled in the armchair, his hair disheveled, his eyes gleaming. He looked luminous.

“I want you to stay,” he whispered.

Tem leaned over him, pressing a soft kiss to his throat.

“I know you do.”

“Please, Tem,” he reached for her, but she straightened.

She shook her head.

“You have to earn overnight privileges, Leo.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then I suppose I’d better endeavor to do so.”

“I suppose you had.”

With that, Tem crossed to the door and left him.

The moment Tem was back in her room, she bolted for the window.

She had no idea how long she’d been with Leo. Too long. It was late—or perhaps early—and she needed to get to the caves and back before anyone discovered she was gone. What if Leo came to her room in the morning? What if he came to her room right now?

It didn’t matter. Tem had to talk to Adelaide.

Her journey to the caves was a blur. The air held that certain electricity that came right before it rained, and Tem sprinted in an attempt to outrun it. She hurtled through the village, into the forest, and through the wall, bursting into the cave to find it empty. Tem groped her way down the passageway, not stopping until she reached Caspen’s chambers.

He was already there, standing by the fire with Adelaide.

“Tem,” he said immediately. His nostrils flared, and she remembered how he’d known she’d been with Leo after the carriage ride—how he could smell him on her. Surely, he would smell him this time.

But she couldn’t worry about that now.

“Caspen,” she said. “I need to speak with Adelaide alone.”

Caspen hesitated. Tem knew he was already in the dark—already worried something was happening beyond his control. She didn’t have the capacity to comfort him.

“Of course,” he said quietly. “Take as long as you need.”

He pressed a long, tender kiss to Tem’s cheek before sweeping from the room. Tem waited until the door was closed before turning to Adelaide.

“What is it, Temperance?”

Tem arranged her thoughts before speaking.

“I…can’t talk to Caspen anymore.”