Page 130 of Between Two Kings

“Then what do you mean?”

“I am asking why you are here. You were the one who convinced my son to cease this practice in the first place. And yet here you are, bleeding. Why?”

“Well, apparently I wasn’t very convincing because your son brought this practice back.”

Maximus let out a low chuckle. “Please, Temperance. You are not some weak creature. You don’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

The compliment wasn’t lost on her. But Tem only shook her head. She certainly didn’t want to be doing this. “Can you just shut up? This is bad enough without you talking.”

Maximus raised his eyebrows, but Tem didn’t apologize.

“I am surprised at you, Temperance. You have my undivided attention. There was once a time when you would have taken advantage of that fact.”

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t there anything you wish to ask me while we are here?”

Tem almost scoffed but then reconsidered. There was a great deal she wished to ask Maximus. Such as why he’d started the bloodletting in the first place. And why his son was acting like a spineless worm. But one question came to the forefront of her mind, and once she thought of it, she couldn’t shake it. Evelyn’s words came back to her suddenly: You shouldn’t be around your father.

“What did you write in the letter you gave to Evelyn?”

Maximus tilted his head. From the look on his face, it was not the question he was expecting.

There was a long silence, in which Tem called upon every ounce of patience she possessed—which wasn’t much—to wait for him to answer. When she couldn’t take it any longer, she snapped, “Are you listening?”

“Yes, impatient girl. I heard you.”

“Then why haven’t you answered me?”

“Because your question is nonsense. I have never given Evelyn a letter.”

Tem opened her mouth but her next question died on her tongue. Because as long as she didn’t ask, she didn’t know. And as long as she didn’t know, she wasn’t keeping the truth from Leo. Before she could decide whether or not to speak, Maximus spoke instead.

“Who told you I gave Evelyn a letter?”

“She did.”

“And what did she say I wrote in it?”

Tem pursed her lips. Was Maximus manipulating her? Tem didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But she had no other option. It felt like she was on the brink of the truth. And if there was truth to be found, Tem needed to find it. “She said you broke up with her as Leo.”

More silence. Then, to Tem’s shock, Maximus began to laugh.

“Is something funny?” she cried.

Maximus only laughed more. It was a horrible sound, completely devoid of humor. Eventually, it devolved into coughing, and if Tem’s hands hadn’t been punctured with wires, she would have clenched them. As it stood, she could do nothing but watch as the former king hunched over in his cell, coughing until nothing came out anymore.

“My son has a type,” he said when he was done. “I have told you that before.”

“Yeah. Slut.”

“Smart,” Maximus said, correcting Tem. “He falls for smart women. Far smarter than him.”

Was Maximus complimenting her again? Before Tem had time to marvel at this, he continued.

“It will be his undoing if he is not careful.”

“What are you saying?”